A community hub has proven a lifeline to the vulnerable throughout the pandemic – including those who have only been told to shield in the last few weeks.
Following the government’s change to its shielding lists this month, 1.7m more people were asked to self isolate for their own protection.
A coordinator at one of Trafford’s local community hubs, which have been providing support for vulnerable people since the start of the pandemic, said there’s been an up-tick in people looking for support in recent weeks as a result.
Gaynor Mullin, a former yoga instructor, started as a volunteer at the Sale hub when the pandemic first hit.
She then became a full time staff member last November and said her team has been fielding calls from frustrated Trafford residents who were confused after being asked to shield for the first time in the last few weeks.
She said: “A nurse who’s been in close contact with patients all year has just been asked to shield. They got no explanation in the letter from the government why they were only being asked to shield now, at this late stage.
“I think people are angry and really annoyed – they don’t understand why they’re being told to isolate now, especially when it looks like things are coming and starting to open up again.”
Gaynor said those working at the hub have seen people from all walks of life needing support recently, including those who never thought they’d be in that position.
She said: “We’ve seen a lot of food bank requests, people asking for help from food banks. That’s been the biggest number of calls we’ve had throughout the pandemic.
“And we’re getting requests from everyone, including people who never expected to be in that position, people who have lots their jobs.
“Some of them are horrifyingly embarrassed about it. But it brings it home, all of us, we’re only one or two circumstances away from that. It’s a big leveller, it can happen to us all – anybody can lose their jobs now.”
Volunteers at all of the hubs have been delivering food parcels to the elderly and vulnerable, picking up people’s prescriptions and chauffeuring people to get their vaccines throughout this third lockdown, as they have through the whole pandemic.
She said it’s been ‘surreal’ for some people who haven’t left their homes since March 2020.
And Gaynor is worried about the impact the pandemic will have on everyone into the future.
She said: “I think it will only get worse once the government support stops. And I think businesses for years ahead will be affected and job cuts could be worse after this.
“I dread to think what it’s going to be like for the next generation, too. I’ve got a teenage daughter and I’m pushing her to get out of the house, you get used to not seeing people, to that solitude and quietness, it becomes the new routine and the new normal.”
The personal impact of being a volunteer and later a full-time staff member at the Sale hub has at times been tough for Gaynor.
She said: “I was a full time yoga teacher before the pandemic and volunteering in March kept me going.
“It was instinct, if you can’t do anything else, all you can do is help people and that gets you out of the house too.
“But it can get very emotional. There have been lots of days when I’ve come home in tears, you just picture yourself in everybody’s situation, like how can you mentally cope with that.
“For example there was a family who’d moved here as refugees who were recently just housed – you just think imagine being in that situation.”
Gaynor is also concerned that there may be people who might not have internet access and who don’t know help is available, especially the elderly – who she thinks can sometimes be reluctant to ‘make a fuss’ and reach out.
But the hub team helps each other as best they can.
Gaynor said: “There’s a sense of camaraderie at the hubs, everyone’s happy to be working – grateful for the normality of working.
“We’ve had an up-tick in the number of people wanting to be volunteers too and people have been helping out at vaccine centres. Everyone doing it absolutely loves it – being able to interact with people, doing something useful for the bigger picture.
“It’s so good for your own mental state, it gives you sense of purpose.”
Gaynor believes there is a space for the community hubs to continue their work after the pandemic.
She said: “It will depend on need, which is constantly monitored, but I’m sure the need will still be there, it will just change to helping people get back to normal. I expect there will still be a role, but that will adapt.
“We’ll take each day as it comes, as we now know now we can’t predict future.”
If you or someone you know needs support, they can contact the community hubs main switchboard, where you can be redirected to the right support, on Freephone 08082787803.
