WEEKLY GOOD NEWS: 10th April
Hello, we hope you are all well and have the support you need to see you through the days and weeks ahead.
Our bulletins have always been about sharing positive news and even at this time, the strength of the Fleetwood community, supported by agencies and authorities covering Wyre and Lancashire is amazing and inspirational. While some of you receiving this may be outside of our Town we hope you will appreciate reading about what’s happening and linking to the websites and social media pages highlighted to find out more …
Wyre Council has launched ‘Wyre Together’, which offers invaluable support to those in the Government’s outlined high-risk categories. This includes those over 70 and others with underlying health issues who are self-isolating and don’t have the support of friends, neighbours or family. Go to https://www.wyre.gov.uk/together or call 01253 891000 if you or somebody you know in Wyre needs help (Switchboard is open Good Friday & Easter Monday 10 am -2 pm). Individuals and organisations can also register to volunteer and offer their support to local communities.
Fleetwood Together is a fantastic group set up from scratch by residents, voluntary and faith groups to offer support with food and essential items. If you live in the Fleetwood area and are in urgent need visit https://fleetwoodtogether.com/ or call 01253 774313 to contact them. Already this group is making such a difference but more funding is needed to cover the cost of the food being distributed - if you can help please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/feeding-fleetwood-together to make a donation.
Our Lancashire is encouraging all local groups and services to register and update their profiles on the website https://ourlancashire.org.uk/. This will help build up a network of all the support available across the County. Our Lancashire is working closely with the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership to offer a befriending service. Anyone feeling lonely or vulnerable at the moment and who would like to have someone to check-in with them by telephone for a friendly, regular chat can register at https://bit.ly/LVPreferral and if you can offer time to be a befriender please see https://lancsvp.org.uk/opportunities.
Over the Easter Weekend, GPs surgeries and pharmacies across the country are opening on Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday to support residents. In Fleetwood, this means Mount View, Fleetwood and Broadway surgeries are open on both days between 8 am and 6.30 pm but it remains phone calls first, no walk-ins without an appointment. Anyone who thinks they have symptoms of COVID-19 should not visit a surgery, walk-in centre or the hospital - they must go to 111.nhs.uk/covid-19 or call NHS 111 if they are unable to use the internet.
The three O'Briens pharmacies in Fleetwood are open on Friday and Monday between 2 pm and 5 pm. Also on Saturday, O'Briens Warburtons is open 9 am - 1 pm and on Sunday, O'Briens Albert Wildes is open 1 pm - 7 pm. We understand that Fleetwood’s ASDA pharmacy and Boots will be also open on additional hours over the weekend.
All the supermarkets are now working to new opening hours and procedures while also supporting the community with donations and assistance for vulnerable groups. Many of the smaller food shops remain open for items such as fruit & veg, meat, fish, milk and bread. Here are a few but please be patient getting in touch, they are all working so hard …
Take Your Pick supply and deliver fruit and vegetables - tel 01253 770829 Pink Wellie Farming offers fresh meat, poultry, eggs and more - tel 01253 380091 Green Cow Milk Round for milk, cream & eggs - tel 07592 492563 Home Bakery for bread and baking - tel. 01253 876422 There’s also the outdoor fruit and veg stall at Fleetwood Market.
A very useful guide from Wyre Council is at https://issuu.com/wyrecouncil1/docs/wyre_together_supplier_listing
Apologies to other local businesses staying open to support the community that we haven’t mentioned, your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Residents and groups are coming up with so many great ways to remain active and connected during the weeks of isolation. You can still join in with the Lancashire Mind 30:30 Challenge based around the Five Ways of Wellbeing. Two local fitness instructors are sharing on-line workouts - follow Maxine Garrett and Craig Broomhead on Facebook to get involved, Fleetwood Town Community Trust are putting together gentle exercises and challenges, Friendlier Fleetwood are running daily challenges and quizzes, and while stars like Fleetwood’s own Alfie Boe are sharing videos on-line anyone can join the Sofa Singers virtual choir sessions which bring people together from far afield … a shout out to all the Harmony & Health singers too! Fleetwood Museum was due to reopen this week, of course, that’s now delayed but they are sharing some of their fascinating collection on-line.
Social media is so useful at this time but it’s important we are responsible and only share the information and advice from sources like the NHS and Government.
So that’s just some of the many positive ways the Fleetwood and wider community is coming together to support each other in these unique and testing times. We will share more over the coming weeks and look forward to better days when we can all meet again.
A huge thank you to all the healthcare and frontline staff working so hard to keep us all safe and well, and to maintain essential services … you are all heroes!
Take care everyone …. stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.