Fleetwood praised for pulling together for those in need during virus

The community of Fleetwood has been praised for its ‘outstanding’ effort in helping the town’s worst off during the coronavirus pandemic.

In an impressive show of working together, organisations across the town have pitched in to help with the provision of parcels during the health crisis.

Under the banner of Fleetwood Together, volunteers and organisations from the town have helped by providing funds and volunteering to deliver parcels containing not only food but essential toiletries for adults, children and babies.

Wyre Council has also helped in various ways, including allowing the use of the town’s Marine Hall as a major collection point for boxes of food for the past five months.

Collections will now take place at the town’s St Edmund’s Church, on Melbourne Avenue, from where the parcels will be delivered to homes, as the Marine Hall prepares to return to its main job of hosting shows and events.

The authority’s own Wyre Together initiative , launched in April, has helped people across the borough get in touch with the council online or over the phone to see what help is available to them.

In Fleetwood, Shaun MacNeill, secretary of the West View Community Association, is one of several coordinators of the massive project.

The Feeding Fleetwood campaign came about when it became clear, back in March, that the lockdown was going to affect both Fleetwood Foodbank and the Mustard seed hot meals project.

When West View decided to help out the food bank and Mustard Seed, it opened the floodgates to a huge campaign in the town to help out.

Mr MacNeill said: “The response in Fleetwood over the last five months has been outstanding.

“It has been a true community effort and it shows how effective a local campaign can be.

“At times the demand has been pretty major but the response has been more than up to it.”

Among those involved have been Fleetwood Town Council, the town’s Rotary and Lions groups, as well as fellow volunteers from the RNLI.

On average, there have been between 400 and 500 parcels sent out to recipients a week, to last five days.

The cost of this has been up tp £2,500 a week – but funding has come from a wide range of sources, including DEFRA, the Lancashire Community Fund, Fleetwood Roatary and Fleetwood Town Council.

The town’s Freemasons have helped by providing cooked meals as well.

Mr MacNeill said: “The people who have received these parcels are among the most vulnerable in Fleetwood.

“This campaign shows how the town has been able to look after its own.

“When the recipients have needed something in particular, we have been able to respond to that.”

However, it is feared that with some of the volunteers returning to work after the lockdown, there may be a possible reduction in volunteers.

Mr MacNeill said: “If anyone wants to get involved in any way, mainly with the deliveries, we would love to hear from them.

“There is always more room for extra volunteers to get involved in the project.”

Anyone wanting to get involved can do so by emailing [email protected].

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