Pocklington Covid-19 Community Support Group

Aim: The pandemic has created an uncertain landscape for lots of our community, we are assisting where we can to support those who are affected.

Pocklington residents are not immune to the devestating affects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, this group was set up on Facebook to see how we could all work together to put our arms around the town and help each other through these uncertain times by offering support with food supplies, shopping, collecting prescriptions, phone buddying and dog walking. To do this we too needed extra support and this resulted in us partnering with Pocklington Rugby In The Community, The Hey Smile Foundation and Peoples Pantry to allow us to cover as much assistance as possible to as many people as possible.  

Overnight the Facebook group gained over 1k members resulting in us then setting up a dedicated phone line, 01759 740844, enlisting the help of GT Graphics to print Posters and 1400 leaflets, our volunteers then set off to distribute them to every household in an attempt to reach as many potentially vulnerable people as possible. We wanted people to have some confidence that they weren’t going to be left to fend for themselves, that help is available and it will be Pocklington People helping Pocklington People!! All volunteers working together.  

We quickly gained the support of Pocklington Town Council and U3A, both of whom have made generous donations, for which we are grateful, to help us get started. 

The money raised via crowdfunder will be put back into our local businesses by ensuring that we purchase products locally, ideally from our amazing Independent Shops, we feel it is vital that whilst we do everything we can to support residents, we also need Pocklington businesses to have support so that when we come through the other side of this pandemic, the businesses will still be open for us to enjoy and return shopping with, as we did before. 

We, the group creators, would like to say a huge thank you to every single one of our volunteers for the dedication and commitment that they are willingly giving to the towns people.  We also need to acknowledge that some individuals we have helped so far, have asked if they can donate back into the group, no matter how many times we keep declining, we often lose that discussion

In general people don’t like asking for help, we don’t want our community to feel that way with us, we see it as support, community helping the community, its important for us that people don’t lose a feeling of independence during the crisis point that some will be enduring in the coming weeks.  

We do not ask for nor expect donations from any vulnerable/ill person or anyone who is experiencing financial hardship as a result of Covid-19 affecting their employment. It’s our time to show what an amazing town Pocklington is by pulling together. A lot of people giving a little each will help the group to support more people. 

Thank you.

Zoe & Ruth