Over the past week, people across the Chichester area have been receiving letters and Community Hero Awards from their local MP thanking them for their incredible volunteering efforts.
For the past year and a half volunteers have been at the heart of the covid-19 response from delivering food and medicines whilst isolating, to regular calls to those shielding and at risk of poor mental health from loneliness. Throughout Volunteers Week, 1st – 7th June, people have been receiving letters of thanks from Gillian along with an award certificate.
On Friday, Gillian visited the Selsey Care Shop, which is run by the Selsey Community Forum where she met with many of the recipients to add her personal thanks for their hard work. Throughout the pandemic the community team there have been supporting people with essential deliveries of food and medicine, and even phone calls to support those at risk of loneliness or struggling with their mental health. In the first lockdown alone they delivered 1,800 meals prepared by Grumpy’s Café.
Dr Mike Nicholls, Chair of the Selsey Community Forum said, “We are really grateful for Gillian’s visit and her continued support for the Selsey Community Forum. We appreciate the award that recognised the incredible contribution of our dedicated staff and volunteers, who’ve worked tirelessly throughout the covid-emergency - and to all of the partnership work that goes on in our compassionate community.”
Over the week Gillian also met Joyce and Jim Loten, who were nominated for an award by local resident Jane Kilby. The pair have been delivering ‘best before’ food from local supermarkets to front line staff at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Chichester Station, St Richard’s Hospital staff and the ambulance crews, as well as, those most in need within their community.
Gillian said, “It has been so uplifting to hear about the incredible support people have given to one and other on a daily basis. Right across the constituency, community heroes have been at the heart of our Covid response and have made all the difference to so many people’s lives. It has been lovely to be able to recognise this work, even if only in a small way.”
