COVID-19 has presented our small charity with an incredible challenge. The beginning of the outbreak ground our activities to a halt, with the restrictions put in place restricting our ability to support the people the charity was created to deliver for.
Whilst making our working situation harder, it also presented us with a greater challenge due to the impact it had on the very people we are here to support. At a time when our work was needed most, we were faced with a drop in people able to volunteer with us and an increase in those needing us to work.
Despite these challenges, Vee’s Place never closes its doors and our centre remained open. We continue to meet the needs of our community, thanks in large part to Vee and our small but dedicated team of volunteers. Our food bank has continued to run despite growing demand, and we were here for our local community when they needed us most, something we’re very proud of. We have been presented with an incredible volume of work, but despite that we are still here for our local community and we are still supporting those who need us most.
“The initial impact of COVID-19 was severe, and it presented us with many different challenges. Drops in volunteers is always a challenge, they are our lifeblood, but those who were able to continue did extraordinary work. I’ll never be able to thank them enough. Together we were able to meet the growing demand and keep the centre open to deliver for our community.” Vee said.
Our community has been a source of great strength for us, as we hope we have been from them. Stories of how we have supported them having given us the courage and determination to keep going, work harder and maximise our output to meet their demands.
One of our supporters said “Vee’s Place was a source of comfort for me in many ways during the virus. Not just the food bank, but a friendly face, a laugh and a joke and someone to share a bit of time with. This period on my own has been really tough, but I looked forward to going down to the centre to see them and their lovely smiles.”
Chairman Dr Robert Hesketh said “Despite all that has happened in the world, our centre never stopped. Despite the pressures they were under they continued to meet the demand of the community and that is all down to Vee and her brilliant volunteers. As Vee said, volunteers are our lifeblood, and I urge anyone who is looking to donate their time to a good cause to come and join our wonderful team.