Community Volunteer Hubs established

In response to the Coronavirus outbreak, Horsham District Council, in partnership with existing and new organisations and volunteer groups, has been actively putting in place ways to help the District’s most vulnerable people by establishing Community Volunteer Hubs. As part of this initiative, the Council’s Community team has been calling all of its 2,500 Community Link and Health and Wellbeing customers to establish their needs and reassure them at this time.

The Council is extremely grateful to the many community groups, parish and town councils and social media groups who have worked so hard to help them establish Community Volunteer Hubs throughout the District.

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

Commenting on this response for local level support, Horsham District Council Leader Cllr Ray Dawe said:

“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 have worked tirelessly to pull this vital initiative together logistically and in such a small amount of time.

“This has been an enormously positive response which has taken a lot of hard work to achieve and an amazing level of progress has been made so far.

“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 reaching out and helping as many people as possible appears to be so well under way.

I would still urge you to come forward if you feel you can spare your time to get involved.

Horsham District Council Leader Cllr Ray Dawe

We still have opportunities to volunteer across the whole District. Please register using the link below.

Please don’t worry if you are signed up as a volunteer but have not yet been asked to help out. This is a rapidly changing situation, and we are currently gathering your information to help us organise and offer support as efficiently as possible over the coming months.

We are still keen to hear from groups that may be supporting local residents in Colgate, Faygate and Slinfold.

Can you volunteer? Get in touch and register as a volunteer.

If you are a volunteer or want to volunteer, please get in touch with us via the online form so that we can pass on your details at a local level.

If you have organised or are currently running a new informal local coronavirus volunteer group, please get in touch so can ensure that all areas of the District are being adequately covered. We would appreciate it if you could let us know any details of how you are volunteering by emailing us.

For media queries please email press@horsham.gov.uk .