The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Fleecewife on March 25, 2020, 05:41:35 pm
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So here's the quandary: Those of us who are 'vulnerable' or in isolation have been told to get our food delivered; so we find our chosen supermarket's website to arrange it; there are no delivery slots available; we are told that because we are not registered with them as vulnerable, then we cannot have a delivery; in fact we cannot even see the delivery slot bit unless we are 'special'; There is a dedicated line to phone, but the lines are totally blocked, and we are told there are none available 'try again later'; we try again, and again, and again, ad nauseam; so then we go back to try to get a 'click and collect' slot; ah, there are none of those either. So, by trying to prioritise those most in need, the supermarkets have made it impossible for us to get food either delivered or to collect ourselves, and we cannot go into shops because we are in isolation and have to stay at home. I'm sure they meant to help, but they haven't :rant:
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I believe the supermarkets are taking on delivery staff but unfortunately it isn't going to happen overnight. I'm sure you are not alone in this.
Do you have a neighbour you can ask?
In our village, about 80 houses, we have dropped every household a leaflet. We have asked for people to tell us who is isolating and who might be able to help with shopping, meds collection. We have also identified at risk people and checking them to see if they are OK. We have a village email which has been a great help.
I shopped today for an isolating couple but you are too far away for me to help!
Can you contact your local council? Ours just asked our parish council if we were doing anything to help people in our community.
Not sure any of that helps you but maybe you could ring your local parish councillor and ask what help is available locally and it might kick start them if there isn't anything.. Also try your local shop if you have one because ours are doing deliveries.
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Morrisons are doing a kind of pot luck box containing essentials, supposedly next day delivery
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Poor thing - there might be a voluntary group near you on facebook :hug:
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I have just heard that we can register via Gov.uk as vulnerable, rather than having to try to ring on non-existant lines, which seems to have been organised this evening, so we'll see what comes of that. We do have friends who have offered to help which is really kind, but really only brings in crisis needs. It is also embarassing having to ask, and they tend not to want us to pay - we have money to pay, fortunately. I don't feel our needs justify using help designed for those really vulnerable people who have no-one at all. We still have stores of some foods, but when we did get the one order we have had delivered last week, various things were missing - in particular loo roll. Still, we have lots of moss round here :roflanim:
I think I was just crying out for the supermarkets to sort something out quickly (and they are doing their very best and I for one am very thankful ). I know this is a huge problem for very many people. Apparently a quarter of the World population is in lockdown now :o There is a local community group here, but as I say, there are plenty of others in far more dire need than we are. We could be perfectly independent if only we could get a delivery slot organised :-[
It's wonderful how you are pulling together in your communities to help others, but please don't put yourselves at risk. On the other hand, when you do drop off supplies, try to stop for a couple of minutes' chat - people will have had no-one to speak to for days, just remember to stay a good 2 metres away, and preferably more.
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I think that the easy bit was locking us down. Now they are trying to work out how in practise it works. What I am wondering is.....I thought we had people who planned at a high level for national emergencies so when one happened they had a plan? Now, maybe it is just me but I don't feel there was a plan either before Corvid 19 or since.
Seems to me that we should of ordered ppe for the NHS staff weeks ago. Telling people not to panic buy makes them do just that. NHS staff should not have to go to the shops they should have been given priority home deliveries.
Please don't be embarrassed to ask for help. People have volunteered because they want to and it is about protecting us all. We are being careful, not going into houses, gloves etc. All our shops have put in measures to minimise risk too.
Oh, make sure you shake the moss first :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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I have just heard that we can register via Gov.uk as vulnerable, rather than having to try to ring on non-existant lines, which seems to have been organised this evening, so we'll see what comes of that. We do have friends who have offered to help which is really kind, but really only brings in crisis needs. It is also embarassing having to ask, and they tend not to want us to pay - we have money to pay, fortunately. I don't feel our needs justify using help designed for those really vulnerable people who have no-one at all. We still have stores of some foods, but when we did get the one order we have had delivered last week, various things were missing - in particular loo roll. Still, we have lots of moss round here :roflanim:
I think I was just crying out for the supermarkets to sort something out quickly (and they are doing their very best and I for one am very thankful ). I know this is a huge problem for very many people. Apparently a quarter of the World population is in lockdown now :o There is a local community group here, but as I say, there are plenty of others in far more dire need than we are. We could be perfectly independent if only we could get a delivery slot organised :-[
It's wonderful how you are pulling together in your communities to help others, but please don't put yourselves at risk. On the other hand, when you do drop off supplies, try to stop for a couple of minutes' chat - people will have had no-one to speak to for days, just remember to stay a good 2 metres away, and preferably more.
