The Virus Action Group

Hallmark May 2021. Lacey Green Virus Action Group. report by Eileen Rowlands

I don’t think any one of us would have expected that our group would still be needed one year after we began to offer help and support to our friends and neighbours in the village.

The past couple of months have shown low demand for shopping and help, other than for a few who have been shielding. As we move into the next phase and we are able to enjoy greater freedom of movement, we hope that the bonds of friendship that have been forged through the lockdown will continue and our concern for our neighbours will not fade. We know that many of us have faced loneliness and isolation during the past year — and as restrictions are eased we can begin to enjoy once again the benefits and joys of living within a community where people care about each other.

A wonderful example of that care was evident in January this year when we launched our appeal in partnership with Loosley Row Community Support Group to provide small comforts to the frontline Covid Staff at Stoke Mandeville. The appeal was a great success and to date we have raised over £2,600.

The money provided some much needed bottles of drinking water, as drinking fountains were considered too dangerous to use, also snack food and soothing creams to help staff who had to spend up to 12 hour shifts wrapped in PPE.

This has beaten all our expectations and we can only say a huge thank you to all who Supported the appeal with your kindness and generosity. We must also thank Risborough Rotary Club who helped with a very generous donation, Dayla at Aylesbury who supplied essential drinking water and the staff at Asda Stoke Mandeville, for their brilliant support.

Although the crisis has passed and many frontline staff have now returned to their usual roles the stress and strain of the past months remain. We are now talking with the local NHS Trust to determine how we can use the funds that we have remaining to continue to support those staff, who went above and beyond to care for us. We will keep you posted on how we continue to support them.

We will also be changing our name to Lacey Green Community Support Group to reflect a wider community focus as we begin our journey towards ‘normal’ life.