CADRA's Response - What We are Doing

We are developing this page to provide sources of help and advice during the coronavirus pandemic. We will try to keep the information up to date but, as you can appreciate, things are changing frequently. Please check for new posts on https://www.facebook.com/cavershamresidents. You do not need to be on Facebook for this. These are organisations and items we are highlighting:

Reading Voluntary Action is maintaining a page with a wide range of information for individuals and groups. http://rva.org.uk/coronavirus-community-action/

Community Action Response - Covid 19 have listed five things you can do to make a positive difference in your community.

Why Not Join CADRA Today

Local Guide to Health & Care Services

Healthwatch Reading have provided this helpful Local Guide to Health & Care Services during the pandemic.

Facebook Groups and Pages

The CADRA Facebook page, for which you don’t have to be on Facebook, will have information posted as it becomes available https://www.facebook.com/cavershamresidents/

Caversham Mutual Aid Covid Coronavirus Help Support is a forum to seek or offer help https://www.facebook.com/groups/196803968271709/

Emmer Green mutual aid covid-19 support https://www.facebook.com/groups/224018755635420/. If you live in Emmer Green and need assistance please start your post with HELP NEEDED. Help with: groceries, medication, dog walking etc. Never list your address/phone/email, a private message in reply will be sent.

Reading & Local Areas: Delivery & Takeaway Suppliers https://www.facebook.com/groups/2528901730759928/

Class of Covid-19 is for parents and teachers to share resources for home teaching and a place to ask questions from teachers offering support https://www.facebook.com/groups/502042943810868/

How You Can help

There are many ways to help - For those who are able these groups may be of interest. Or you may prefer to make a donation to one of these Organisations. 

• How can I help in my neighbourhood? See http://rva.org.uk/coronavirus-community-action/ 
• Register to volunteer http://rva.org.uk/volop/team-reading-coronavirus-response-volunteers/
• NHS Volunteer Responders  https://www.goodsamapp.org/nhsvolunteerresponders

Other ways to help

• If you are well, give blood https://www.blood.co.uk/
• Support research by recording your symptoms daily, whether you are well or ill https://covid.joinzoe.com/
• The BigGive are a matched funds platform that doubles what you donate, whilst funds are available.

Donating

If you would like to make a donation, then you might consider these organisations:

LOCAL

• Royal Berks Charity Are raising money to support the hard working staff of the RBH.
• RBH Acute Medical Unit  https://gf.me/u/xst6jf
• Readifood  https://readifood.org.uk/
• Launchpad https://www.launchpadreading.org.uk
• Engage befriending https://engagebefriending.org/
• Sue Ryder https://www.sueryder.org/donate
• Berkshire Womens Aid http://www.berkshirewomensaid.org.uk/

NATIONAL

• NHS charities together https://www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/
• Salvation Army
• Age UK
• National Emergencies Trust 

INTERNATIONAL

• The International Rescue Committee https://help.rescue-uk.org/
• Medecins sans Frontieres https://www.msf.org/donate

 

Council Services

The Council's response and details of how their services are affected can be found at: https://www.reading.gov.uk/coronavirus

• Lots of free services while libraries are closed https://www.facebook.com/ReadingLibraries/
• Recycling Centres (re3) will be open daily from Monday 18 May (8am – 6pm). All visits must be booked online, starting at 10am from Friday 15 May. Council Announcement
• The green bin collections has resumed. Any renewal payments that have been received before 26^th April 2020 will mean that the new subscription period will begin on 27th April 2020.  The subscription period will no longer run from 1 April to 31 March each year. The subscription period will run for 12 months from the date payment is made. https://www.reading.gov.uk/garden-waste
• All Council Committees have been suspended and decisions are being taken by the chief executive and leader of the council. The council will publish urgent decisions via the Decisions Book process, which is normally used for non-controversial decisions. The Coronavirus Legislation now permits Councils to hold virtual meetings.
• The Council's main News Page with links and searches to all their latest news items

Children

Home Education Links

Here's what various celebrities and others are offering you and your kids for free daily to help with their education while schools are closed: Home Education

The British Psychological Society - https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/schools-really-out

Having Fun

Gruffalo illustrator, Axel Scheffler has produced a book about Covid-19 Coronavirus just for children - available as a FREE download a​t:
https://nosycrowcoronavirus.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Coronavirus-ABookForChildren.pdf

Donations requested in lieu of payment, to ​www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/

Reading Chronicle https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/18333718.readings-snow-princess-parties-deliver-free-entertainment-children-facebook-live/

Shopping

The Which Magazine are maintaining a table of Supermarket Opening Times, that includes times specifically allocated for vulnerable people or for key workers.

Booking delivery slots with major supermarkets is proving difficult, but is evolving rapidly. An alternative may be to use smaller local suppliers who offer a range of goods and some also deliver. Here is the latest list: Local Food Deliveries and Collections

Some self isolating and vulnerable people may not be able to shop online, but will have offers of help from friends and neighbours. Paying them can be a problem, because of a lack of a cash, no internet acesss or that the shopper is not comfortable with giving their bank details to another person, so they can be paid. A way round this could be to send a gift card by post or ideally as an e-Card. Several supermarkets offer this, including: Waitrose, Sainsburys, Tesco.

With restaurants, cafes and pubs closed, many are offering take-away for delivery or collection.

