Disabled and running low on Essentials — Scope | Disability forum
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Disabled and running low on Essentials

swampygirl
swampygirl Community member Posts: 4 Connected
I'm disabled,have diabetes, limited mobility, on higher rate PIP. I rely on home deliveries especially grocery shopping but with the pandemic, I can't secure a delivery slot and I'm running low on essentials. I don't qualify as' very vulnerable'. I live alone, don't know people where I live and my family live in the Midlands.
I've heard that supermarkets have registered people for priority delivery slots, is that so?
Any advice on what I can do.TY x
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Comments

  • Rifi7
    Rifi7 Community member Posts: 198 Pioneering
    Yes supermarkets have slots for the vulnerable online but it’s very difficult to get a slot. I managed to get one from Ocado at 4.30am last night but that  was only after weeks of looking online. I know from my experience with ocado, I just had to keep going on the site and all different times of the day.

    You could also ring up Social services and tell them your predicament and they may be able to offer help from organisations who may have volunteers who can go out do shopping for you. Also if you go to your local council website you may be able to find a link called Covid-19 Community support. It will ask you to fill the form and then you have to wait a few days to be contacted from the council to get assistance with shopping, posting mail and medication.

    I hope this is of some help?
  • swampygirl
    swampygirl Community member Posts: 4 Connected
    I keep checking for slots. I'll check out my councils website. Thank you. x
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @swampygirl    Pleased to meet you.  My friend @Rifi7 has given you lots of information and suggestions.

    Sorry to hear this, hope I can help you have a lot of links may be useful.

    I would look at any of these organisations.

    https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk

    https://www.redcross.org.uk.

    Please can I suggest also there are slots available but you have to keep looking at websites.

    Going to give those links supermarkets. Sign up to many as you can .

    Something I have done .

    http://www.tesco.com

    https://www.asda.com

    https://www.ocado.com

    https://www.morrisons.com

    https://www.waitrose.com

    https://www.sainsburys.co.uk

    https://www.iceland.co.uk

    One piece of advice sorry to have to share be early up and about. I applied 3am one  for one supermarket. Another tip make a list of items you want but make it so you make either extra for freezer.

    If you make simple meals for freezer helps pads out stores.

    I have lots of these on line, simple easy to put together.

    Use a slow cooker if you are not good with oven or hob.

    I also suggest sit down make planned menu include three veggies or fish per week this expands stores.

    Fish can be tinned use in salads sandwiches.  Just think veggies homemade soup freeze , you can buy all the ingredients veggies sliced diced for you.

    Then add stock or anything you like, done this with Chicken added Pasta Sauce and use this as Ragu in freezer tubs.

    Make sensible purchases choices no buy one get one free if you not going to eat it.

    If I can help with any recipes, foodie nutritional diet advice guidance happy to do so.

    I do have these other websites these are companies specialising in food deliveries and household items.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk.

    https://www.musclefood.com

    The last one is an on line Butchers . Delivery of meat and Deli ready meals.  Often next few days .

    With your Diabetes would that be a problem?

    Also have Diabetes Organisation may be offer a lot of support and advice.

    https://www.diabetes.org.uk

    Helpline 0345 123 2399

    My local Police Force have a scheme that you need help ring the number they issued through a note . Dropped through my letterbox, enquiry see if your local Police Force do the same.

    One other medication as mentioned your local Doctors surgery website should have a delivery service with local chemists, pharmacies.

    Called Patients Access includes on information health and this is something useful. Apply on line meds make appointments.

    If you surgery does not have this NHS has links and their are companies who will deliver on line websites need to look.

    We have lots on our website please look at that as well.

    Please if you have any problems or issues please get in touch .

    Please take care and safe.

