East Lothian Council is supporting local community resilience arrangements to help vulnerable people living in local communities.
Across the county, volunteers are already providing a significant amount of help and support for neighbours and fellow residents.
Supported by collaboration and co-ordination from our Connected Community Managers in local areas, we are keen to ensure existing community groups are able to continue making a difference in supporting vulnerable people in critical need.
Resilience groups can help in a number of ways – for example collecting shopping, essential supplies and supporting people in emergency need of care.
This could be particularly useful for people who are not able to leave their home, for example if they are self isolating and/or unwell.
What to do if you need help
Anyone requiring assistance from their local community resilience group can:
- Email us - customerservices@eastlothian.gov.uk
- Telephone our public information line on 01875 824300 between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm, Monday to Friday.
We will then make the appropriate linkages to enable you to be provided with assistance locally.
Volunteer register
Can you help? In collaboration with STRiVE, a volunteer registration service is being established to connect well and willing ‘new’ volunteers with their local resilient community group’s efforts. You can register your interest on the STRiVE website.
Resilient community groups are made up of volunteers, usually attached to community councils, to support their own communities when there is a major disruption to services – for example during ‘Beast from the East’. Such organised groups provide re-assurance communication and structures to allow a well organised response to be made. The volunteer registration service will help people in communities who are not already connected to a community group/organisation, to provide details of their skills and availability to participate in local volunteering efforts.
Phenomenal
Depute Council Leader Councillor Norman Hampshire said:
“There is a phenomenal amount of volunteering going on across our communities already. Neighbours are helping neighbours and looking after the less able in their communities supported by local resilience groups. We are keen to help support and grow this network, and ensure that community spirit continues to flourish even in these worrying times.”