Battersea Corona Virus Angels – Update (22Feb21)
Canon Simon Butler, Vicar of St Mary’s Battersea (and a trustee of KLS), has just written an update to the Coronavirus Angels volunteers. As we’re a partner in this group we thought we would share it here.
Hello everyone,
On behalf of the Coronavirus Angels coordinators, this email comes with our best wishes and hope that you continue to manage through the challenges of lockdown. It’s been a while since we’ve been in touch, for which apologies, but it is time to update you on what’s been going on, what we continue to do, and ways in which you can continue to be Angelic to your neighbours!
Update on the Work
As of this weekend, we’ve run about 70 errands for people since the beginning of the year – including the usual requests for practical help, as well as providing vouchers for Wandsworth Food Bank. A number of these are regular requests from a modest-sized group of people, who often ask for the same volunteer. This does mean that we’re not finding we need to ask large numbers of you to help, but we do value the ongoing commitment of each one of you and believe it there is a continued need for our work in these areas as the vaccine is rolled out. Certainly, some of our “regulars” think so:
Hazel writes, “All the volunteers and people on the phone have been very friendly and kind. You have helped me with shopping, prescriptions and posting parcels. I have no family or friends, so I do not know where I would have been without you. Thank you so much.”
And Bilquise writes, “You are angels without wings, and the Coronavirus Angels have bent over backwards to help my parents.”
The coordinators meet regularly to check in and keep an eye on the ongoing demand. For the moment, we believe it is right to continue to help in the way we are doing with these errands, so do be ready if you can help your neighbours still, even if the work/life balance has shifted for many in these weeks.
Befriending Work
This has carried on quietly in the background and we are currently short of volunteers who can help with this, as there are people in need who we have not got a befriender for. May we ask that you help is in the following ways:
- If you are continuing to befriend someone who has been your befriendee since last year, please email angels@stmarysbattersea.org.uk and let us know how it’s going.
- If your befriending relationship with someone we have paired you with in the past has run its course or petered out, and you can help with a new befriendee, please email the angels email address to let us know.
- If you are not yet a telephone befriender and would like to find out more about it, please email the angels email address to let us know and we shall arrange some training.
The coordinating group are going to explore some way of developing the telephone befriending work into a more long-term project in the coming weeks. We will keep you posted: if you might be interested in helping us shape a permanent, funded telephone befriending service, please email us using angels@stmarysbattersea.org.uk and we will invite you join us for a scoping meeting.
Can you help us walk One Million Steps for KLS in just one week?
Walking regularly is one of the easiest ways to improve our mental health, as well as helping us stay active during lockdown. Most of us should be aiming to hit around 10,000 steps a day, but blame lockdown and the cold weather, many of us are moving less than we were a year ago. Why not get out and about this spring, help us to walk 1 Million steps in a week and earn much needed funds for KLS? Log your steps from anywhere in the world and join in the community effort to support KLS. Sign up at bit.ly/2NkVYVJ
This is KLS’S first virtual fundraiser and a great opportunity bring our community together for a common goal. We launch at noon on 12th March – the final tally will be at noon on 19th March 2021.
Together let’s walk 1 Million steps – that’s 500 Miles – for KLS!
Walk as many steps as you can manage, even just a few will make a huge difference. The average person walks around 100 steps in a minute. 5,000 steps – which is about 2.5 miles – will take you about 45 minutes. 10,000 steps – which is about 5 miles – will take you about an hour and a half. A million steps is equal to 500 miles! Everyone can take part from anywhere in the world so get your trainers on and walk for KLS. The Coronavirus Angels leaders are all taking part.
How to collect sponsorship?
It would be amazing if you could ask friends and family to sponsor your efforts. Simply visit our bit.ly/2NkVYVJ to find out how to join in. You can set up a sponsorship page as an individual or a team, maybe your office or school would like to set their own team step goal, walk in fancy dress or carrying an egg on a spoon!
Thank you everyone for your support.
Best wishes,
Canon Simon Butler
St Mary’s Battersea & Coronavirus Angels Coordinating Team
Contact
If you need a bit of help from the Angels then do call us on 07394 856 557 and email angels@stmarysbattersea.org.uk