Making deliveries

• Under no circumstances should you enter a person’s house, knock on the door or try to speak to them.
• Deliveries should be left on the doorstep. After delivering the items you should text the support line number to let us know and we will contact the recipient.
• Do not ask for money or take money, you may wish to donate items for small requests, we will encourage recipients to place click and collect orders where possible.
• Please be respectful of people’s belongings and property. We will report anyone who abuses this voluntary position and take such abuses extremely seriously.

Phone calls

• Be cheerful and make general conversation.
• Think beforehand about suggestions you can make of things they can do to keep them occupied.
• Make sure that you listen more than you speak, ask them lots of questions, don’t just speak about your own life but take the time to really listen.
• Do not make over commitments and promises that are unrealistic, do not commit to anything that involves physical contact with people.
• Arrange another time to call them back again if they are likely to be self-isolated for a longer period.
• Never promise confidentiality, if you need to pass information on, please speak to Hope Church or the relevant authority.
• If you are concerned about someone’s health, encourage them to check the advice at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or phone 111. Alternatively speak to Hope Church.

General Best Practice

• Avoid touching your face, especially eyes, nose and mouth.
• Maintain good hand hygiene. Wash your hands when you get home from being out in public.
• Avoid direct contact with people outside your home, especially those who are at risk or those that have a respiratory illness, fever or cough. Avoid using other people’s personal items, such as their mobile phone.
• Cover your mouth coughing – cough into your elbow rather than using your hand.
• Use disposable tissues when sneezing and put them in the nearest waste bin after use.
• Do not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the virus.
• Use hand sanitiser, if and when appropriate.

If you become ill yourself

If you start to develop symptoms yourself—a fever or new persistent cough—follow government guidelines on self-isolation and please let us know, so that we can temporarily take you off our system until you are able to rejoin.