MIKE HEDGES MAKES 90 SECOND STATEMENT AT SENEDD CONGRATULATING THE WORK OF LOCAL AREA COORDINATORS IN SWANSEA TO SUPPORT PEOPLE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

MIKE HEDGES MAKES 90 SECOND STATEMENT AT SENEDD CONGRATULATING THE WORK OF LOCAL AREA COORDINATORS IN SWANSEA TO SUPPORT PEOPLE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

Speaking from his Morriston Office, Swansea East MS said… ‘ Since the Corona Virus crisis began, a lot of people have told me of the work the Local Area Coordinators have done in their area. I have been really impressed with the work that these LAC’s have done with the volunteers in their area. Saying thank you is not much of a response, but I thought that saying thank you in front of the Senedd and with it being broadcast live to the nation was a small way of acknowledging the fantastic work done by the Local Area Coordinators in Swansea. The work done by these people has often been small things like a phone call, but to many people, a phone call when they live on their own and may not be able to see their families has been a real life line. On other occasions, they have been able to support people who are in real difficulties and put them in touch with others who can support them. I hope the 90 second statement at the Senedd does show in a small way how valued their work is’

Thank you, Presiding Officer.173

Local area co-ordinators in Swansea are the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic, their mission to help anyone who needs support in the community they cover. Local area co-ordinators have responded to over 20,000 enquiries during the pandemic. When Swansea went into lockdown, the local area co-ordinator team was quickly expanded to cover every area of the city, with some council staff being temporarily re-deployed. Since then, they have helped co-ordinate the response in Swansea, with neighbours supporting neighbours to access food or shopping, pick up medication, or make a friendly phone call when they need it most. They have also helped connect older people with local gardeners, helped to get pets to the vets, helped to deal with incidents of fly-tipping, delivered free school meals, supported families in need of clothing and other essentials, and reached out to asylum-seeking families, offering support.174

Much of the response would not have been possible without the 2,500 people who came forward to offer neighbour-to-neighbour support, and many of these networks remain in place, including newly established community groups on Facebook and other social media. Throughout the pandemic, Swansea council have also worked side by side with Swansea Council for Voluntary Service and other partners, as well as community groups, and 9,000 people who were told to shield were provided with information about how they could continue to access help.175

I’m very proud to come from Swansea, and I would like to thank the local area co-ordinators and their army of local volunteers for what they’ve done to help our community.