Coronavirus updates - Lockdown 3 in progress

The Corona Virus epidemic and restrictions are making changes to all of our lives, and following the current advice isn't always easy - but it is important to do so as much as we can.

There are many local organisations gathering to offer help, if you are self-isolating and need help, or simply need to speak to a friendly voice.

We will be publishing details of local organisations as we hear of them:

Teignbridge Council website is a good place to start if you have any questions

and Devon County Council have information about schools and more.

The latest medical advice from the NHS is here.

We have a list of contacts for economic help for Teignbridge residents

Local councillors are working with the organisations locally to help, so please contact your local councillor if you need help.

How you can help others

If you would like to help your neighbours, our community and those vulnerable, we recommend the following in the first instance:

• Let your nearest neighbours, maybe the nearest 5 - 10 know your contact details so that they can call you if they need help. You will be someone known to them, a familiar face rather than a stranger. (Sadly we must still be aware of safeguarding concerns even at this time).
• Set up or join street level or Resident's Association level WhatsApp groups, Google Groups, Private Facebook Groups or email chains to help connect those offering help with those needing help at a micro level. Some have already done this (particularly Residents' Associations), and they are the optimum way of turning offers into action.
• Some of the existing facebook groups we know of in Newton Abbot Town are Our Fairways, Hele Park Community, Jetty Marsh Residents Group, Orleigh Cross Residents Group, Buckland Estate and Proud of It, and Newton AbbotCovid-19 Mutual Aid - Other towns and villages have set up similar groups
• Do not buy too much produce or goods. Those that are most vulnerable are left even more vulnerable if our stores are bare of the essentials. Several supermarkets have over 70's only shopping hours, check their websites.
• Donate to foodbanks. Panic buying has led to a reduction in the number of donations to local foodbanks when they need them more than ever, so please do donate what you can. Many people on lower incomes or zero hour contracts are likely to struggle more now than ever. If you are self-isolating and wish to help you can donate online to both foodbanks.
• HITS Foodbank https://hitsfoodbank.org/contact-us/ info@hitsfoodbank.org Tel 01626 906371 (Hits Food Bank are looking for more volunteers especially evening drivers)
• THAT Foodbank https://www.thatfoodbank.com/ mailto:thatfoodbank@gmail.com Tel 01626 437310 (THAT need more volunteers and donations)

Helping us to help you

As councillors we want to assist in facilitating resources where we can, by putting together a resource list, but we need your help to do so.

Please send us details of the local street/community communication group or mailing list you have setup, as well as a primary contact for this group so that we can direct people that contact us or known vulnerable residents to it if they are in your area.

Contact us if:

• you are a community or volunteer group and would like our support in any way;
• you are a local business or trader that is helping as part of your business, such as with local deliveries.
• Please let us have any information about the community response to the coronavirus, that you would like us to share in our next email newsletter. Please shae this email with others.

We cannot cover everything in this post, so will try to answer any questions on things we have missed as we can, however, please appreciate that some of our councillors are already, or are likely to be self isolating themselves as well.

Please do always take the NHS and Government's advice as the primary source of information and recommendation for how to act in the coming weeks:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

Other help can be found at,

CAB citizensadviceteignbridge.org.uk Tel 0344 411 1444

Federation of Small Businesses https://www.fsb.org.uk/ Tel 0808 20 20 888

We will provide you updates on this as regularly as we can.

Thank you,