Covid-19: Coggeshall volunteers plan to continue support after pandemic

Amy Edwards said she did not expect the service offered by the volunteers to become so big

A 20-year-old woman who pulled together a group of volunteers to help the local community says they will continue the scheme after the pandemic is over.

Amy Edwards, from Coggeshall in north Essex, was one of 10 founding members of a Facebook group created last March to support people shielding.

She says the group now has 60 helpers.

"We saw a need, and we needed to fulfil that need, and we stepped forward," she said. "We'll be there as long as there's a need for us."

Ms Edwards said the volunteers had started by helping to get residents' shopping and prescriptions but now offer services including taking people for vaccines, running a food bank and offering educational resources.

"I don't think I ever imagined it to get this big," she said. "We've certainly branched out a lot.

"We're a year in and we've really pulled together as a community, everyone's got involved. We've got a whole range of volunteers, got all the local businesses, the local clubs.

"I think Coggeshall has pulled together when we needed to."

The volunteers offer a food bank and collect prescriptions for residents

Ms Edwards said she had previously volunteered with Scouts and Guides groups.

"It was always instilled in me from my parents and my grandparents to help other people if you can," she said.

"You do it to see the smile on someone's face when you see them, and it's the first person they've seen in a week.

"You do it for the moment when they tell you that you've helped them and that they're grateful, and you do it for the moments that they smile."

Ms Edwards said she expected many volunteers would continue to help and shop for service users for many years, having formed good friendships over the period of shielding.

"We'll be there as long as there's a need for us, and if not, we'll send our volunteers to all the other amazing clubs and places that need help around town."

Terry Hepplewhite, who has been shielding with his wife Adrienne, said he was grateful for the support of the volunteers.

"I don't know what we'd do if it wasn't for Amy and her team, somebody else would have to do it for us," he said.

"They're doing a wonderful service."

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