    @thespiceman


    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    WOW amazing info many thanks from all of us who need help
  • soconfused
    soconfused Community member Posts: 102 Courageous
    Iceland have plenty of slots - get online early before the stores open as people are going in and getting it delivered. Or tell us the area you live in - maybe we can help 
  • Cressida
    Cressida Community member Posts: 1,014 Pioneering
    Phone your local council. Our council has a 'shielding' number advertised on local volunteer Facebook pages. Even if you are not on the 'vulnerable' list they can arrange for food parcels (that's what I was told yesterday). Luckily I don't need them but you could give them a try if you get stuck with no online deliveries. 
  • Rifi7
    Rifi7 Community member Posts: 198 Pioneering
    Lots of great advice from everyone to swampgirl. Let us know swampgirl how you get on. Hope you get your shop very soon.
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    Hi @swampygirl. I'm sorry to read this. Have you tried Covid Mutual Aid?
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • swampygirl
    swampygirl Community member Posts: 4 Connected
    THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE VALUABLE INFORMATION, IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED.
    STAY SAFE EVERYONE X X
  • Rifi7
    Rifi7 Community member Posts: 198 Pioneering
    You to swampgirl 
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    edited April 2020
    Welcome to the group of the "forgotten" We have been lumped alongside the most fit and able in this crisis.

    I really hope somehow you find a solution.  As I dont have one for you. :(

    Rifi's advice is good, although sadly in my area the Covid-19 Community support is now the list only.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    Cressida said:
    Phone your local council. Our council has a 'shielding' number advertised on local volunteer Facebook pages. Even if you are not on the 'vulnerable' list they can arrange for food parcels (that's what I was told yesterday). Luckily I don't need them but you could give them a try if you get stuck with no online deliveries. 
    Do they only advertise on facebook? not everyone uses that, you would think they put the number on their own website.
  • Rifi7
    Rifi7 Community member Posts: 198 Pioneering
    I got help through the my local GP surgery. They referred me to a Social Prescriber. She was able to offer tons advice and even able to offer help shopping and food etc. It’s worth a try.
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello  @worried33   Sorry to hear this, think that is a bit harsh on yourself and others.

    We are here to help there are answers and solutions to this crisis.

    Must add have looked at any of the advice, information given to you.

    I mentioned a lot of support links and other relevant information and advice.

    I got contacted by various supermarkets TESCO being one freeing up more spots.

    Are you still experiencing problems and difficulties if you are then maybe I need to ask SCOPE to intervene contact you and see how we can help.

    I have to add one other help and support is available be persistent and persevere .

    All  the information, advice and guidance is there have to be aware and please make notes for reference. 

    Information over load means missed a lot.

    Including looking early or late at night I know might be difficult adjust to getting up early or staying up late.

    Government have let us all down but we have to get on with it cope the best way we can.

    Since a lot of the groups should be included or not.  I was excluded, recently announced Mental Health measures media this morning.

    I have and do suffer bit know from experience personal knowledge to deal with it.

    Any issues I have, days for me sorry to use this . Holding hands never did any way but I realise some wish to be thinking I have the right to do so.

    Expect Governments Charities to run around to our needs sorry my friend does not work like that.

    I have been volunteering since leaving school mid Fifties ongoing meet and met experience a lot of charities and societies connected with mental health.

    Support workers health workers all have the ethos need to give you independence move on coping deal with anything.

    If you need help with mental health have given links before happy to be helping and do insist there is a lot of community support out there.

    Understand everything but it is up to you to use what is being said.

    By our Team our Community Champions members of the forum.

    I have spent time personally searching websites and associations, charities NHS for information, advice and guidance to supply to members.

    I do this because it is a minefield crowded and lots of my time doing this.

    I do not want appreciation or thanks do this because I love my community.

    One aspect of the forum is we are all supportive, friendly kind to one another and we need to embrace each other.

    Sending messages of support love and kindness is more important this time.

    Please if I can help further or need to ask anything please do.  If your experiencing severe problems right now . I will contact our staff team members.

    This my role my colleagues TEAM SCOPE which we all wish to do make a member of our community be happy reassured and content.

    Offer support in troubled times deal with emotional themes and sending much compassion and empathy.

    Please take care and safe.

    @thespiceman






    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    edited April 2020
    I did finally register on facebook and have found another couple of groups, so will see how that pans out, a lot of independent food delivery companies on there, also coop doing deliveries via deliveroo service as well, which is what I think the main supermarkets should have done.

    Also to answer your question spiceman yes as far as the supermarkets are concerned, they almost dead to me, completely failed as a service, it be nice if you clarified by what you mean by tesco contacting you, maybe you are on that government list and so getting the special treatment, but if you managed to get them to contact you another way to help on slots please explain how you did that, but for me their normal support staff cannot do anything, they powerless and the CEO's wont respond.

