East Dean and Friston

Residents' Association

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Corona Virus update

Community Watch with its band of cheerful volunteers, will continue to help with a variety of practical tasks throughout the coming weeks.  The focus, however will be on supporting residents in isolation via contact with friendly telephone support.  Nobody needs to feel alone so don’t hesitate to ring this East Dean number. 423311.

Community watch will respond as usual to calls for help in attending routine appointments and for collecting prescriptions from the surgery or pharmacist.  In addition we can offer assistance with computer problems, small DIY tasks, or walking your dog.  Shopping help- if goods are ordered and then collected for you from ED Barn Stores or the Butcher, items will be brought to your door.  It has been agreed the cheques are still acceptable for payment.

 

Phone 423311 or 423611 for help with any of these tasks

 

COMMUNITY WATCH

Neighbours Helping Neighbours in East Dean, Friston, Birling Gap and Crowlink

 

Since its inception in 2012, Community Watch volunteers have responded to several hundreds of requests for assistance with items as varied as shopping, providing relief for a carer, walking the dog, solving a computer problem, carrying bags of compost up the garden, simple DIY, returning books to the library, as well as for lifts to the hospital, to the surgery or to Village events. 

 

One of the many advantages of this scheme is that it is free, confidential and informal, which overcomes one’s natural resistance to ask for help. The way it works is that we have three call co-ordinators whose telephone numbers (see below) are published in the Parish Magazine, and once a call has been received, the co-ordinator rings around our list of volunteers to locate one who is free to help on the day requested. Details are noted and contact made with the resident to ensure a happy outcome. 

 

Although we can turn our hand to most requests for help there are some matters we cannot deal with, such as advice involving nursing or health concerns, benefits, or legal and financial matters. However, we can provide details of organisations that may be able to assist 

 

Two years ago the Steering Group decided to invite speakers to talk about issues considered of interest to our community. These meetings, open to all residents, have included presentations on Keeping Safe in an Age of Internet and Telephone Scams and, most recently, making an Advance Decision (Living Wills), and Powers of Attorney, given by Dr Joanna Shawcross and Private Client Executive, Lindsay Richardson. 

 

A programme for future meetings is being prepared and suggestions for topics are very welcome.

 

For more information on any of the Community Watch activities you can phone one of our call co-ordinators (423311, 423101, 423611)

 

Joan Colin