Assistance for over 70s in area

[DanL]

Hi all,

My name is Dan and I live locally. Given the extraordinary circumstances we are all going through, I would like to let you know that I am available to help those who will not able to go shopping, due to the quarantine that will come into force next weekend. If you do not have any friends or family to bring your shopping to you I can do this for you (while I still remain healthy).

Please send me a PM with your phone number and I'll give you a call.

If anyone else is available to provide a similar level of assistance then please respond to this post.
Hope everyone stays safe and as healthy as possible.

@Admin - Apologies if this is posted in the wrong section, please move it to correct section if necessary.

[2lai]

Hi Dan,

There is a mutual aid group being set up to help vulnerable people in the area. It's on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/groups/2713648482250706/

People are coordinating leafleting, food pick up/drop off, and other forms of support.

All best,

D

[DanL]

Thank you for that. Have requested to join it

[stuart]

Thanks Dan that 's really kind. But many over 70s, like me - don't do Facebook for various reasons. (I'm OK I have kids to look after us).

I would hope some of the local organisations, like local churches, come together to set up a united action group. It's important as they are in a better position to verify volunteers (given this is going to be Christmas for the low-life who target the vulnerable) and put them together with supplies and those in greatest need. Is SydSoc going to take a role? Or to use the SydArts organisation? (as they have cancelled operations).

It's time to set aside historical differences and pull together so we can all fall apart again when its all over

Stuart

[2lai]

The facebook group is there to coordinate help for vulnerable people. People who need help are not expected to be on facebook to be contacted, the group is organising the distribution of flyers with contact numbers, and arranging a number of things that people may need if they can't leave their home, like food drop off, medicines, and even phone calls for support. They are also preparing safety protocols and handling data safely. The Lewisham-wide group has also been in touch with the councillors to explain what is going on. It's a very organised community effort and nice to see so many people dedicated to helping others in our area.

[JGD]

WhatsApp groups are also going strong.

What started as Lewisham then Perry Vale groups over the weekend has begun to sub-divide and focus on street based locations in the area.

No formal rules or organisation - just large numbers of people trying to ensure they act in a community based fashion and trust that calls for help will not go unheard.

Some helpful souls are leafleting potential hot-spots.

As Stuart says not everyone is Facebook savvy or users so it is hoped that any calls for assistance made will be re-broadcast in the WhatsApp group and will be picked up.

Here is an editable map that whilst titled Forest Hill expands beyond those boundaries.

https://tiny.cc/o8mflz

[stuart]

May I recommend everybody takes time to read the paper published Monday that reversed government policy? It is sobering but gives a clear and concise picture of the situation. It blows out of the water "the war will be over by Christmas" mentaility of those still in denial.

It's the best view at this time. The outcome may be better, but it could be a lot worse and, folks, it says clearly you can write off 2020 and probably 2021. Home working and active protection of the vulnerable is going to be our way of life for the foreseeable future. We are in the phoney war period, the weird calm before the storm. What we do in the next few weeks will have the greatest effect on the final outcome:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperi ... 3-2020.pdf

Your safety will save others.
Stuart

[JGD]

For those volunteers out there providing support to the self isolated, I have an additional request of HMG.

I have today tweeted two of our local MP's Ellie Reeves and Janet Daby seeking their assistance in making this request of HMG - suspend ALL prescription payments for the meantime.

This will not only assist those who already qualify - OAP's and children and others - but will greatly help volunteers who may be requested to assist with picking up and getting prescriptions filled for those in self-isolation or indeed who are unwell and who are not in the exempt groups.

It can't be difficult.

[alywin]

For the Bromley side of Sydenham, see here:

https://www.bromley.gov.uk/press/articl ... t_covid-19

Presumably Lewisham does something similar?

[JGD]

Some sound advice in there and an interestingly over-sight type approach expressed by the Council in terms of trying to take the lead in registering those who would volunteer:

Please be aware that during these times a small number of people with alternative ideas may seek to take advantage of the situation. At these times please remain mindful of the following advice:
Seek assistance from trusted neighbours and friends wherever possible, or reputable local charities and churches if this isn’t possible.

Only give cash to someone you know well and trust.
Do not give your bank card and pin number out to anybody.
Plan in advance as online shopping deliveries currently take over 7 days to arrive.
Consider alternative delivery services to the supermarket, such as the local milk man (who can deliver groceries as well as milk) or businesses delivering food locally such as “veg box” type deliveries.

However it went too far when the MP for Orpington during PMQ's on 18 March sought reassurance that DBS checks for volunteers will be conducted to enhance safeguards.

PM DohJo responded that DBS checks will be carried out in 24 hours.

This is entirely unfeasible. It is simply not achievable.

What planet are they wired to ?

Real and meaningful checks in 24 hours ?

No - it is misleading - anyone involved in obtaining DBS checks will know that timescales are much longer than that - and in circumstances different from what we have now where like-it-or-not, resources will be depleted by absentees affected by Covid-19.

[stuart]

Yes - priorities do seem to go astray. I'm irritated by the cries of anguish over the loss of exams and is assessment going to be fair? Ahem, the priority for the education system right now is to decide by tomorrow and implement by Monday who is coming to school and how they are going to be taught. Then, what type of homeworking they can set up for everybody else. (Hopefully the BBC is going to be a great help - a resource our government might like to remember in the years to come)

Exam assessment is something to worry about later. We have months to sort that out and most teachers will have plenty of time on their hands.

