Now we’re talking – coming together in isolation

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Organisations across the county have joined forces to launch a wellbeing campaign and additional mental health support for people during the coronavirus outbreak.

‘Now We’re Talking’, encourages people to get talking to combat loneliness whilst self-isolating, and to seek help if they are struggling with their mental health.

The campaign, led by the local authority, NHS and third sector also directs people to increased mental health support available including:

  • Lifeline Plus – a mental health and wellbeing helpline for people aged 18 and over living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, is available Monday-Friday between 9am and 2pm via freephone 0808 808 2121. The line will support people to manage their wellbeing, provide selfhelp advice or signpost to other organisations for particular concerns.  7 days a week, between 2pm and 11pm the same number is Lifeline, managed by Lifecraft who provide support for those in mental health distress: 0808 808 2121.
  • Qwell – an online wellbeing support, including educational and self-help articles and peer-topeer support via forums. Adults are also able to receive help from qualified counsellors via dropin or scheduled online chat sessions. www.qwell.io  Keep Your Head – this website brings together all the mental health support available across the county – www.keep-your-head.com/now

Coronavirus – Support Materials

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Our round-up of resources for community and voluntary organisations

Advice for Community Groups

Community and voluntary organisations are on the front line supporting our local communities. COVID-19 is presenting big challenges, but also opportunities to step up and support these communities.

Hunt Forum has created a range of support materials that can be found here.  Some of this information is also available below as fact-sheets available to download in Microsoft Word format.

Factsheet 1 Financial-Losses-to-Charities

Factsheet 2 Use of volunteers

Factsheet 3 Community response

Factsheet 4 Checklist for volunteer groups

Factsheet 5 Information for those looking to volunteer during Covid-19

Factsheet 6 Example of a volunteer agreement

Factsheet 7 DBS

Factsheet 8 Lone working policy example

Factsheet 9 GDPR

Factsheet 10 Safeguarding and Example Policy

Factsheet 11 Telephone procedures

Factsheet 12 Volunteer guidelines for shopping and picking up prescriptions

Factsheet-13-Finance-information (updated 8 April 2020)

Factsheet 14 Finance systems and home working

Factsheet 16 Letter to prove volunteer activity

Factsheet 18 Volunteer Mental Health and Wellbeing

 

Support Cambridgeshire has created a range of videos to support individuals and groups to keep safe in this difficult time.

Safeguarding Advice

What to think about when using volunteers

Telephone Befriending Advice

Top Tips for Volunteers

Please share the videos throughout your communities.

Where to Find Funding

Funding is always an issue for community and voluntary organisations, and particularly at this time when demand may be higher than ever and some forms of funding have dried up.

Click here for Support Cambridgeshire’s round up of funding sources relating to Coronavirus, including government support, charitable funding for organisations facing financial challenges, plus funds for organisations on the front-line supporting communities through the pandemic.

 

Coronavirus – Where to Find Information

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Resources from the Support Cambridgeshire Partners

The Hunts Forum Coronavirus Portal includes information and resources for organisations responding to the virus outbreak or struggling financially and operationally as a result of it, plus an archive of weekly updates.

CCVS‘s Covid-19 pages include advice for new community groups responding to the crisis, ways that volunteers can help, updates from other key organstions and information about business continuity planning.

Check out Cambridgeshire ACRE‘s blogs for Community Buildings and for Town and Parish Councils for the latest information and resources.

Countywide Coordination Hub

The Cambridgeshire Coordination Hub was launched to help those people in our communities who are at the highest risk and shielded during the Coronavirus outbreak. The hub will help ensure that services provided by key workers, such as care for the elderly, are able to continue through the redeployment of staff and the deployment of volunteers. It also co-ordinates the distribution of support to the most vulnerable shielded group, whether it is food, medicine or social aspects. In addition, it works closely with the district/city hubs to ensure all vulnerable people are supported.

Find out more about our Coordination Hub on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough websites or call 0345 045 5219 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-1pm).

Districts

Each district within Cambridgeshire has its own hotline or website to support residents.

East Cambridgeshire – email covid19@eastcambs.gov.uk or call 01353 665555 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm)
South Cambridgeshire – www.scambs.gov.uk/coronavirus
Cambridge City – www.cambridge.gov.uk/coronavirus-community-group-contact-details
Fenland – www.fenland.gov.uk/coronavirus
Huntingdonshire – www.wearehuntingdonshire.org

Useful Links for Community Organisations

There’s a huge amount of information out there to help community groups meet the challenges of the Covid-19 outbreak. Here are a few websites that we hope you’ll find useful.

NCVO – a wide range of resources covering keeping people safe, contingency planning, involving volunteers and risk management

NAVCA – key news relevant to the sector from the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action

Charity Commission – useful advice to ensure that registered charities act safely and lawfully during the crisis

www.gov.uk/coronavirus – the best source for the latest official government guidance

Charity Bank – advice on funding, government support, business and legal support

Support Services across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

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Cambridge County Council and Peterborough City Council have now released Commissioned Community Services list 2020 – highlighted their commissioned services across the two areas. The flyer consists of three pages and makes it clear what services each provider is offering along with contact details.

Remember you can also find more information on the Cambridgeshire Directory and Peterborough Information Network

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Together Against Coronavirus

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Cambridgeshire/Peterborough Together Against Coronavirus

Cambridgeshire/Peterborough Together Against Coronavirus is helping people stay connected during self-isolation, particularly those at risk of feeling lonely. To find out more click here.

Please share your ideas and tips for how you are beating loneliness or supporting people in your community. Whether it’s offering to deliver food supplies or pick up prescriptions, or regular phone calls checking on someone’s wellbeing, there are lots of ways we can all keep an eye on people, without the need to make physical contact.

So what can you do to help?

  • Share your stories of what you are doing to help people on your social media pages using the hashtags #ReachOut #PeterboroughTogether or #CambridgeshireTogether
  • Share your tips on beating loneliness
  • Download the campaign poster and other visuals to use on your social media pages or in your window to show what you are doing to help people in your neighbourhood
  • Help us remind people about the importance of staying at home

Your stories will help us to remind people that help is at hand.

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