Volunteers from Evergreen Care Trust in Stamford ready to support elderly and vulnerable people during third lockdown

A charity that looks after those who are elderly and vulnerable cared for more than 300 people during 2020 - and is geared up to provide similar support again during the third lockdown.

Louise Marsh, who founded the Evergreen Care Trust, said just hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the third national lockdown on Monday, volunteers had already stepped up to connect with people they had helped before.

She paid tribute to the “incredible outpouring of support” from the Stamford community, which saw Evergreen help more than 300 people during the first two lockdowns, including about 100 people it had never helped before, who were shielding.

This is despite the trust having its own challenges - including losing £75,000 in income last year and volunteers having to shield.

“We have just been amazed throughout the whole of the last year through lockdowns one and two at the goodwill of the public, and I’m sure that will continue in lockdown three.

“It has been honestly so heartwarming to see how the community has pulled together to get each other through a difficult time.

“People formed relationships in the first lockdown so in the second they just went straight back to those people and we are seeing evidence of that happening again.

“We have so much good work going on and I am confident that will continue throughout this lockdown.”

The trust has been impacted, with some of its own volunteers having to shield but previously people who had been furloughed or lost their jobs had come forward to help.

During this third lockdown, Louise said a bigger battle may be on their hands because more volunteers may have to self-isolate or have the virus themselves because the new variant is more transmissable.

The Stamford-based charity provides a range of free services and during lockdowns has stepped this up to include prescription delivery and food shopping.

It has also been working in partnership with other groups including Suppport Our Stamford (SOS), MindSpace, Christians Against Poverty and Second Helpings to ensure they reach everyone who needs help.

“There is so much collaboration in Stamford,” said Louise.

“We really are all in this together.”

Before Christmas, more than 1,000 items had been distributed to ensure Evergreen members had a good festive period, and Louise thanked Stamford Endowed Schools, Bourne Grammar School, Stamford Round Table, Sainsbury’s and the Cook Shop for their generous donations.

This generosity did not go unnoticed by Evergreen’s members either, with some moved to tears by the handmade gifts and notes from school pupils who they had never met.

On Monday, a ‘hot and wholesome’ meal delivery will launch for 16 weeks, providing soup and a bread roll to about 100 people identified in the community as especially vulnerable.

The service, which is being funded by a £5,000 grant from the Cummins Global Giving scheme, was always due to start on Monday to help people through the winter but Louise said it was timely, with the lockdown.

“We are really pleased to be able to run this scheme, I think it will be really gratefully received by the beneficiaries.”

The scheme is 75 per cent subscribed so far and if anyone believes they might qualify, they can call Evergreen on 01780 765900.

Evergreen is also continuing to offer its advocacy, chaplaincy and befriending services over the phone, and Louise urged anyone who needed the services to call.

But she is also confident good times are on the horizon; Louise hopes the trust will be in a position to start running fundraising events again in the spring to recoup some of the lost income.

She also hopes anyone who has benefitted from Evergreen’s services, and is able to do so, considers becoming a Friend of the trust - contributing monthly.