How to support vulnerable residents in Hastings during the coronavirus crisis

Those who do not have family or local support at hand, and those who are self-isolating because they have the virus or have symptoms of it, can contact Hastings Borough Council to be registered, and the council will then triage them in terms of need and support required. In some cases either the council or community partners will be able to directly help them through volunteers, in other cases the support will be provided by other agencies.

Residents, or their friends, family or carers, can contact the council through its website, www.hastings.gov.uk, or call the council on a special helpline 01424 451019 which is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm Friday. It is also open specially this weekend (Saturday/Sunday 28th/29th March) 10am to 4pm.

Council leader councillor Kim Forward said: “A lot of people have worked incredibly hard over the last three days to set up this community hub, really going ‘above and beyond’ to ensure that those who need our help most will get it.

“I am very grateful to them, our partners HVA, HEART (Hastings Emergency Action Response Team), Hastings & St Leonards Neighbourhood Watch, Hastings Foodbank, Heart of Hastings, East Sussex County Council, the NHS, the RSA and the many other organisations who are helping with this vitally important scheme.”

Steve Manwaring, director of HVA, added: “These are unprecedented times, and we have to look after the most vulnerable in our community.

“We are delighted to be working with Hastings Borough Council on this project, which we have set up just this week.

“We will also be working with many other local organisations to help provide this service, which shows Hastings at its very best: it’s great to see the local community coming together to help those most at risk.”

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