We are back into Lockdown and while it is not quite as restrictive as last time, many local people will still need assistance with shopping, prescriptions and other supplies during this period. Here is the latest information for local residents during this time. 

Many residents who are deemed vulnerable may have received a letter today advising them that it would be best for them to stay at home if possible. While the government is not encouraging shielding this time around, some more elderly or vulnerable residents may not want to venture to the shops themselves.

We are therefore asking that you re-engage all the wonderful residential road teams, WhatsApp groups and neighbourhood help and check in on your neighbours to make sure they are OK and if they need anything. 

Please contact Limpsfield Parish Clerk if you are happy to volunteer as a helper at this time – clerk@limpsfield.org. You can also contact Tandridge Voluntary Action to register as a volunteer. 

NB. Volunteers are allowed to go to people’s homes if they are offering care or assistance. They are also allowed to offer companionship on walks etc for some daily exercise. 

Official Advice from Tandridge District Council

New measures are now in place to help protect people, prevent the spread of Covid-19 and support businesses and employees.

The government has produced guidance setting out the new measures, which includes how we all should only leave home for specific reasons, such as:

  • For childcare or education, with schools, colleges and universities remaining open.
  • For work, where your place of work remains open and you cannot work from home.
  • To exercise outdoors or visit an outdoor public place, with the people you live with, your support bubble, or one other person from another household.
  • For medical reasons, like appointments, emergencies or to avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, such as domestic abuse.
  • To shop for basic necessities like food and medicine, although this should be done as infrequently as possible and please try to avoid bulk buying of items other residents will need.
  • To visit members of your support bubble or to provide care for vulnerable people.

Certain businesses must also close, including all non-essential retail, indoor and outdoor leisure facilities like gyms, swimming pools and theme parks, entertainment venues like cinemas and galleries and personal care facilities like hair and beauty salons.

A range of additional support is available for businesses and employees and is listed below:

Surrey Community helpline 

The Surrey Community Helpline number: 0300 200 1008. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. SMS: 0786 0053 465 for deaf and hearing impaired residents only (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm).

Coronavirus help and advice contacts – Tandridge District 

Download our coronavirus help and advice information leaflet.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Prescription advisors offer free support to residents aged 18 or over to help them improve their health and wellbeing. Advisors can offer advice and support on how to:

  • Remain active
  • Maintain a healthy balanced diet (including guidance for managing type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure)
  • Improve sleep
  • Improve your emotional wellbeing, offering regular telephone support, referrals to NHS talking therapies and signposting to a variety of online or app mental health resources
  • Set goals, routines, habits and motivation

If you’d like support, please contact the Wellbeing Prescription team or call 01883 732787. Once normal service resumes, residents will be supported face to face in their GP practices or at home if they’re housebound.

Central Government Support

Anyone in need of support is being encouraged to register on the Government website for support – or have someone register for them. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-shielding-support. 

They can then be given access to priority supermarket deliveries etc. Their information will also be fed back to district councils to ensure that their staff are in contact with that person and have them on their support list.  

Other local organisations for food provision

Lockdown 2 will be very hard for many, who may be experiencing additional hardship due to redundancy or lack of income as well as ongoing demands of home schooling and disruption to work and education. There are a few local organisations who can help.

  • Citizens Advice Bureau can provide food or essential provisions by contacting the Citizens Advice Bureau for crisis help: www.citizensadvice.org.uk.  Advice line: 0800 144 8848. This is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm or via email: advisers@oxted.cabnet.org.uk or office@caterham.cabnet.org.uk.  Please remember to include a postcode and contact number. The email addresses are monitored weekdays. 
  • The Salvation Army is able to provide food bags/boxes to individuals / families if a need arises between Food Bank opening times. They also provide Baby Bags – containing formula, nappies and other items etc and Household Bags with laundry powder, bleach, washing up liquid and cleaning materials.  They work on both self and agency referrals. Call 07407 500920 or email caterham@salvationarmy.org.uk.
  • LINK (local transport) was founded forty years ago with the express intention of providing a Community Service for those in the RH8 postal area, who, for whatever reason, cannot use public transport. There is a LINK telephone volunteer on duty on 01883-713333 from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Monday – Friday, and 9.00 to 11.00 a.m. on Saturdays to take requests for help. Telephone volunteers operate from their home on a rota of one day every six weeks. Telephone expenses may be claimed. To discuss what is involved, please phone 01883 713333. Please also call if you can offer your services as a driver.
  • THE LINK PORTER TRUST – founded in 1992, following the receipt of a legacy to Link from the late Raymond Porter, the Link Porter Trust fund was established to help people in the RH8 who were facing short-term problems/crises. Once a grant is made, and it is never in the form of cash, the trustees would expect that the applicant would be ‘back on track’. Hence long term debts are not usually considered. The Trustees prefer applications to be supported by an organisation or person aware of the applicant’s circumstances, so please contact the Parish Council Clerk if you think you or someone you know may be a candidate for crisis help. clerk@limpsfield.org