any link for the vulnerable registration ? Round here earliest delivery slot now first week in May !! All our neighbours are in isolation ( and are fed up with my goats milk and eggs ! )
I dont think the isolation plan will last too long here , food and medicines needed, we may have to draw lots on who is to be " sacrificed " ;D
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Well the Gov.uk was as big a flop from my point of view as you would expect. Mr F is used to navigating the site but it took quite a while to find the right place. Then it emerges that those who are sick enough to qualify, those who have had transplants and are on immunosuppressants, for example, will be notified to Gov by their GPs, and then will qualify for emergency deliveries by the Army! I'm not that ill, just very likely to get the pneumonic version of this plague because of a heart and lung condition. Those who are ill enough to qualify would not have the strength to get to the right place on Gov.uk - just as well the GPs can do that for them.
My worry is that people who are at risk but not in the extreme category will be driven to break their isolation to go and get themselves some food. The supermarkets are working on it I know and hopefully those who have some reserves but not enough, will be OK until new measure for home deliveries come into force. With so many workers losing their jobs, there should be people available to drive and pack groceries for the duration.
Oh I shall examine the moss very carefully for spikes, ants and so on - I value my ability to sit down ;D
...and the good news is that our hens have started laying again - 2 eggs today, plus a goose egg :chook: We'll be fine :thumbsup: I hope everyone else is too.
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if you do venture out to shop for food, local corner stores/garage-cum-grocers are good in my experience, both from perspective of having stuff on the shelves and being relatively empty and/or easy to keep social distance, or a Tesco extra, which opens at 6am and is of course almost empty of customers at that hour - lots of their own staff filling home delivery boxes though! But still easy to keep 2m between you and everyone else.
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Fleece wife, please do reach out to your local community. I know that you think that there are people more in need in your community but if you fall in the vulnerable groups you should ask for help if you need it .....it could be that you will need help in the weeks to come in some way or other even if you don't need it too much at the moment. It would be good to make contacts and links now.
Shopping slots are difficult for now but hopefully will improve.
Our tiny community has put things in place in an informal way because we have a lot of older residents that are in the vulnerable groups. We all know each other but we are making sure that we are ringing those that are alone daily and whoever is venturing out for essentials is contacting others to see what they need. This includes contacting people not in the vulnerable groups to reduce trips out for all. And the vulnerable folk are also ringing to check on those not in the vulnerable groups so that's good too. And certainly my neighbour has had good ideas about reducing the risk of infection which we also have taken on board so everyone bcan potentially help others.
Have you contacted any local small village shops? 2 village shops, a few miles from us, are willing to deliver to the vulnerable.
Morrison's are doing basic food boxes.
We have a mobile butcher who is now doing his best to bring veg, milk and bread. Have you got anyone like this that delivers locally?
Do you use FB? I know that lots of people don't like it but one of my neighbours joined this week so that she could view the local community pages. I'm not sure of your area as I'm sure the response varies but there are lots of services being offered by local shops and individuals who feel able to help eg. A lady that works in the doctors surgery about 6 miles away will bring prescriptions to our nearest village.
I know that you would probably sooner sort things yourself FW but please consider reaching out to the community, you might be able to help others with ideas, suggestions, etc so it's not all one way.
Stay safe x
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[member=4333]Fleecewife[/member] if this still isn't sorted for you, I'm about 30 minutes away from South Lanarkshire (in Bathgate). I'm happy to make the drive down to deliver groceries.
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I'm very independently minded, I don't like asking for help either and I'm not in the vulnerable category - but if I or my husband became ill, living 45 miles from Tesco you can guess how far down the queue our delivery would be!
On the upside I got 6 eggs from 5 hens yesterday! I'm getting sick of eggs though. As for loo roll, or lack of it and if you didn't fancy the moss - you could always cut up some old flannel sheets and have a poo cloth bucket :roflanim: it would mean having to wash them, but mankind has survived for thousands of years without Andrex after all.
I will have to pop out tomorrow to the local co-op 20 miles away and find what ever vegetables they have, which will be very few. We only have a few carrots left in the ground and rocket and a small amount of kale in the PT. Lots of meat in the freezers which I feel very fortunate to have.
Hope you get your delivery sorted soon.
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Echo "in the hills" :eyelashes: We have made contact with new people in our village we didn't know. And it is good to support local.
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As for loo roll, or lack of it and if you didn't fancy the moss - you could always cut up some old flannel sheets and have a poo cloth bucket :roflanim: it would mean having to wash them, but mankind has survived for thousands of years without Andrex after all.
They should put that hard stuff out that came in little boxes. Put the hoarders off :roflanim: :roflanim:
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My meds run out at the weekend, chemist has halted their home delivery service . so as I'm going to go out I may as well do shopping as well ,get fuel etc , pointless isolating if there is no support infrastructure.
