Helping the community during lockdown
The Wiltshire Wellbeing Hub was one of a number of partnerships which provided a lifeline to local residents during the Covid pandemic.
The multi-agency group has helped to provide a community response to assist those who are at highest risk of serious illness if they contract Covid.
Wiltshire Council teamed up with volunteer groups, voluntary and community sector organisations and the food industry to play a key role in providing access to essential goods and facilities for those in need.
From 1 April this year the Hub took on an additional role of supporting those self-isolating due to a positive Covid test or as a close contact where they don’t have friends and family to help.
Nicky Dyer, Corporate Support Manager at Wiltshire Council, has been a key player at the Wellbeing Hub and has been recognised by the Council for her outstanding work during the pandemic.
We asked her about her experiences over the last few months:
How has working at the Hub been for you?
Very rewarding. I worked with staff from many different services all eager to help the residents of Wiltshire. I had a committed and positive group of staff with widespread knowledge and they hit the ground running. I learnt a lot more about our own services and the numerous Voluntary Sector groups that exist and this will help me with my future work in the Executive Office.
What did you find most rewarding about working at the Hub?
We had many interesting conversations with our residents and we really felt we were all in this together. A lot of people had strong networks around them but there were those that needed our help and we just pulled together to find solutions, from contacting volunteers to help with shopping for those shielding to collecting vital prescriptions.
What’s been the best thing about working at the Hub?
I was surprised at the level of loneliness we discovered, but it was good to know our call had made a difference and we could link people up with services that could keep them connected in the future, some people really just needed our human contact.
More information
The Wiltshire Wellbeing Hub is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and can be contacted by email on wellbeinghub@wiltshire.gov.uk or by phoning 0300 003 4576