Refresh, Weymouth and Portland Churches in Action, have had an amazing response to the work they have been doing since the COVID-19 outbreak began earlier this year. The residents of Weymouth have really taken it to heart and are supporting them.
The scheme includes prescription pickups and food boxes for residents who are self-isolating or are unable to get to the shops. They are working with their partners, Weymouth Town Council and with other agencies to support many residents of the town, making sure they stay safe and well.
Donations continue to come in from members of the public and from grants. These are used to enable the scheme to provide food boxes to those who need them the most, especially those who are unable to meet the full cost of their food box; there are a number of residents who are not only self-isolating but are also struggling financially due to the pandemic.
Refresh has received grants from Weymouth Town Council, Magna Housing, the Fairbridge Trust and Dorset Community Foundation in recent weeks. One local food store, Food Plus on Great George Street, generously donated 40 packets of coffee, 20 fresh loaves of bread, 30 cartons of long-life milk and a huge selection of mixed pasta.
Baker Jazro, Food Plus store manager, said:
“I am advising everyone to do the best they can and to look after each other. In this present time we all need to help each other as much as we can. I am only too happy to help where I can and to help support the residents in Weymouth.”
Cherry Clarke from Refresh said:
“We have been amazed at the public response to what we have been doing and the grants and donations we have received have been incredible. We are very grateful to donors who have been so generous and to all of our volunteers who have been so willing to help and to give their time so freely during the COVID outbreak, but what is really heart-warming is the response we have had from the public. So many residents have been in touch with us asking for prescriptions to be collected, for food boxes or just for a chat. It is the stories that individuals are living through that have really touched us. We have even had several people from around the country, who have relatives in Weymouth, ring us asking for us to help their loved ones.’
Over 60 local residents have received fresh bags of fruit and vegetable from the scheme, a total of over 200 bags of shopping, worth over £1500 which has all been sourced locally.
For access to the scheme, please contact Julie on 07980 730029 or Cherry on 07514 114680.
