Volunteering to help during the Coronavirus Pandemic

If you are a business willing to offer support with essential supplies, please visit our dedicated page.

Before considering volunteering during the Coronavirus pandemic, please see our advice on staying safe below. 

Volunteering

Are you healthy and available to help those in need in your local community?
Working in partnership with West Lancashire CVS (external link), West Lancs Together has been set up to help find and coordinate volunteers that can help or are already doing their bit to help in their local community.

If you are an individual ready to help your community during the Coronavirus pandemic, please get in touch by contacting Jan in the Volunteer Centre at West Lancashire CVS by emailing janice@wlcvs.org or telephone 07598552945.  Alternatively please email the CVS enquiry line enquries@wlcv.org

Please note we are receiving a high volume of people registering their interest in volunteering.  CVS will work with you identify a suitable role but this may not be immediately as over the next few months, volunteers will be needed at different times. We thank you for your patience, understanding and support with this and for volunteering your time to help.

 

Don't want to officially volunteer or currently self-isolating? You can still help out.

We encourage our residents to check on their neighbours, friends and family in a way that keeps everyone safe. If you are currently not self-isolating, this may involve leaving supplies on their doorsteps, posting their mail, or walking their dog. If you are unable to do this, simply offering up your time for talk over the phone will be essential in order to minimise loneliness at this time.
Please remember to maintain a safe distance at all times and adhere to the government guidelines on social distancing and self-isolation. If you feel unwell please do not attempt to visit your neighbours in person.

Staying safe

If you’re volunteering it is important to keep yourself safe and protect yourself and those around you. Find out how to protect yourself and others from Coronavirus on the NHS website (external link).

When you’re helping others, stay safe by using the following steps:

  • Familiarise yourself with who may be most vulnerable and the guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19. This information can be found on the government website here (external link).
  • Let family and friends know what you are doing, or preferably a local volunteer group
  • Support family, friends and neighbours by phone or video call, don’t interact in person
  • Stay at least two metres (around three steps) away from people
  • Keep washing your hands regularly for 20 seconds at a time

Sharing your private information safely

Local volunteering often involves sharing your private information, as well as receiving private information from others. Be careful of how you share your private information and other people’s private information. If you join a local group be mindful of what information you share.

Further Guidance

Visit the NCVO website (external link) for more information about volunteering safely.

If you have any specific concerns about being involved in supporting your community, please take a look at the Government's safeguarding factsheet (external link).

The NHS guidelines (external link) are updated regularly. Please check you are following the most recent advice when undertaking activities that might put you or others at risk. 

We will continue publishing any information we receive from Public Health England and the Lancashire Resilience Forum to our website and social media channels.

 

This page will be updated regularly.