We've had a huge response - applications are closed while we place volunteers who have signed up

We would like to thank everyone who has volunteered to support the COVID-19 response in Redbridge. The number of people who have signed up to help has been phenomenal. In the first two weeks we placed more volunteers than we have in some previous 6-month periods. This support is vital to ensure that our residents receive the support they need to keep safe and well.

Currently we still have a large number of volunteers on our books who have not been placed in volunteering roles, as is the case across the country. This is for a number of reasons, such as the excellent work the voluntary, community and public sectors have done to redeploy their staff to cover the response effort, as well as the community spirit that we are witnessing as friends, families and neighbours come together to support one another.

We are still working with colleagues across the voluntary, community and public sector to identify where further volunteering needs are likely to be and what they will look like. We expect that this will change over the coming weeks as current volunteers may be less able to do the same level of work due to changes in work or family commitments.

For this reason we have closed applications for new volunteers at this time as we put our efforts into placing volunteers who have signed up so far. Below are other ways you can volunteer to help:

Volunteer with the NHS or in a local community group

You can volunteer to support local public services such as the NHS through the national Good Sam Scheme.

You can also help by volunteering informally in your community, for example by joining a local Mutual Aid group such as Redbridge Mutual Aid.

Keep safe while you volunteer

Remember to keep yourself and others safe while you volunteer. We've created some guidance for volunteers with some useful tips on volunteering safely during the COVID-19 outbreak.