Monday Coronavirus Support Network update: Elderly & frail forced to get off sickbeds & queue at Chemists; key meter points 2 charge keys shut

The Government must urgently address major problems that are going unreported and which through my work I witnessed today, some of you may have seen for yourself the long queues of elderly, sick and frail waiting outside chemists today for the prescription they can not get home-delivered, the very people the virus targets and has the most devastating impact upon Medication prescriptions is not something you can trust to a stranger and whilst I am delighted so many people have joined and are active in our network as I have met so few of these people I cannot take any risks with people meds and so spent much of my day at Chemists in Deptford, Bellingham, Forest Hill and Catford on behalf of people who knew how to contact us for help, but clearly we cannot reach everyone, that's the role of the Council and the Government. Having witnessed this problem first hand, how and who should be responsible for telling people if they must stay at home isolated for 12 weeks, who will get them their medication? this needs very urgent attention as chemist only allow 2-5 people in at any one time, leading to large crowds of sick people outside

Key meters are the lifeblood of many people on low incomes who use key meters to help them budget and manage their gas and electric use so access to pay zones to top up is crucial for those in poverty and low-income, today I visited 11 different charge up points as Deptford Post Office was closed and I had housebound clients with no gas or electric, whilst I had a bike and the energy to travel to 11 different outlets to get a gas card top-up, this is NOT an option for the sick and the housebound, in law it's illegal to cut off peoples power, but if your poor and can not top up your meter the same law does not apply, even though your failure to charge up your key or card leaves you with no gas or electric how does that make sense? The Poor may be silent but with the Governments own figures showing 12 million people are in this Governments statistics are poor and 3 million Children in poverty how can such important and crucial aspects to the survival of the poor, the elderly and the frail not just be going unreported, but no one speaking and planning to address these issues.

Can I please ask that YOU contact your neighbours around you, you may have never spoken but you would have seen each other this connection is crucial in a crisis, you could exchange phone numbers, help with sorting medication and helping with Internet issues, offer to share what you have if YOU need free food and toiletries thanks to our gofundme page we are raising the cash to buy what you need when you need it and get it to you as fast as we can many of our neighbours have NO internet and NO smartphones so need your help to get Universal Credit, medication or just get word to loved ones who cannot visit YOU are looking out for them.

Please also spread the word that we are supporting NHS staff with shopping, dog walking and any other support they need, as well as a buddy support network for ALL NHS staff in London. We also have a Homelesshousing project for anyone you come across on the street.

We still need people with cars and vans to help ward by ward local to collect the food from our food supply wholesaler, anyone that needs food, we can get within 24 hours, whilst we are getting the food and toiletries and pet food at a large discount, we are still having to pay to buy it, so if you can please donate. https://www.gofundme.com/f/corona-virus-community-support-network?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

Urgent Update, some of you may be aware that Saturday night a ramrod raid was made on our warehouse deport we access food, thanks to the alarm and prompt action of the police the shutters got damaged but NO food stolen, this time. Are you fit and able to help at our Deptford food Warehouse? if you can please call Esther 0207 064 8913

My Contact Details [email protected] 07871187162 Twitter @EcrnKath Facebook CoronaVirus Support Network. texts for help advice as we share will EVERYONE that needs our resources and our experience