Lockdown Kindness

The team are in full swing helping amputee families with food, care packages, home schooling equipment, letter writing / phoning / emailing / zooming, accessing local Covid funding for gas/electric, white goods, sourcing disability equipment, providing benefits guidance, managing prosthetic issues which arise whilst centres are emergency only, wellbeing sessions and providing some much needed fun in online quizzes and coffee catch ups. Massive thank you to our team of volunteers making this happen with a smile – you are amazing humans!

Below is a snapshot of some of the situations our amazing community members have been living with YOU ARE ALL INCREDIBLE !:

• Several members have had problems with prosthetics and provided peer support to one another with all sorts of tips being shared.
• A new amputee and her family of 6  had no access to food deliveries whilst they are shielding.   We connected them with the local volunteer hub,  who were able to collect medications, run errands.  We also connected her to supermarket’s head office to secure priority deliveries.  This helped the family catch a breath and feel able to push themselves through this horrendous time.  We have been working with local Councillors, MP and OT services to ensure this amputee can get around her home safely as she was discharged to hospital with no OT assessment.

Helping members access equipment and assessments via occupational assessments. Helping families ensure they receive urgent priority when there’s no access to bathroom. Currently working with serveal families who have bene left with no access to bathroom facilities for months.
We can also help source funding and complete applications for equipment amputees need when social care budgets cannot stretch

• A family-of-three where both parents were self-isolating and who are usually independent needed help with essential groceries. We were able to connect with a community group who were able to help with a food delivery and we also helped the father complete an online NHS form to register for Government help. This helped ease the family’s immediate anxiety and ensure ongoing support.
• An elderly woman isolated in her home with no accessible entrances or exits.  We are helping work out  a plan and provide ramps to ensure she can enjoy her beautiful garden.
• One of our amputee families welcomed a new baby daughter during lockdown, and are now shielding with no access to food deliveries and no income due to benefits changeover.  We worked with them to get the Councillor involved who ensured foodbank and babybank parcels, collected medicine for them.  he has been key to supporting them through these times as well as many of our members attending our coffee catch up cheering the family through this horrendous time.
• Providing gym equipment to an amputee struggling without access to our fitness clubs and sending an amazon book voucher for his wife to help give her some time out.
• We have been helping many amputee families access the Council Tax Reduction scheme and many have received a refund too as well as saving money each month.
• We provided support to a family of 6 whose Father is an amputee with numerous other health issues and underwent 2 emergency surgeries at the start of Lockdown.  He returned home safely but did not have an OT assesment and needed some urgent equipment which thanks to Covid funding we were able to provide along with some family games, treats for Mum who is also a key worker and some family fun.
• Providing a single Mum amputee with 2 young, active boys.  Her parents are a massive support but currently isolating themselves.  With the Covid funding we were able to provide a sand pit, toys and crafts to help her entertain them and give her some much needed time out.
• Secured successful PIP application after gentleman had his car, a lifeline for any amputee family, removed wrongly.  He had attempted to regain it several times and our wonderful Benefits expert got this sorted !

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We are receiving wonderful messages of thanks and they mean a huge amount to us so THANK YOU!   I know the whole team feel extremely privileged to help in some small way.