Extraordinary six months support for local community
WHO WE ARE
HEART is the Mutual Aid organisation for Hastings & St.Leonards. It brings together volunteers from all walks of life to support individuals and families in need in the community with practical help and assistance, while also working closely with external agencies to co-ordinate and deliver the emergency response to the Coronavirus pandemic, and beyond.
Since its foundation in March 2020, our volunteers have committed thousands of hours to keep our community safe, well, fed and supported. Set out below are some of its – and their – achievements.
CREATING A VOLUNTER ARMY
HEART HAS:
Established a Facebook Community Group with over 3200 supporters, one of the largest in Hastings
Recruited a cohort of 1070 volunteers, all of whom have stepped forward to assist in supporting others within their community in a broad variety of tasks. Our thanks go out to each and every one of you.
Worked with over 500 of this cohort to enable them to secure full, enhanced Disclosure and Barring Certification, enabling them to work safely with the most vulnerable within our community.
Researched, written, designed and distributed a suite of volunteer guidelines, protocols and instructions in safe working practices to ensure volunteer and client security, achieving a 100% safety record throughout the pandemic
Issued 160+ Certificates of Recognition to HEART volunteers, all distributed by hand, acknowledging their hard work and support during the pandemic
COMMUNICATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY
HEART HAS:
Created two functioning websites providing an online mechanism for the community to request urgent help and an extensive range of information to promote community health, safety and commerce.
Designed, produced & distributed 300+ posters across Hastings to promote the services & contacts of the Community Hub Emergency Response organisations
Hand-delivered approx. 1000 leaflets to target communities promoting Community Hub contacts and information
Projected, nightly for a week, details of how to get help during the pandemic on buildings throughout Hastings
Secured TV, radio & press coverage to tell people throughout the community how to get help and advice
Produced regular volunteer newsletters, Facebook, Instagram & Twitter postings, press releases & information reports to keep people up to date with news, health & safety issues, volunteer opportunities and activities.
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY
HEART HAS:
Developed an efficient, automated mechanism to co-ordinate the assignment of volunteers with volunteer tasks to ensure rapid response to community requests for help, usually within 2 hours.
Delivered, in conjunction with external agencies, thousands of volunteer support tasks to ensure 4000+ of the town’s most vulnerable citizens have received food, medicines, practical help, guidance and other support
Worked with NHS GP practices to establish ongoing, weekly, volunteer practical support for over 60 referred, vulnerable patients on GP lists
Provided over 30 volunteer drivers to transport keyworkers to and from shifts at NHS hospitals free of charge, recording 1000+ hours service during lockdown
Provided over 70 volunteers to develop the Connect2 Befriending service, providing vital telephone support to concerned people throughout the Coronavirus pandemic
Provided more than 20 volunteer helpers to Education Futures Trust to sort, package and deliver 100s of book, clothing and food packs to families in need
Provided, on a continuing basis, nearly 30 delivery drivers to Hastings Foodbank, distributing 1000s of food parcels to people in need
Assumed responsibility, during essential breaks in service, for the delivery of all Hastings Foodbank. Hastings Borough Council & Citizens Advice-referred food parcels to people in need within 24hrs
Recruited volunteer workers for a host of additional agencies/ organisations in the town, including Oxfam, Hastings Dance, Heart of Hastings, etc.
Recruited over 40 volunteers to test-run and participate in the town’s successful, virtual Jack-in-the-Green celebrations
WORKING WITH PARTNERS
HEART HAS:
Been a founding member of (and participated continuously in) the town’s Community Hub, bringing together the NHS, statutory agencies and wider community organisations to co-ordinate the emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic
Liaised with partner Mutual Aid organisations to develop cross-referral procedures in compliance with data protection legislation
Registered as an organisation with the Data Protection Registrar to establish a formal data sharing agreement with Hastings Borough Council for secure client referral
Researched, produced & disseminated an innovative report into economic opportunities & re-development, post-pandemic.
Raised funds for the Heart of Hastings charity through a successful online appeal.
MANAGING ITS AFFAIRS
HEART HAS:
Established and agreed a formal Constitution & Memorandum & Articles of Association for the organisation
Established a not-for-profit, Company Limited by Guarantee, with three Directors, to continue the organisation’s work going forward
Secured initial operational funding to meet expenses via the Hastings Relief Fund
WORKING FOR THE FUTURE
HEART IS NOW CURRENTLY EMBARKED ON THE FOLLOWING:
Maintaining and supporting our volunteer cohort to prepare for any future demands for community help
Development, in conjunction with a number of partners (including HBC), of a beneficiary-led project to grow and distribute food for families in need.
Development of a ‘Buddying’ scheme to provide ongoing volunteer support to vulnerable adults to reduce isolation, loneliness & Covid-19 anxiety.
Provision of support volunteers to schools across Hastings & St.Leonards to assist in social distancing, drop-offs and other administrative tasks.
Participation in University of Sussex research into the epidemiology of Covid-19 in Hastings and the community support mechanisms established.
Gathering data on patient experiences of healthcare in both primary and secondary care settings to help model future provision.
Research into emerging town-wide priorities for health, economic development and social care to assist in planning by external services.
Working with Community Hub partners to refocus activities to cope with future public health, community & economic wellbeing issues expected in the short and medium terms
Fundraising to support & sustain the organisation’s administration to establish a permanent volunteer workforce in the town.