A community helpline has been set-up to support residents of Burnham and Highbridge with shopping, picking-up prescriptions and more.
The Burnham and Highbridge Coronavirus Community Support Group founded the helpline last year, which has since been taken over by the Burnham Visitor Information Centre (Burnham Information and Rescue Support (BiARS)) in South Esplanade.
Since the start of the first lockdown, helpline volunteers have worked tirelessly to complete more than 3,000 jobs to assist those most in need in Burnham, Highbridge and surrounding areas.
To continue to serve residents, the service has now evolved into the Burnham and Highbridge Helpline. A team of 85 volunteers are helping nearly 150 people based in either Burnham or Highbridge with their shopping, picking-up prescriptions, as well as connecting residents with local services.
Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge Town Council appoints a representative to sit on the Visitor Information Centre Committee and is pleased to support the initiative created by the Burnham Visitor Information Centre tourism manager and the helpline’s coordinator, Ian Jefferies.
As well as helping people in the community, Ian said volunteers also gave their time to help at the former Covid vaccination centre in The Mulberry Centre in Berrow, which ran from December last year until May, where thousands of people were inoculated against coronavirus.
Ian added: “The Burnham and Highbridge Helpline was previously a coronavirus helpline, but we’re going to continue the service for residents of both towns for at least three years.
“If anyone has any queries – which do not have to be coronavirus-related – we have lots of contacts in our community who are more than happy to help.
“When we took over the service last year, we were answering 30-50 calls per day. We want people to know we are here, the phone line is going to continue for as long as we can. If you need us, give us a shout.”
Ian added that if community groups need help with volunteering for events, they should give him a call.
To contact the Burnham and Highbridge Helpline, call 01278 393231.
To help-out and to ask about volunteering help with community events, contact Ian on 07903 463700.