North Herts District Council send emergency parcels to local charities

PR Date: Tuesday, 21 April 2020 - 5:00pm

North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) has begun distributing 150 food, hygiene and cleaning parcels to local groups, to ensure our most vulnerable residents get the help they need during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Across Hertfordshire, food parcels have begun arriving at the doors of people who have been told by their GP’s that they can’t leave their homes because severe health conditions put them at risk of coronavirus.Whilst Hertfordshire County Council is leading on this initiative, because the take up of the parcels was slightly lower than the Government anticipated, NHDC has been able to obtain 150 packs (a mixture of food, cleaning and hygiene parcels), which it is distributing to local charities and organisations who are coming into contact with those in need.

Organisations who have received the packs so far include homeless charity, Feed up Warm up, the Need project who distribute food parcels to those in need, the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation and the Salvation Army, all of whom received 10 packs each. NHDC also delivered packs to Hertfordshire Constabulary as they reported they are encountering vulnerable residents on home visits. NHDC’s Healthy Hub, a service offering health and wellbeing advice, received the remaining parcels as they are also receiving requests for assistance from vulnerable residents.

Cllr Judi Billing, NHDC’s Executive member for Community Engagement said: “We welcome the provision of food parcels, which will be a huge help to those who are unable to leave the house to shop and those who are struggling to access food and essential supplies. While Hertfordshire County Council are doing a great job of running the scheme, we are co-ordinating our efforts with them so that we can reach even more of the district’s vulnerable people”.

If you require assistance, contact Herts Help who are providing grocery packs. To find out if you quality call: 0300 123 4044 or visit: https://hertsindependentliving.org/food-and-grocery-packs/

For health and wellbeing advice, contact the North Herts Healthy Hub. Call: 01462 474111, email: healthyhub@north-herts.gov.uk or complete an online self-referral form.