For the first time in many a year I haven’t returned to work after the year period to be welcomed by hundreds of email and messages in my inbox.

Not that I didn’t receive them you understand. I and other colleagues worked over the holidays and thus I actually managed to keep on top of my inbox.

While our main building may have been closed, we continued to support our community remotely. We received calls from the public asking for help to get to get to medical appointments which our lovely volunteer drivers completed. They also took people for their Covid vaccinations and delivered Covid monitoring kits to those who are isolating.

Thanks to the kindness of the Budleigh Lions and a couple of local people we also supplied Christmas presents to children we support in our community.

There is something extra special about volunteering over the Christmas period. It puts an extra spring in your step.

The latest variant of Covid may not be as clinically serious for most of the population we are all still required to isolate if positive or in contact with a person who is positive. And it is certainly more infectious. Thus, we still have many people isolating in our community for a period of days and weeks.

That’s why we have obtained a small amount of funding from Devon County Council to support those isolating with telephone support, shopping, cooked meals, Covid monitoring kits and online exercise classes.

We have had a lot of requests from Exmouth particularly. Mainly people young and old whose relatives and friends live far away.

We are strengthening our fitness offering from January. We have new instructors coming onboard who are able to help those with reduced mobility with seated and low impact exercise classes. We can even help you access our online classes from the comfort of your home.

Our classes start at £6 and gym monthly memberships from £20. For those who may struggle to afford this we have a fund from which we can subsidise the cost.

We always need more volunteers to come forward. If that’s you please get in touch through our website seachangedevon.org or give us a ring on 446896.