The Government has advice on which businesses can stay open https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close

Ways of Keeping in Touch Online

RVA have put together information about how to keep in touch: http://rva.org.uk/keeping-in-touch-online/

Local Food Deliveries and Collections

There is a growing list of small mainly local suppliers offering delivery services. The list is subject to change, as organisations may no longer be able to provide the service or are simply overwhelmed by requests (pdf version):

• Home Pantry - Delivering to homes & organisations in London & The Thames Valley. £5 delivery. Tel no. 0117 287 2487
• Caversham Butcher is supplying large numbers of people and home deliveries. Free over £25. Tel. no. 0118 947 5939. Meat packs for delivery https://www.jenningsofcaversham.co.uk/#meat-pack
• Dudmans wholesaler 59a Grove Road, Emmer Green, sells fruit and vegetable boxes. Pre-order your box on info@dudmans.co.uk or 0118 947 1471. Store is open for collection 9.30 -12.30, with phones manned from early morning. Dudmans Facebook
• Nyama Catering, Ipsden - Home deliver fresh fruit, veg and meat, with boxes at set prices. Min order £35 + £3 delivery. Tel. no. 0118 947 5939
• True Food Coop  - Grove Road, Emmer Green. Email organics@truefood.coop with your tel. no. and they’ll call back. Tel. no. 0118 946 1188
• C A Belcher & Sons - Wholesaler doing fruit and veg, bread, milk and eggs. Min. order £25 + £3 delivery.  Tel. no. 0118 975 2466
• UCS Fresh - Fresh fruit and veg deliveries.
• RG Bread - Located above the Geo Cafe on 10 Prospect Streets delivering twice weekly - veg boxes, bread, eggs and honey. £20-£35. Free delivery. Tel. no. 0118 947 7411
• Crums Food Co. - Portman Road. A catering company has this Kitchen Essentials range it delivers, which includes fresh groceries and milk. Tel. no. 0118 950 2727
• The Flowing Spring Pub - Henley Road, beyond Playhatch has hot meals, drinks and some essentials: eggs, cheese. For collection and possibly delivery. Email info@theflowingspringpub.co.uk or Tel. 118 969 9878
• Vegivores - St Martins Precinct. Order online. Min. £20, for delivery within 5 miles, Thursday to Sunday. Orders in by 8pm the day before delivery. Tel. no. 0118 947 2181
• Warings Bakery Caversham are taking online orders and the shop closes at 2pm. Or, tel. 0118 9464749.
• VeggieBox - Veg and fruit boxes from £15 for next day delivery. Tel. no. 0999 7777 000
• Loddon Brewery Online orders only for delivery. Free within 10 miles  Min. £20.
• Pielicious Facebook in Washington Road, Caversham, will deliver locally, if you can’t get out or you can collect. Message them on Facebook. Tel. no. 07787 158227

• Lockey Farm at Arborfield has a list you can select from - meat, veg, fruit, dairy and bread. Free delivery within 7 miles for minimum spend of £20.

• The Master Fryer, near Budgens at Emmer Green will deliver to over anyone over age 70 within 2 miles - call 0118 947 3332.

• Red White & Cru - Wine importer based in Caversham, now set up for local deliveries. - cases or individual bottles at good range of prices. Minimum order 6 bottles. Free delivery within 10 miles, enter FreeCav at checkout.

• FruitDelivered based in Lower Basildon. Delivering one-off fruit, veg, bread, milk boxes, from £12.99 plus a delivery charge of £2.49. Accepting online or telephone orders. Tel. 01189 079207

• Brakes Food Shop - Sell a range of chef-recommended products, as well as everyday essentials and well-known brands. Min. £75.

• Printable list, excluding online only suppliers

Dealing with Anxiety

This is a stressful time for many of us, so we hope these websites will be helpful.

• NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips/
• Launchpad - Telephone support: https://www.launchpadreading.org.uk/update-on-coronavirus-covid-19-and-changes-to-launchpads-services/
• The RVA has information on managing anxiety and well-being: http://rva.org.uk/coronavirus-community-action/
• Leathes Phsycology have provided these links to resources for adults struggling to cope with the effects of the crisis and also for those supporting children and young people.

Help for Vulnerable People with No Support

If you know or are a vulnerable person who has no support, then the One Reading Community Hub action line can connect people in need of help with: volunteers, organisations and services that can support them during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Please only contact the hub for urgent welfare needs, when no family member or trusted friend can help. Their telephone no. 0808 189 4325 is open 9am-5pm, five days a week.

Keeping Mind and Body Active

The Arts Community is working hard to bring culture and entertainment into your home

• Reading Place of Culture have a list of virtual art and cultural activities that people can view or get involved in.
• Virtual visits to London exhibitions https://londonist.com/london/art-and-photography/how-to-see-london-s-major-exhibitions-from-your-sofa
• Opera and Ballet https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/coronavirus/royal-opera-house-launches-online-ballet-opera/

Learn something new

https://www.futurelearn.com  has a huge range of fascinating and free on-line short courses, from Universities all over the world. Typically, they take 4 or 5 hours a week.

Read about WEA courses on the RVA website. The Workers's Education Association is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult education in England and Scotland. It's first volunteer-led branch was opened in Reading in 1904.

Keeping Fit

General advice from Sports England https://www.sportengland.org/news/how-stay-active-while-youre-home

Reading Sport + Leisure have listed useful links which offer exercise ideas for all ages and abilities.

There are many different videos and online classes available for all levels, which we will list here, as hear we about them.