A new report has been released by Ageing Well Torbay, explaining the development of a Social Prescribing Ecosystem – a mapped journey of support for individuals to improve their health and wellbeing, aided by the Community Builders from Torbay Community Development Trust, and the Wellbeing Coordinators from Age UK Torbay. ‘Social prescribing, sometimes referred to as community referral, is a means of enabling GPs, nurses … Continue reading Social Prescribing ecosystems report 2020

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead A few months ago, as the coronavirus crisis began to bite, we began to see spontaneous acts of kindness taking place across the Bay and coined the hashtag #TorbayKind. News of acts of kindness trickled in at first, but within weeks it had gathered a momentum all of its own, and we were deluged with stories of neighbours … Continue reading Neighbourliness – the new normal?

Across Torbay, hundreds of people stepped up to help each other during the coronavirus crisis. Dozens of streets formed their own groups – more than 50 with the help of the Torbay Community Helpline who registered the schemes and offered advice on how to stay in touch safely. Others simply pushed notes through each other’s doors, formed telephone trees, WhatsApp groups and began shopping, gardening, … Continue reading Good Neighbours across Torbay win cream teas

Over the past few weeks we have covered in this column fantastic examples of how neighbours have been helping each other out during the Covid crisis. It reminds me of a conversation I had some 6 years ago with an older lady in Paignton… Continue reading Would you be a Good Neighbour?

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead We have some fabulous people here in the Bay who have stepped up to help their neighbours over the last few weeks.   One of the privileges of this job is that I get to talk to them and to convince them that their stories are worth sharing with others and that isn’t always easy.   More often than not, … Continue reading Acts of #TorbayKind

For thousands of others, there is currently no prospect of normal life, and so it is imperative that the Torbay Helpline on 01803 446022 will remain available for them for as long as necessary.

And that is why we are launching a Crowdfunder to help with the running costs of this essential service, which was launched twelve weeks ago. Continue reading Long way to go until return to “normality”

By Christine Durrant, Community Builder for Preston, Paignton Christine is a Community Builder, and has been part of the Torbay Community Coronavirus Helpline emergency response team. My life as a community builder has always been flexible and varied.  Suddenly COVID-19 hit and life seemed to turn upside down. Fortunately for me I have no underlying health problems so am not in a high-risk category.  In … Continue reading Day in the life of a Community Builder during a pandemic – Christine

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead ANOTHER week in lockdown, with light showing at the end of the tunnel for some, but for others, no change. Calls to the Torbay Community Coronavirus Helpline continue to come in thick and fast, though not as many as we experienced at the beginning of the crisis, and the nature of the calls is changing. With each week … Continue reading Mental health – the next big challenge for Coronavirus community helpline

Until a few weeks ago 67-year-old Bob Ward was enjoying delivering Mercedes vehicles all over the UK. Then when he was furloughed, he was determined to help others. Here is his story. The alarm goes off around 6 am, which is late compared to when I ran my butchers shop, Save on Meats in Redden Hill Road, Babbacombe. Then it was 4 am six days … Continue reading A day in the life of helpline volunteer Bob Ward

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead WEEK seven of the lockdown and some things are beginning to fall into their own rhythm with all sorts of new ‘normals’. Frequency of calls to the Torbay Community Coronavirus Helpline is slowing a little,  though they still run to around 140 a day and the needs of callers can still be urgent and immediate. The majority of … Continue reading The new normal? What’s next?