Budbrooke Covid-19 community group supported by Kenilworth business

A business from Kenilworth has been helping the Budbrooke Covid-19 support group.

With shielding coming to an end on August 1 a group of volunteers from Hampton Magna have been working hard to ensure that the most vulnerable in their community feel safe as they get back to everyday life.

The Covid-19 Support Group – Budbrooke Parish was formed at the start of the pandemic to support the needs of the community.

St Michael’s Church, Budbrooke Medical Centre and more than 100 volunteers from across the community came together to coordinate and mobilise local support to help serve the community at this crucial time.

A community helpline was also set up within days with volunteers running shifts to ensure there is someone to take calls 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Support has also been provided through the group’s ‘Listening Ear’ project – a team of volunteers providing support to 16 people all of whom had to shield during lockdown and either live alone or with equally vulnerable partners.

A key strand of the group’s focus has been supporting Budbrooke Medical Centre and their patients.

With a need to limit footfall into the surgery building, as well as support patients who were unable to leave their home, a team of volunteers was established to ensure that prescriptions could be delivered to patients.

So many people have stepped up and volunteered their time to help those in our community, from taxi drivers, those furloughed and even the local cycling group (Royal Leamington Spa Cycling Club) providing a carbon free alternative to delivering all sorts especially medicines to those in the area.

To date, more than 5,000 miles have been covered with the team ensuring that deliveries are made three times a day, five days a week.

The group have also been helped by Kenilworth-based company SanHanz, which makes hand sanitiser.

Ciara Hamill co-founder of SanHanzUK, said: "We have been in contact with the Sue Stanton and the team at the Covid19 Support Group – Budbrooke Parish for a long time now and admire the commitment and effort from ordinary people that do extra ordinary things.

"That’s what we at SanHanz are all about – so our partnership was very natural."

Funds from Warwick-based National Grid ESO’s community fund have also bee given to help the group to provide packs for 200 of the most vulnerable members of the community.

Each pack contains a face covering, pack of wipes and a bottle of hand sanitiser, along with similar packs for each of the group’s volunteers.

The group has worked in collaboration with SanHanz to provide branded hand sanitiser.

Plumo UK provided reusable linen face coverings.

Sue Stanton, from the Budbrooke Covid-19 support group, said: “When we started working with SanHanz we were guided through the process, could see the great work they had done within Warwickshire with local sports clubs and businesses.

"Appreciated the support they offered local foodbanks and good causes during the pandemic – and so our decision was amazingly simple.

"Coupled with the quality of product and bespoke labelling capability we were amazed at the price they delivered. Give them a try for yourself.

"Due to the nature of our initiative Ciara and Seanna at SanHanz provided more than 100 free bottles in line with their commitment to local communities.

"This is a fantastic social enterprise focused on people before profit that have given away more than 1,500 bottles of life protecting Hand Sanitiser.

"If you’re a Covid support group have a chat with these guys.”

Seanna Hamill Co Founder of SanHanzUK, said: "Confidence in the product is central to SanHanz and it is one of the few Hand Sanitisers on the market that has been tested to EN14476 – which means that our product has been tested against Coronavirus.

"Since winning the Theo Paphitis SBS competition our demand has risen dramatically and with education on the rise regarding the plethora of sanitiser in the market place we have found that people want the product that protects them the best whilst supporting our local communities.

"Our product can now be found in every rugby union club across Warwickshire due to our recent link up with Warwickshire RFU."

For more information email: [email protected]