Chapter 4: Coming together to respond to the pandemic

The shielding hubs, as they were known as initially, went from a concept to being operational a week after the announcement of the first national lockdown.

The network of eight community hubs were staffed by employees from across the Council and some of our key partners. Their aim was simple - to ensure no resident was left without support.

The hubs initially focussed on providing emergency food parcels, helping with routine shopping, the collection of prescriptions or other medical supplies, providing support if people wanted to talk to someone, and the co-ordination of volunteers on hand to offer help with other errands. The hubs were quickly operating at full capacity.

By 12 April 2020, the network reached its peak, responding to 133 requests for help in one day!

One year on, the community hubs were still operating and very much at the heart of the ongoing community support to the pandemic. The needs people had for support changed throughout the year. The overall need for emergency food decreased and from the autumn, and throughout the winter, the network saw a 64% increase in residents requesting help with utility bills and financial issues. 

In their first year, Gateshead community hubs: 

• Responded to over 8,500 requests for help  
• Contacted almost 27,000 residents over the phone  
• Made up, distributed and delivered over 14,930 food parcels 1,400 cook 'n' eat boxes 1,400 school meal packed lunch parcels 865 Christmas hampers  
• Wrote to over 36,000 residents to check they were okay  
• Connected thousands of volunteers to help out  
• Spoke to 11,000 residents classed as being Clinically Extremely Vulnerable 
• Delivered 54 essential oxygen monitors to residents suffering from Covid 

On 19 March, sports and leisure facilities closed for the pandemic. On 23 March, I received a phone call asking if I would lead on the government's help for emergency food in Gateshead.

I received a delivery of emergency food for the most vulnerable residents of Gateshead direct from the central government. Then it started from there. We:

• turned Gateshead stadium into a food distribution warehouse
• provided cook 'n' eat boxes for the weekly food box delivery scheme during school holidays to families who would normally receive free school meals
• put together Christmas hampers for residents with a link to Children's Services. The continued support throughout the pandemic of staff coming together to assist with this has made this possible and it will be good to see this through to the end.  

Ian Banks, Operations Manager, Gateshead Council