Life isn't fair and all those 16 & 18 year olds imho should be wanting is to maximise the number of grandparents who will be able to enjoy sharing their degree or whatever achievements in the years to come.

That's my grump for the day. What's yours?
Stuart

[JGD]

Seeing online media reports, not least from Nic that things went wrong badly at Sainsbury's in Bell Green early this morning.

The "Elderly Hour" set-up by the store was widely ignored with queues full of the non-elderly stretched out into the car-park before 6:50 am.

No control exercised and bullying would appear to have been prevalent. Shelves once more emptied in short order.

https://twitter.com/NicDeLaMitch/status ... 9995126784

Empty shelves vid from last night.

https://twitter.com/JamesEvansPhoto/sta ... 9587802118

Received reports from trusted source yesterday that M&S stores seem to be well stocked with other reports that other local stores have some stock too.

Some wider evidence from across south-east London that queues at petrol stations are becoming a permanent feature.

We need to think hard and work out how the essential needs of our elderly and vulnerable neighbours are to be met.

Must Sainsburys have security personnel in place for these sessions and provide enforcement for those who really and validly need these shopping windows?

Sad day if we do - but needs must perhaps.

[Syd Blues]

Hello all,

I've been looking for a way to volunteer some time to those unable to get out and noticed that, in addition to the above, Lewisham Local are coordinating a response along with other community groups in the borough. There's a page where you can sign-up to offer your services and they'll pass on your details to organisations in your area.

https://www.lewishamlocal.com/a-coordin ... ronavirus/

[JGD]

Empty shelves vid from last night.

https://twitter.com/JamesEvansPhoto/sta ... 9587802118

Reading additional reports that the empty shelves shown in the vid from the night before had NOT in fact been re-stocked particularly well and significant gaps on the shelves were evident when the store opened.

This raises an extra question here - despite what most of us would agree is anti-social hoarding behaviour by customers (bullying is never acceptable) - is Sainsburys' re-stocking operation adequate ?

They continue to issue assurances that all is well - but we seem not to be seeing much evidence of this claim.

Sainsburys CEO needs to look hard at these claims being made by him and testing those against the volume of stock replenishment that is actually required on the shop floor.

Unless hoarders have found a guaranteed market for all their booty there is a limit to how much can be bought and stored by them and thereby the impact of that behaviour is short-lived.

[alywin]

PM DohJo responded that DBS checks will be carried out in 24 hours.

This is entirely unfeasible. It is simply not achievable.

What planet are they wired to ?

Real and meaningful checks in 24 hours ?

Good grief. And if that's unachievable, how on earth are we supposed to believe his statement that we can give the virus the push in 12 weeks? Surely it's just fantasy? If so, there will be unnecessary deaths - and a lot of them, I imagine.

[alywin]

Reading additional reports that the empty shelves shown in the vid from the night before had NOT in fact been re-stocked particularly well and significant gaps on the shelves were evident when the store opened.

This raises an extra question here - despite what most of us would agree is anti-social hoarding behaviour by customers (bullying is never acceptable) - is Sainsburys' re-stocking operation adequate ?

They continue to issue assurances that all is well - but we seem not to be seeing much evidence of this claim.

Sainsburys CEO needs to look hard at these claims being made by him and testing those against the volume of stock replenishment that is actually required on the shop floor.

Quite. I mean, if you go into Penge Sainsbury's it's pretty much empty shelves for I'd guess 70% of the shop. Alcohol and Easter eggs are fine, though I know I didn't go in there until mid-afternoon, but are people REALLY grabbing everything as soon as it's restocked, or is there a restocking problem? Or is their rationing system not working? Beckenham Sainsbury's is a bit better, but not that much. And I saw a man taking what looked like a suspiciously large number of packs of chicken pieces in Iceland yesterday. Again, I thought rationing was in order? There was hardly any food left in the freezers.

M&S Beckenham was also starting to look rather bare in places.

And yet the Italians seem to be behaving reasonably, even under the extreme stress they are currently under.

[stuart]

And if that's unachievable, how on earth are we supposed to believe his statement that we can give the virus the push in 12 weeks? Surely it's just fantasy? If so, there will be unnecessary deaths - and a lot of them, I imagine.

Capping the increase is feasible within 12 weeks. Whether the current social distancing or lack of it is sufficient will determine that. The PM is focusing on this measure because it is the essential and clearly measurable step. But is only the end of the beginning.

The next step is to drive infections down to minimal levels. Paradoxically flattening the curve extends this time significantly.

The third step is to hold them down. That will be longest step and have to be in place until some combinations of treatment and prevention (vaccine) can become readily available and effective. The optimists are hoping for 12 months or possibly less. Those based on previous performance are in the two year time frame. There is chance that it could be longer.

Bottom line is good news could be here by July but we will probably still be social distancing at Christmas. Miracles can happen. A nice surprise but a poor expectation.

Stuart (looking for a pizza for Friday night)

[alywin]

I've come across this website:

https://covidmutualaid.org/

[alywin]

I'm wondering whether a collection of surplus radios/tablets/phones is needed to help these people keep in touch. I would assume that most people of that age would have a functioning phone, at least, but not so sure about the others.

[JGD]

If this gets off the ground - happy to help with commissioning/setup of devices.

Also willing to contribute a small sum towards PAYGO SIM cards where people may not have landline internet links.

Any TELCO's out there got any assistance offers that could help the needy here ?