Morning all!
(Summary: Help us to help you – get on the list now while it’s easy to.)
In the background a lot of effort is being put in to get a safe and secure support system up and running. A *lot* of time each day is being spent, and we NEED your help.
We could reach capacity really quickly and be overloaded, so we REALLY need to use this time to get people that might need help on the system now, while it’s relatively quiet. If people get in touch for the first time as they need help, well imagine breaking down in your car without a mobile phone and no AA. Or just going up the doctors without being registered at a practice.
It just isn’t effective and wastes the time of people organising this system.
We’re also being sent info on scammers (see links at foot from Police Scotland) so if we manage to contact people – especially those older and offline – and get the to set a password with our local group, this will help.
We’ve found that we should NOT have people post requests for help in any public forum. So when requests do come in, we have a freephone number: 0800 048 7499 for that. Several organisers can pick up the call, and one will then securely allocate a volunteer to help them.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING THEN – is for you to help, and we really, really need to do the best we can here to reach those that only have a phone as a point of contact.
We’re not asking you to call people you don’t know. But call your friends, family, neighbours. People who know you, so they will trust you.
Tell them we need THEIR help so we can prepare. Have a chat. Tell them spread the word to their friends so they know that scammers are taking advantage of easy pickings right now. Tell them to join this local organisation now while we have time to manage it well, whether they need any help right now or not. Don’t just think, Oh I will phone up if I need help.
We know a lot of you have family and friends helping. but what if they, or you get sick and have to isolate? This is your Plan B – arrange it now.
Please send this info back to any of the following ways in this order of preference:
2 Email to: caerlaverockcommunity@gmail.com

3 Or by phone to 0800 048 7499

 

This is what we want you to tell them, and ask them:
***** TELL THEM ****

1. Freephone SUPPORT LINE: 0800 048 7499

 

A number of local organisers will be on this line, to allocate a volunteer to them. The password they supply will be used by volunteers when helping them. use this number if any help is needed. People will be doing runs to chemists and shops, take advantage of this. Tell others about this number.

 

2. Support The Boathouse for groceries and readymeals. It’s the only shop we have. Avoid exposure up in town.

 

3. If online, follow the Caerlaverock website or Facebook page, keep up to date with LOCAL news. You can get your national news anywhere, we won’t be posting any of that.
***** ASK THEM ****
1. Name of person you contacted.
2. Their contact phone number.
3. Their address.
4. Are they happy to be regularly called for a check in/ chat in the future?
5. Times of day suitable for calling.
6. If shopping, any dietary restrictions or allergies to be aware of?
7. Info for prescriptions (patient’s name, address and postcode and date of birth (if possible)
8. Idea of what may be required (shopping/ prescriptions/ supplies/ phone call)
9. Privacy: Permission to hold data supplied – very important
10. Security: A simple password so that people know if they need help, it is from somebody from this group.
Here’s some Police Scotland info we just received, it’s really sad that people are scamming, but people are easy pickings right now:

Finally, we may need people to help manage the Support Line – you can be trained up on this, but you will need a computer to do it effectively. We would like to have somebody in each village, so if you are fairly computer literate, have the time to do it, then please tell us. We will then contact you if required. 
Thank you. (please share!)