Communtiy groups have been set up in Amersham and Chesham Bois to help those in need during the cornavirus pandemic.

"Stay In, Stay Well, Stay Connected" is the slogan of one of the best organised local community groups supporting their vulnerable neighbours during the current crisis.

The Facebook group 'YourAmersham coronavirus help' was set up on March 14 by Maggie Turner, inspired by Becky Wass’s #ViralKindness postcards to her neighbours in Falmouth, Cornwall.

Encouraged by a similar scheme in Hyde Heath, single points of contact have been established in Amersham and Chesham Bois neighbourhoods with 150 roads covered by around 100 people.

All these contacts are supported by other volunteers and can deliver essential shopping, collect prescriptions and provide a friendly voice at the end of the phone.

With the help of Sharon Rigler and Victoria Topham, detailed guidelines have been drawn up to ensure volunteers and residents are kept safe and the group is registered with Bucks County Council and the national scheme Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK.

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In the first two weeks leaflets were delivered to households to ensure that anyone without access to the internet was aware of their local contact.

Because of Government restrictions on movement imposed just over a week ago, this has been curtailed in order to minimise the risk of contamination for volunteers and residents, but the group hopes that by now the word is getting around.

Chesham Bois Parish Council has also delivered leaflets to every household in the parish, with councillors’ contact details, to ensure no one is left unsupported.

In Old Amersham Jo Crawford has set up another Facebook group, 'Amersham #ViralKindness Volunteers', and similar groups have been established in Chesham and the Chalfonts.

Enter your postcode into www.covidmutualaid.org to find the nearest support group to you.

Maggie Turner can be contacted direct on youramershamcoronahelp@gmail.com.