Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, lots of people have been stepping forward wanting to help, demonstrating the Spirit of Salford and we want to thank them for giving their time.

Coronavirus restrictions have now lifted. In Salford we are all being encouraged to follow local guidance to protect each other.

We’ve put together some tips on the best ways you can offer your support safely. You can also read advice on how to help safely on the GOV.UK website here.

Be a good neighbour

You can be a good neighbour over the phone, virtually or in person in a way you are both comfortable with (e.g. outdoors or with face coverings):

• Connect and reach out to your immediate neighbours -  a conversation may be a lifeline and will help people feel less lonely
• If there is a neighbourhood social media page you could help them connect with this
• Encourage others on your street to take part in positive community activities e.g. litter picks
• Help your neighbour put together a contact list of useful numbers e.g. their personal emergency contacts, local advice lines, etc.
• Practical support such as picking up prescriptions, helping them with online shopping, walking their dog, etc.

Keeping yourself and others safe

• When giving face to face help, take steps to manage risk. This may involve only meeting up outdoors, keeping a safe distance or wearing a face covering. Further details: https://bit.ly/GovSafeHelp
• You can continue to follow good hygiene measures such as washing your hands before and after volunteering
• If you have no symptoms and you feel well, you can continue do twice weekly rapid tests (also known as lateral flow tests) to check you don’t have the virus
• Follow government and local guidelines when offering practical help. Updates on national guidance can be found here and locally here
• Be kind and courteous
• Respect everyone’s privacy, helping vulnerable people requires mutual trust e.g. don’t share any private information
• Only help if: you are well and neither you nor anyone in your household has Covid symptoms; you are not required to self-isolate for any reason
• Carry a mobile phone and let someone know where you are going

If someone is in need of more help than you can give please direct them to Salford City Council’s Spirit of Salford Helpline on 0800 952 1000 or complete the form at www.salford.gov.uk/spiritofsalford

Coronavirus Response Volunteering

Coronavirus Response Volunteers support residents and communities affected by an emergency and it is a diverse and varied role.

If you would like to be part of Salford’s Coronavirus Response Volunteering initiative, find out more about the roles and register here.

​There is also a longer-term opportunity around Emergency Response Volunteering, for more information on this read the Role Description here.

You can also get an idea of what is expected of you as an Emergency Response Volunteer by reading this Welcome Pack.

If you have any queries about being a good neighbour or coronavirus response volunteering please contact our team on 0161 787 7795 or email volunteer@salfordcvs.co.uk

Volunteering Portal

If you are interested in volunteering you can use our Volunteering Portal to browse volunteer opportunities and find roles that fit your needs and interests using the simple search function. We know that lots of people want to volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic and the portal features roles that are part of the coronavirus response as well as opportunities that support good causes.

Go to the portal.

Mutual Aid Groups

Across the country, people are organising into informal groups of volunteers in order to help and support people in their local area.

These groups are often called ‘mutual aid groups’. A mutual aid group is a group of local people who organise informally to support one another and the needs of their local community. They are independent of any organisation or official body, are led by local people who volunteer their time and often organise online.

View a list of all the mutual aid groups in the UK here.

Advice regarding Mutual Aid Groups can be found on Macc's website here.

You can also be a good neighbour by donating:

Donate to the Salford 4 Good - Emergency Response Fund (COVID 19) fundraiser.		You can support your local foodbank by donating goods or money.
Download our guide on 'How to be a Good Neighbour in Salford' here.