Essential Community Support
Making sure that local residents have access to the help they need, when they need it.
Our Community Help Hertfordshire service connects local people with volunteers who can provide practical support when it’s needed most.
Volunteers can assist with:
- Collecting shopping and prescriptions
- A friendly phone call or visit to reduce loneliness
- Dog walking or short-term pet sitting
- Basic welfare checks
- Guidance on where to find financial or practical support
This support is available across Hertfordshire and can make a real difference for those who may be struggling to manage on their own.
Make a Referral
If you know someone who could benefit from this service, you can make a referral on their behalf. People can also refer themselves directly. Our team will be in touch within two working days to arrange the right support
Community Support Case Studies
Explore first hand case studies and stories of the individuals that we help with our Essential Community Support service.
Hilary’s’s Shopping Support
Background
Hilary has been using the shopping service for a number of years as she is housebound and cannot shop for herself. She recently experienced some difficulty in making calls to us to be able to provide her regular shopping list.
The Challenge
As Hilary is housebound and has no one to nominate as a next of kin, we found it very difficult to contact her to get her weekly shopping list. She needs to be in a certain part of her house to be able to make or receive calls and this proved to be a problem when we tried getting in touch. This was causing her a lot of anxiety.
The Solution
To resolve the problem, we decided to diarise a weekly call for her on Tuesdays as the same time each week which meant Hilary was able to ensure that she was able to take or make the call.
The Experience
By doing this, we were able to restore Hilary’s confidence in the service and also reduce her feelings of anxiety or stress.
Impact
She is now able to continue to use the service confidently and choose what shopping she receives each week through the help of our volunteers.
Gina’s Prescripton Collection
Background
Gina has a chronic illness that makes leaving her house extremely difficult. She needs essential medication that cannot be delivered as it would take too long. Due to her arrangements with the pharmacy, she is not given much notice to know when the prescription is ready for collection.
The Challenge
Gina requires urgent support collecting her prescription however with little notice, it is often difficult to arrange support with a volunteer within this time frame.
The Solution
By making some calls to local volunteers, we found someone living local to the pharmacy who was happy to help Gina and it was not hard for her to schedule this into her day around her other commitments.
Feedback
The support Gina now receives has resulted in a positive experience for Gina as she no longer has to feel anxious about getting her important medication. It also works really well for the volunteer as it allows her to contribute to the community without having to sacrifice any of her other plans.
Impact
This has had a big impact on Gina’s health as she is able to receive her essential medication. It also allows her to not feel anxious about being able to get them in time.
Betty & Peter’s Shopping Support
Background
Betty and Peter have been receiving help with their shopping for many years from Lesley, one of our regular volunteers. They have built a great relationship and there is a lot of trust between them.
The Challenge
As a vulnerable couple who are house bound, they were anxious about the idea of different volunteers delivering their shopping each week. They were also very happy with their arrangement with Lesley and in their own words said, ‘ Lesley is a lovely friend of ours and she just knows what we need and like, I’m just worried a new volunteer might not.’
The Solution
We checked Betty and Peter’s address and discovered that they live on the same road as Andrew, one of our regular driving volunteers. He is very friendly, and as he is already a neighbour of the couple, they would receive their shopping from someone they knew already and felt comfortable with. Andrew supports us with a regular shopper bus trip on a Friday and was happy to include this with his existing volunteering commitments.
The Experience
Betty and Peter speak very fondly of Andrew and recognising him as a neighbour already has made for a smooth transition from their trusted and regular volunteer Lesley. They have a consistent arrangement and continue to receive their weekly shopping.
Impact
Betty and Peter have peace of mind that they can continue to be supported with their shopping. They are also able to build a relationship similar to the one they had with Lesley, with Andrew.
Find Out More
To find out what help is available, or to make a referral: