Community Volunteer Hubs help the District's most vulnerable people

Edition: Summer 2020

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Council, in partnership with existing and new organisations and volunteer groups, has actively put in place ways to help the District’s most vulnerable people by establishing Community Volunteer Hubs.

Three community volunteers in their Community Hub office

We are extremely grateful to the many community groups, parish and town councils and social media groups who have worked so hard to help establish the Hubs throughout the District.

There are now some 27 Hubs in place, organised and manned by volunteers, giving practical help, such as going for essential food shopping and medicines, and providing emotional support, with a friendly phone call for those who are self-isolating at home, amongst many other things.

Since they were set up in March over 10,000 queries have been dealt with.

As part of this initiative, the Council’s Community team called all of its 2,500 Community Link and Health and Wellbeing customers to establish their needs and reassure them at this time and we continue to call them regularly.

The volunteer who does my shopping is an absolute angel

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the literally hundreds of our residents and community groups who have come forward to give their time to both help set up Hubs in their local areas, and to volunteer to help vulnerable people at this time.
My thanks go out too to the Council’s Community teams who worked tirelessly to pull this vital initiative together logistically with so little time to do it in.
It is a heartrending time for many who are isolated either for their own safety, or the safety of others, and it is therefore greatly reassuring that so many volunteers have given and continue to give such vital help. “I would still urge you to come forward if you feel you can spare your time to get involved.

Councillor Ray Dawe, Leader of Horsham District Council

It's good to know that as I am home alone there is someone to rely on

A community volunteer delivers a box of food to a house

How you can help

Please support our local volunteers who are working with the Hubs to buy and deliver essential food and medicines to the vulnerable who are self-isolating.

Donate to the Horsham District COVID-19 Appeal and raise funds for local community volunteer hubs who are supporting vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic
Any donations are really welcome. To give £20 by mobile, just text HUBS to 70085. Texts cost £20 (the donation) plus one standard rate message.
To get involved, Contact a community support hub

Thank you for ringing every week. It has helped me relax and lot - I am not on my own really

Thank you to everyone who has made a donation so far – It really does make a big difference to the lives of local people who are being helped by local people.