HOW YOU CAN HELP TACKLE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

You’re washing your hands. You’re avoiding large gatherings. You’re only leaving your house once a day. But, in addition to taking all the steps to follow crucial safety guidelines for yourself and your family, you’re asking what else you can do to help the individuals and communities affected by COVID-19? Below we’ve highlighted five ways you can help tackle the pandemic:

Charities both big and small have been affected by the sudden drop in donations caused by the postponement of fundraising events, ranging from fetes and coffee mornings to the London marathon. If you can do so, you could consider donating to directly help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. By supporting non-profits, you will allow them to continue serving vulnerable populations who will be most affected by the virus’ spread and the associated economic impact. Most non-profits have limited financial reserves to carry them through lean times ahead, which can sometimes put them in a difficult spot.

There are plenty of groups and organisations out there supporting those who are negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With many local charities keen to attract new volunteers, as the older stalwarts are forced to stay at home, now is a great time to act. Alternatively, there are national schemes like the NHS volunteer responders. Some of the bigger charities have set up their own online schemes to match volunteers with food banks in their local area such as the Trussell Trust food bank network. For those with more specialist skills, Reach Volunteering will match your professional abilities, such IT expertise, to charities who need your help the most.

As countries around the globe continue to increase measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, critical support services such as education, healthcare, elderly care, supply chains and much more are ramping up their hiring of support roles. If you have any free time to offer or are actively looking for full-time or part-time employment, there are a number roles you might want to consider:

• Coronavirus Coordinator
• Paid Fundraiser
• Industrial Team Supervisor
• Logistic Coordinators
• Coronavirus Coordination Centre Staff
• NHS Nurses & Other Roles
• Support Workers
• Emergency Teachers

These jobs are incredibly easy to find online and you can apply within a matter of minutes. It’s a great way to keep active and productive, especially if you find yourself in a furlough position with your regular employer. Of course, please check the terms of your employment contract first, but many employers are open to relaxing their T&Cs during this crisis.

In an effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus we saw the closure of eat-in restaurants and bars as well as sweeping bans on large gatherings. While many well-known restaurants have opted to wait out this virus behind closed doors, others are still open and are asking the community to support them by ordering delivery.

The Arts and Entertainment industry is another hard-hit sector resulting from the pandemic. With a wide array of performances, concerts and cinema screenings cancelled across the country, they have seen a huge dip in revenue.

A good way to support sectors which are struggling is to buy a gift card or make future bookings, this way you can still enjoy your favourite past times in the not too distant future.

We are all spending much more time than usual at home. This means spending more time with those we live with and those who live close by, our neighbours. Many of you may already have a good relationship with your neighbours but if not, now is a great time to reach out and start building one. In good neighbourly spirit, we recommend prioritising helping any elderly or vulnerable people in your street with tasks such as taking out the bins or doing a little bit of shopping for them here and there. For those wanting to keep in touch at a moment’s notice, you could always set up a Neighbourhood WhatsApp group to look out for each other and to quickly check who needs toilet roll when your’re next at Tesco.

Here are a few more ideas you may not have thought about on how to be a good neighbour during the lockdown (and beyond):

• Reduce TV, gaming and/or music volume
• Consider using headphones when listening to music in the garden
• Think of the time you carry out DIY in your home, garden or vehicles
• Do not allow your dog to bark excessively
• Where music practice occurs, think of the length of time involved
• If children are playing outside consider the time of day, duration and what they’re doing

In a time where we all need to pull together and give a helping hand where possible we think these are some great suggestions on how you can help tackle the Coronavirus Pandemic.