    However I am glad these smaller companies, including wiltshire farm foods, are doing things differently, and filling the void that has now opened up.  Also they selling much healthier food, os if they continue the services after the outbreak ends I may end up stopping using the supermarkets altogethe.

    I appreciate the help you giving everyone :) Many posts from you on this.
  • laura222
    laura222 Community member Posts: 84 Pioneering
    edited April 2020
    Try this out if it suits. My husband just ordered one of these, Morrison’s Food Boxes, they seem to be separate from the usual deliveries. Ordered it yesterday and it’s coming Thursday. Whoop!

    https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @worried33   Thank you for reply. To answer your question when ever signing up to supermarkets always made a point of asking them to send me their news letter.

    Plus any offers or subscribe to any marketing .

    Lots of incentives and solutions plus club card nectar and others schemes.

    May fill your in box up but also has lots of tips, tricks shopping ideas. Recipes and much more.

    So got an Email from the big man who runs TESCO offering all the ways to help.

    Same with many others OCADO sent me a supportive Email as did Morrisons and Iceland .

    All the things they are doing, to help us all.

    I am not on any Government list and if I was feel embarrassed because do consider others worse than me.

    One other important point I am perhaps from another generation smile say kind sincere words.

    Delivery drivers only human and the same with the staff who work in the industry.

    I recall my times as working in warehouse industry food supply chains and have seen what they do and the hours the hard work.

    Just to get our food our supplies.

    I worked with a lady in one of the supermarkets her Christmas spending at warehouse solving crisis and problems not at home with family.

    Same with any holidays long weekends and much more for what little money but do have incentives many of them.

    Including discounts on groceries household products.

    We need to respect be considerate and kind to any one who is doing a job and role.

    When I left had huge admiration for all the teams.

    Please can I ask never said did you contact every link provided.

    Write down what you need to say make it short be specific .

    Make bullets I struggle on phone deafness and some other problems sweating anxiety but by writing down what I wished to say helps.

    Sip cold water make notes on every website be patient tolerant and polite.

    Please if you still not getting food or issues problems can tag staff here to advise to you.

    Please if you have any questions please ask.

    @thespiceman


    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • Cressida
    Cressida Community member Posts: 1,014 Pioneering
    worried33 said:
    Cressida said:
    Phone your local council. Our council has a 'shielding' number advertised on local volunteer Facebook pages. Even if you are not on the 'vulnerable' list they can arrange for food parcels (that's what I was told yesterday). Luckily I don't need them but you could give them a try if you get stuck with no online deliveries. 
    Do they only advertise on facebook? not everyone uses that, you would think they put the number on their own website.
    Sorry if it wasn't clear. It is the local volunteering Facebook group who advertised the 'shielding' number on their page. I'm not sure if the Council actually advertise it anywhere. This came up when I googled South Gloucestershire Council shielding

    https://sites.southglos.gov.uk/newsroom/community/emergency-food-parcels-delivered-to-people-shielding-at-home/

    It may be useful for people to google their council district name and add shielding to see what comes up in their area. 


  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    Well I just got a letter from my council which has a support email address (no phone number, my council seem to be stopping most phone contact).

    But their criteria on that one is you must have financial difficulties.

    When 'i googled my city and shielding, I just got a local news article and the council's webpage, that web page has way less inf than the letter that was delivered.  Sadly thats the nature of things are council specific, it becomes a post code lottery, what your council is doing is good though.
  • swampygirl
    swampygirl Community member Posts: 4 Connected
    Hello Everyone,
    I just have to tell you.
    This morning I phoned my locat council's Covid - 19 support line. They gave me three contacts,
    * Age UK, * Centre 4, * Care for all.
    I don't know if Centre 4 or Care for all are nationwide.
    I phoned Age UK and the lady said she'd phone one of the volunteers who would contact me, which she did an hour later.
    She arrives at my home 15 mins after the call, took my shopping list and returned an hour or so later with my groceries. Woo Hoo!!  :D:smiley:
    The volunteer, Irene is a lovely lady and is happy to continue shopping for me. I'm so relieved. I haven't got to worry about future supplies.
    Take Care All!! x x x

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