How one Fylde coast community is showing a CAN do attitude in the coronavirus lockdown

More than 200 people across Poulton and Carleton signed up as volunteers with the Poulton Coronavirus Action Network (PoultonCAN) to help those in need during the lockdown.

Originally set up by Reverend Paul Critchley from the town’s Methodist church, PoultonCAN has been embraced by people from right across the community.

The group provides a helpline for local residents to call if they are unable to leave the house due to being shielded or self-isolating.

Helpline volunteers then match the caller with a community volunteer who can do their shopping, collect prescriptions, take parcels to the Post Office, or just call them for a chat.

The Helpline has taken more than 600 calls since Lockdown and responded to upwards of 300 emails and messages, supporting around 300 people, some as a one-off and others on an on-going basis.

Working together with Wyre Borough Council, the group produced and delivered a leaflet to promote the helpline number and the service on offer, and set up a PoultonCAN Facebook page to help people find local support.

Rev Critchley said: “As soon as the earliest restrictions started to come in, there were people in the community asking how they could help others. We quickly created a very informal group of volunteers to do small tasks like shopping and prescription collections.

“With a great deal of help, I set up the helpline and the Facebook page and compiled a list of volunteers and it has spiralled from there. Now we’ve more than 200 volunteers willing and able to help those who need it.

“Happily we’ve matched a lot of the town’s older and vulnerable people with a buddy who is keeping in touch and carrying on helping them on a weekly basis, getting to know each other a bit more which is really lovely.

“But we know there are many more people out there who could benefit from the service, they may not be comfortable asking for help or simply don’t know that we’re here.

“We’d ask anyone who is unable to go out, or who perhaps shouldn’t be going out, to get in touch as we’re here to help.”

Volunteer Jo Woodley has been shopping for a number of people, she said: “It’s been absolutely amazing helping others in my local community, and it feels fantastic to be part of such a lovely group of people.

“Everyone we’ve helped has been so grateful and all the volunteers have really loved being able to do their bit.”

Another volunteer, Michael Barr, has been delivering prescriptions people who are shielding and self-isolating.

He said: “I contacted Wyre Borough Council to offer my help and they referred me to PoultonCAN. In less than 24 hours I was collecting and delivering prescriptions for residents living on their own who had no other way of getting their medication from the pharmacy.

“It doesn’t feel like I’m doing much, but when many people each do a few good turns, it can add up to a lot. As a volunteer I’ve been able to meet some new and interesting people; those needing help feel valued, and it helps to lift the whole community."

Nancy West called the helpline as she has been self-isolating since early March, and is enormously grateful for the support.

She said: "Thank you to my volunteer and her family for collecting some prescriptions for my husband and doing a little shopping for me at the same time. I am so grateful as it saves me risking the shops.

"Our thanks to all the kind volunteers of PoultonCAN demonstrating such a great community spirit."

PoultonCAN mainly covers Poulton, Carleton, Hardhorn and Singleton and is one of a number of independent groups set up by people across Wyre to help their neighbours, along with the Garstang Volunteer Force, Fleetwood Together, Over Wyre Covid-19 Support, and the Warren Manor Day Centre among others.

Wyre Borough Council is supporting many of these groups and providing help for residents across the borough through its Wyre Together initiative, arranging the delivery of food parcels, signposting residents to their relevant local community network, and taking referrals for issues that go beyond the remit of the voluntary groups.

Garry Payne, chief executive of Wyre Borough Council, contacted PoultonCAN this week to express his thanks for the group’s efforts. He said: “The way the community has come together in the face of this crisis is incredible, and PoultonCAN is just one amazing example of that community spirit.

“Staff at the council have been working together with PoultonCAN and other voluntary groups across the borough to provide vital support for vulnerable people. For those who can not get out of the house, this partnership is making a real difference in their lives, it’s been wonderful to see.”

Christine Green from Poulton is interim HR director at Blackpool Football Club. She is shielding at home with husband Tony Green, the Blackpool and Newcastle football legend.

The pair, who are both in their early 70s, are enormously grateful for the support of the PoultonCAN volunteers.

Christine said: “Although we don’t feel like we’re in our 70s, we’re staying at home as instructed as I’m on the official shielding list.

“I spotted PoultonCAN on Facebook and called up to see if they could help collect a prescription for us.

“They were so good and sorted out a volunteer straight away, and have continued to assist us every couple of weeks when the repeat prescriptions are due. In the early days we were also struggling to get a supermarket delivery slot and a neighbour was kind enough to do a bit of shopping for us too.

“The council has been great and we get a regular call to see how we’re doing, and a reminder to order the repeat prescription which is really useful, and it has been nice getting to know some of our neighbours who have kindly helped out too.

“We’ve had some really incredible support through PoultonCAN and the local community, and we really can’t thank them enough.

“You don’t know how strong a community can be until something like this happens.”

Mum-of-two Kelly Smith has been shielding with her eight-year-old son and eight-month-old-baby due to medical reasons at their home in Poulton, and has been using PoultonCAN since it launched.

She said: “PoultonCAN has been an absolute lifeline for us. It’s really hard not being able to go to the shops and the chemist, but I don’t want to risk it

with me having asthma and having to take the baby.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to on the helpline has been really supportive, and the volunteers who do the shopping are lovely.

“I’ve also had help from Wyre Council who put me on the foodbank list which has been really appreciated. My eldest loves seeing what little treats are in the parcel each week, and once there were some flowers which was a lovely touch. That kind of thing means a lot when you’re on your own.

To contact PoultonCAN call the helpline on 01253 670 800, email [email protected] or message via Facebook @PoultonCAN

For further information about Wyre Together go to www.wyre.gov.uk/together