After the busiest year in its history, Topsham-based charity Estuary League of Friends took a moment to thank all those who have helped it keep people safe and well during the pandemic.
Estuary has recorded over 50,000 acts of kindness in the last year alone taken by its staff, volunteers, donors and funders to help others in need.
The charity’s bid to thank all its supporters marked the first ever national Thank You Day on Sunday, July 4.
Estuary provides a range of services to help the elderly, disabled and vulnerable in communities between Exeter and Exmouth live full and independent lives. It is no surprise that in March last year, the phones were ringing off the hook with people worried about what Covid-19 and social restrictions would mean for them and their vulnerable family members. But having to close its community hub, Nancy Potter House, and two charity shops meant that the charity was losing over half its monthly income and was in a difficult financial position for the first time in years.
Luckily, the charity was soon inundated with support. 180 new volunteers stepped forward to help (altogether 231 local people gave 9,156 hours of their time in the last year), 345 local people donated to the charity’s emergency appeal - raising an incredible £47,500 in under a month - and 33 local, regional and national grantmakers offered the charity a lifeline through one-off funding.
Thanks to this outpouring of support, Estuary was able to respond to calls for help from over 800 vulnerable local people and families in need.
Estuary mobilised volunteers to make nearly 6,000 deliveries of groceries, prescriptions and other essential supplies to those who were shielding or isolating, and to make nearly 500 befriending telephone calls to check in regularly on the most vulnerable.
It’s community café became a hive of activity preparing nearly 8,000 nutritious meals through the year which were delivered at lunchtime, still steaming hot, by volunteers to the homes of those finding it difficult to prepare their own meals. The local WI and Craft Group sewed over 1,000 scrubs distributed to local hospitals and nearly 500 face masks for all the community. When the COVID vaccinations became available, Estuary and its volunteer drivers were ready to drive local people safely to get their jabs. All this and so much more was made possible thanks to the generosity of Estuary’s local community.
This is why Estuary took the opportunity on Sunday to say thank you to all those who have helped them through this last year.
Chief executive Rachel Gilpin said: “This last year has been so tough for so many. But I am incredibly proud to be part of a community so quick to pull together to help others.
“When we had record numbers of people turning to us for help, local people stepped forward to volunteer. When we were losing income fast, our supporters generously donated what they could to help keep our services running.
“This is why we want to thank everyone who has helped out and who has contributed to the incredible community spirit we all needed to get through this last year.”