Voluntary groups and support have appeared throughout the SG8 area, to help those in our community who need support.
Royston and District Community Transport have created a self-isolating resource of support groups and deliveries of essential items. Click to download it here.
Community Support Groups During Coronavirus
Royston vs Coronavirus
If anyone in Royston and surrounding villages needs any support with shopping, chores or more, please ask on the Royston vs Coronavirus support group.
This group of co-ordinated volunteers will help with shopping, prescriptions, pet walking, a friendly chat and more for elderly and vulnerable people based in Royston who are self-isolating.
If you are fit an well and can offer any support, then please do the same.
http://bit.ly/RoystonVsCoronavirus
You an also email for help roystonvscoronavirus@gmail.com
Burns Road Heroes
If you are elderly or have health issues then you might be considering isolating yourself to avoid coronavirus. To do this, you might want to buy your groceries online with the home delivery option. If this is your situation and you live in the Burns Road estate then Burns Road Heroes can help. 
If you want help setting up an online account with a local grocer then call us. If the ‘home delivery’ slots are booked up then agree a time with us when we can collect the groceries for you through the ‘click and collect’ option. We will do this for free. Together we can help you stay safe.
If you live in the Burns Road estate and you want to be someone’s hero or if you need a hero to help you then, please, call Richard on 07935 706793 or call Rebekah on 07714 373785
Alternatively, print this note of #ViralKindness and drop it through a neighbour’s door
Royston Community Transport
Passengers for essential travel only – 01763 245228,
Lines open 9am-3pm Monday – Friday
We will also help with prescription deliveries and food shopping, including collecting ‘Click & Collect’ where possible
Royston Town Council services
Town Hall – 01763 245484 opening hours Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
Town Clerk town.clerk@roystontowncouncil.gov.uk
Hertfordshire Careline – Community pendant alarm service Telephone: 0300 999 2 999 Email: careline@north-herts.gov.uk
Village organisations offering help
Barkway Hub – Jennie Cox 07976 823497
There is a list of volunteers who will do shopping, prescriptions or any other essential tasks for villagers who cannot get out. In the first instance please call the co-ordinator, Jennie (number above).
Barley Assistance
Barley Parish Council, Barley Church, Granta Medical Practice and local Barley residents have come together to help and support villagers over the weeks and months ahead in response to the Corona Virus. If you find yourself in need of a helping hand and are self-isolating for whatever reason please email barley.assistance@gmail.com or contact one of the village co-ordinators:
Shaftenhoe End (Bogmoor Road and all offshoots) – Andrew Sims 01763 849299
High Street (Bankside, Lower Farm Barns, Bakers Lane) – Shoshana Wybrow 01763 848979
London Road & Smith’s End Lane (Crossways, Greenbury Close, The Mount) – Mel Chammings 01763 848991
Cambridge Road and Picknage Road (King Edgars’s Yard) – Ali Hearn 01763 849979
Church End, Shaftenhoe End Lane to Lovely View (Pudding Lane, School Lane, Farriers) – Jane Hart 01763 848459
The Revd Canon Ruth Pyke – 01763 848756
Barley Parish Council Clerk – Melanie Chammings 07713 837086 barley.parishclerk@gmail.com
Facebook page search ‘Barley Assistance’.
Bassingbourn cum Kneesworth Help Group – Claire Ives 07496 084509
Offering shopping orders and collection, a friendly chat, animal care inc dog walking, posting mail, collecting repeat prescriptions, urgent supplies for those living in or near Bassingbourn.
You can also email bassingbournhelpers@gmail.com
Bassingbourn pharmacy is now closed 12-2pm
Nuthampstead support Group
Supported by the Parish Council
Contact Geoff Hodge geoffhodge@outlook.com
Orwell self-help group – run by Maggie Galan 01223 207307
or email maggiegalan@hotmail.com
Melbourn Coronavirus Community Response – 01763 263303 (option 1)
Co-ordinated through Melbourn Hub they may be able to assist with maintaining social contact, collecting prescriptions, essential shopping.
Local business remaining open include:
Leech and Sons – 01763 260255. Can order and pay by phone. Not offering delivery.
Bury Lane Farm Shop – 01763 260418 (option 1) Can order and pay by phone. Can deliver.
Melbourn Co-op – 01763 268329 Normal shopping system only
Fieldgate Nurseries – 01763 260737. Can order and pay by phone. Can deliver.
Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support – Susan van de Ven (County Councillor) 07905 325574 or Phillipa Hart (District Councillor) 07811 323571
Will organise help with essential food, collecting prescriptions, walking the dog/pet care, posting mail, a friendly phone call. Just call or text and they’ll do their best to help you (for FREE). More information about this will be published soon in Meldreth Matters.
There is also a Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/MeldrethCoronavirusCommunitySupport/
Or you can email susanvandeven5@gmail.com or philippajoyhart@gmail.com
Reed Parish Council – 01763 877590
Offering support for Reed villagers needing food and medicine, hospital and doctor’s appointments, collecting books from the library, collecting parcels, someone friendly to chat to. Telephone the number above or email contact@reedparishcouncil.co.uk
There is also a Reed Covid19 Support WhatsApp Group. Join by sending a text to 07909 524986 and a Facebook group; search for Reed Coronavirus Support Group.
Therfield Village Support Group (managed by Therfield Parish Council) – 07562 243956
Offering door to door delivery services and help with shopping, pet supplies, prescriptions or just to chat to a friendly voice for Therfield residents.
Thriplow Community Response Team
There is a list of local people who are willing to do shopping. For more information or to ask for help contact elizabeth.williams3579@gmail.com).
Clerk to Thriplow Parish Council – Martyn Corbet 01223 839546 parishclerk@thriplow.org.uk
Useful Contacts
NHS Non-Emergency number: 111
For mental health advice, please visit Mind: www.bit.ly/MindCOVID19
For advice regarding money, debt, employment and housing: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
If you need someone to talk to, the Samaritans will listen
www.samaritans.org or call 116 123
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
24-hour freephone, 0808 2000 247
www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
For the latest news: www.bbc.co.uk/news
For the latest Government advice regarding coronavirus: www.bit.ly/PublicHealthEngland2020
HMRC helpline for the self employed and businesses: www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline 0300 456 3565
For local support with food and supplies:
Royston Food Bank at Royston Evangelical Church from 9-11am, Weds & Sat, or you can donate food & supplies to the Food Bank at McColl’s and the Roman Catholic Church as well as at Royston Evangelical Church
Royston Coronavirus Facebook support group: www.bit.ly/RoystonVsCoronavirus
Burns Road Heroes: Richard, 07935 706793 or Rebekah, 07714 373785
When you are out shopping for essentials, do follow the Safe Shopping Guidelines from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
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