A group of volunteers in High Wycombe have spoken about the work they have done since the start of the pandemic.
High Wycombe Mutual Aid formed this spring, and have since helped many people across the town.
Many elderly, vulnerable, and needy people have benefited from the group as volunteers have picked up their shopping and prescriptions, and they hope they can continue their work as we near the end of the year.
David Lawson, who is the group’s chairman, said: “There were about 20/30 of us from all over Wycombe who didn’t know each other, and we started doing weekly calls to get the group set up.
“We started like that, talking over Zoom with people from all walks of life, from recent school/uni leavers to people who are retired.
“There were various other groups that were supporting their local residents, but they were in the suburbs such as Tylers Green and Hughenden.
“So, we agreed to cover the wards in High Wycombe.
“We then faced the logistical challenge of how we publicise the service to those who needed it, before realising that some of the people were elderly or live alone so they’re not as tech-savvy.
“So, we embarked upon printing then posting a host of leaflets across Wycombe to everyone’s doors.
“That was a challenge, due to how many we had to do and due to the lack of resources we had.
“We also had to think about the other volunteer groups who might have already covered a certain area.
“But we eventually did it.”
David also revealed that since their formation in the spring, High Wycombe Mutual Aid has managed to help around 2,000 people in the town throughout both lockdowns, and they are not showing any signs of stopping their help as we near the vaccine being finalised.
He continued: “We recruited 400 volunteers, and we did it in a way that we matched a volunteer to someone who needed our support on an ongoing basis.
“We have done about 2,000 trips on making sure that people are OK across High Wycombe.
“As we got into a routine, we weren’t getting as many new people joining the service, but we kept it ticking over.”
He added: “It is important for the community to come together to help each other out.
“Also, when we spoke to our volunteers, it became clear that it is very important for them to be helping, as the feedback we received showed us that it gave them a sense of purpose.”
To be a part of the project, visit www.wycombe-mutual-aid.org.
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