Pendle News Room

“We launched the hub to co-ordinate support for our most vulnerable residents during the coronavirus outbreak and it’s one of a number of hubs set up around the county,” he said.

Pendle Council’s Chief Executive, Dean Langton said:

“It’s for residents without a circle of friends or family nearby to help them.

“We are working in partnership with the Pendle Leisure Trust, Burnley and Pendle Community and Voluntary Service (CVS) and other organisations and volunteers,"he explained.

Alison Goode, Chief Executive of Pendle Leisure Trust said:

“We are really pleased to be supporting Pendle Council and playing our part in helping the local community during this very difficult time.

“I am very proud of my staff who have been doing a brilliant job working in the support hub helping some of the borough’s most vulnerable residents.

“We have a dedicated team – including reception staff, beauty therapists and swimming and gym instructors – answering phone calls and emails seven days a week for the last two weeks."

Local people wanting to help can drop food off at The ACE Centre EVERY Wednesday 10.30 – 11.30am.

Items needed include tinned food, pasta, rice, cereal, coffee, baby food and pet food.

Please leave bags OUTSIDE The ACE Centre to reduce contact – Volunteers from Inspiring Grace and staff from The ACE Centre will be inside making up the food parcels

In addition to getting food deliveries and prescriptions the Pendle Community Hub can also get vulnerable people help for dog walking, support for mental health issues and dealing with social isolation and loneliness, as well as financial and debt advice.

The hub is open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and 10am to 3pm Saturday and Sunday.

And it will open as normal over the Easter weekend, from 9am – 4pm on Good Friday and Easter Monday and from 10am – 3pm on Easter Saturday and Sunday.

If you, or a vulnerable person you know, could do with some help please call (01282) 661743 or email helpneeded@pendle.gov.uk or fill in an online form via www.pendle.gov.uk/communitysupporthub

Any organisation, business or individual who’d like to support vulnerable people in Pendle can fill in our offer of help form via www.pendle.gov.uk/communitysupporthub or email helpoffered@pendle.gov.uk

 If we can match your offer of support we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

Fitness instructors, lifeguards and other staff from Pendle Leisure Trust are hard at work in the hub, along with a representative of Lancashire Fire and Rescue and also Lancashire Police.

They are taking calls and emails and matching people up with the support they badly need.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has got the hub up and running so quickly - it’s already making such a difference to people during this crisis ,” said Councillor Iqbal.

“And a big thank you to Inspiring Grace volunteers and to local people who’ve are helping us to deliver food and prescriptions, which are the main requests the hub is getting.

To help in the crisis, Pendle Council is also trying to reduce the volume of calls into its Contact Pendle Centre.

“Contact Pendle is getting hundreds of calls a day and we are short-staffed because of the crisis,” explained Councillor Iqbal.

“Please leave our phone lines free for vulnerable customers who are most in need of our support, and use our online services instead,” he said.

People who need Council Tax support should visit www.pendle.gov.uk/coronavirus and look under support for individuals and for individual Council Tax queries please email council.tax@pendle.gov.uk.

There is information and links for businesses and employers to get the support they need via www. pendle.gov.uk/coronavirus

For council services it’s quicker to contact Pendle Council online with 100 services available via www.pendle.gov.uk/doitonline