Wellingborough community centres team up to help out during pandemic

Two community centres in Wellingborough have teamed up to offer a helping hand to vulnerable people and families across Wellingborough during the coronavirus crisis.

The Victoria Centre and Glamis Hall have come together through the One Wellingborough Project (1W) to provide a range of essential community services across the town.

Working alongside other local partners, the 1W Project will help people and groups and offer more co-ordination and support across the whole community.

Victoria Centre manager, Marion Turner-Hawes, said: “Across our area we saw people struggling and wanted to help.

"When the lockdown happened, our centre had to close and we lost all our income.

"However, as difficult as it has been for us we know many people have had much more of a struggle.

"People and groups across Wellingborough are renowned for stepping up during difficult times.

"This crisis has seen a massive number of people offering their time, skills and resources, and we thought we could do the same.

"Together with Glamis Hall, we can provide practical help and work to improve co-ordination, providing clear information about the help that is available and how people can access it.

"I hope that the 1W Project will be able to help many people to make the best of all the resources and support available in our community.”

Project leader Jo Peploe, the centre manager at Glamis Hall, is very excited by the project.

She said: “The project provides two community hubs, Victoria Centre and Glamis Hall, from which we are co-ordinating support to all nine wards in Wellingborough.

"We know that some areas are already well served by volunteers but other areas need more support.

"We see this project directly supporting people in practical ways, and assisting groups who might need extra help or advice to support people in their area.

"The project is offering help to people who are self-isolating, those who may be experiencing economic hardship and those affected in other ways.

"Young, old, disabled, BAME, or LGBT, we are here to help.

"It’s in our DNA at Glamis Hall.”

The 1W Project, funded by Wellingborough Council, offers services such as delivering hot or frozen meals, doing shopping for people, picking up medicine or just ringing people for a chat.

It also aims to provide food parcels and other support while following social distancing rules.

1W is already looking at how they might work with the Daylight Centre, Wellingborough Homeless Forum, Faith and other local groups to help as many people as possible in a ‘joined up’ way.

The services are free but donations are welcome and will go towards helping more people get the food, meals or support they need.

Anyone seeking help or wanting to volunteer can contact the 1W Project by calling 01933 677326 or emailing [email protected]

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