Coronavirus: 'Amazing' response as army of 600 caring Chesterfield people volunteer to help elderly

Hundreds of kind Chesterfield people have volunteered to support elderly and vunerable residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tim Paget
By Tim Paget
Published 24th Mar 2020, 18:58 BST
Updated 24th Mar 2020, 21:02 BST

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Since NHS worker Tom Oxley put an appeal in the Derbyshire Times and on Facebook to find helpers during the crisis, he says he has been overwhelmed.

Tom, who lives in Chesterfield, set up the Chesterfield Community Volunteers to enlist drivers, telephone befriending buddies, food shoppers and others who can support the elderly and those most at-risk.

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And within just a few days more than 600 people in Chesterfield had come forward to say they would do their bit.

Chesterfield's Tom Oxley launched an appeal for people to volunteer and help during the coronavirus crisis.Chesterfield's Tom Oxley launched an appeal for people to volunteer and help during the coronavirus crisis.
Chesterfield's Tom Oxley launched an appeal for people to volunteer and help during the coronavirus crisis.

MORE: Coronavirus: Caring resident delivers food parcel to nurses at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

“The reaction has been unbelievable,” Tom said. “The amount of people coming together to help the community is so heart warming!

“I’m very reluctant that my volunteers are handling cash of the elderly and vulnerable hence the JustGiving page. The more money we get the more essentials we can help buy for people.”

Tom says donations of toiletries and non-perishable items are particularly important.

One of the parcels delivered on Mother's Day.One of the parcels delivered on Mother's Day.
One of the parcels delivered on Mother's Day.

MORE: Chesterfield area pubs 'stayed open' over weekend despite coronavirus order to shut

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He organised a teleconference for the volunteers to get their heads together, put together a list of older and vulnerable people who need help and was delighted to be able to help get supplies to many people ahead of Mother’s Day.

One of the volunteers said: “Just been to a lovely lady at Brimington and dropped her some items off she was struggling for. As it was Mother's Day I got her flowers and chocolates, she was overwhelmed.”

Another volunteer added: “I've just delivered shopping. She cried on me because I took her some Mother's Day flowers, bless her.”

Tom has been a volunteer for many years and works with Re-Engage, where he hosts an afternoon tea for the elderly at his home, as well as Age UK, where he was a call-in time volunteer.

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“People always tell me what I do is so lovely,” he said. “I just reply that I treat people how I would want to be treated. I'd like to think that there was this kind of help and support when I'm at that age.”

If anyone has any recommendations, or would like to get involved, email [email protected]

Related topics:ChesterfieldDerbyshire TimesFacebookNHS