GBENA Volunteers Stand Down
With the pandemic at last appearing to be on the back foot, the wonderful GBENA volunteers have decided to take a well deserved rest.
The pandemic strikes
The GBENA Volunteer Group sprang up in March 2020 to assist Baddow residents during the Covid lockdown. The GBENA volunteers were one of the first groups into action locally when the pandemic hit.
At the busiest time, around May 2020, they had over 50 volunteers, each assigned a number of streets (mostly close to their home), and fulfilled around 60 requests for help every week.
Over the 17 months the volunteers did so much more than grocery shopping and delivering medication, although those were the majority of their assignments. Volunteers who were also shielding, made phone calls to the lonely and anxious and checked in with the wardens of the seniors lodges.
They team really helped local residents to continue their daily routines by buying pet supplies, posting letters and returning items, arranging travel to Covid vaccination centres and conducting welfare checks on behalf of Chelmsford CVS.
In February and March 2021, GBENA volunteers delivered dozens and dozens of bunches of daffodils - several donations from Marks & Spencer’s, High Street branch- to seniors, and heard from many that the flowers had brightened a dreary winter day in the midst of lockdown.
Flowers donated M&S (High St)
2,000 Requests
They completed the 2,000th request for help in late July 2021, not long after the Prime Minister had removed all remaining lockdown restrictions.
The GBENA Volunteer Group has been recognised and thanked by :
The Lord Lieutenant of Essex;
Vicky Ford, MP
Mayor of Chelmsford;
Great Baddow Parish Council
Chelmsford CVS.
With restrictions lifted they have now started to wind down. The volunteer group’s co-leaders have contacted each active volunteer and are referring clients who have ongoing needs to other agencies. This will take several weeks and the volunteers will follow up to ensure everyone is satisfied with the
arrangements.
Many friendships have been formed over the past 16 months, and some volunteers are going to continue assisting their clients, which is wonderful and reflects the community spirit that is evident in the village.
Ready to return if needed
In the event of another lockdown being imposed, and the clinically vulnerable being told once again to shield, the GBENA volunteers will return to resume volunteer services.
Although the co-leaders' names have been widely publicised, the group has always been much, much more than two people. All the GBENA volunteers have really pulled together, and at times helped each other out too, when a volunteers also had to isolate.
Come say hello
The GBENA Volunteers will have a table at the upcoming free Funday on Sunday 22nd August, noon-5pm at the park, Baddow Recreation Centre/Millennium Centre . Residents will be able to chat to the volunteers and thank them personally for their incredible work during the pandemic.
And finally
We are delighted to learn that one of the volunteer group’s co-leaders, Mary Cordeiro, has now registered to stand for election to the Great Baddow Parish Council. You can find her Facebook page here, and the declaration of all the candidates for the vacant Rothmans ward seat here.