I did my bit, there are vast stores of emergency food and basics but no one "up stairs" thought on how to distribute the stuff , rather they have thought about it but have haven't looked at the logistics, my rant , a lot of folk will suffer due to the failure of planners to plan :rant:
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My meds run out at the weekend, chemist has halted their home delivery service . so as I'm going to go out I may as well do shopping as well ,get fuel etc , pointless isolating if there is no support infrastructure.
I did my bit, there are vast stores of emergency food and basics but no one "up stairs" thought on how to distribute the stuff , rather they have thought about it but have haven't looked at the logistics, my rant , a lot of folk will suffer due to the failure of planners to plan :rant:
I so agree with this. We have had at least 10 years of reducing everything, from the numbers of NHS beds and staff, to cutting back the Military to a point where both can barely function. In Britain, the past few years have been totally taken up with thinking about Brexit and ignoring every really important aspect of life. There should always be contingency plans which are workable to deal with war, pandemics and major and natural disasters, but we seem to have been totally complacent. Those at the front line are all too aware of the problems. Those in politics who should be aware and who should care are only interested in their ability to stay in power, and the success of their own careers. That is a generalisation of course and there are some who really do want to do things the right way, and they probably all do now, given their political survival and their success at sorting out the problem are now one and the same, but overall, the end result is the farce we have now, where the Gov strategy is to call on 'the wartime spirit'.
For me, a friend is going to see what's available in the shops tomorrow so there will be enough for us to survive on. We have plenty of meat so can share that around.
Please don't worry about us, but I do hope that all the info you are sharing will help others who don't like to ask. I am always amazed how much love all of us have in our hearts and how people always help eachother. I don't like that the Government relies on that to get through a crisis, but it's wonderful that true human feeling is alive and well out there :bouquet: :bouquet: :bouquet: :bouquet: :bouquet: :bouquet: :bouquet:
[member=200784]nicodearg[/member] thank you so much for that offer. We'll be fine though if our friends stay well. Once this is all over, you must come and visit - yes, it's just half an hour away.
I have decided just to sit back and wait until the supermarkets have worked out a way to distribute food to all. At the moment all attention is on the old and vulnerable, but I feel too for those with large families who, when they fill their trolleys high, are just doing a normal shop, but might be on the receiving end of disapproval.
Please stay safe and well, all of you :trophy:
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This may turn into a bit of a rant... :rant: Or several rants... :rant: :rant: :rant:
So, my Aged P's are now "locked down", and the plan had been that sis, who lives less than 30 mins away, would also lock down, and therefore be able to go and help the Aged Ps with anything. They are 89 and 90, so change is a challenge.
So she and her hubs organised that they could pay the Aged P's paper bill online, and tried to get the Aged P's set up with online shopping, which sis could operate for them if need be. Well you all know how that bit turned out, you still can't register new accounts :/
So sis planned to make sure she and the Aged P's had enough in stock for a couple of weeks, to let everything get settled and hopefully be able to organise online shopping thereafter. Meanwhile I have gone into lockdown where I am so that, if need be, after 14 days I can safely go up and be whatever type of support they all need. Can live in my caravan on their drive and go to the shops if online ordering is still not working, or can take over from sis and be able to go into the Aged P's house if that's what's needed at the time.
Well you all know how that turned out... empty shelves, so sis had no choice but to keep on going to the supermarket :/ So she isn't as safe a contact for them as we had planned :(
Meanwhile, here in our community we are trying to limit the number of trips out by anyone, so anyone going out gets orders from everyone else, but that's not working very well because the shops are limiting the number of any one item to quantity 1. So anyone shopping for vulnerable folk or others isolating is having to forego their own choices, or go to the shops twice or more.... ::)
I could go on but won't. Suffice to say, freakin' shambles, the government had weeks of knowing this was coming, how is it that everything is being done reactively?!? The supply lines for vulnerable folk should have been organised weeks before they were all asked to self-isolate, so that there was no need for stocking up and no fear about being able to replenish the cupboards.
However, the way the local communities are all rallying to help each other is indeed heartwarming :love:
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For anyone that it might help ..... also try contacting your local MP or AM too if in Wales and of course whatever the equivalents are in Scotland and Ireland.
Ours has a list of community groups that are being set up locally to help people out. They include local Young Farmers, Church groups etc.
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I have decided just to sit back and wait until the supermarkets have worked out a way to distribute food to all. At the moment all attention is on the old and vulnerable, but I feel too for those with large families who, when they fill their trolleys high, are just doing a normal shop, but might be on the receiving end of disapproval.
Have no fear HBMG will distribute your essential emergency supplies using Amazon .
( of course , this may or may not be true , just hope it's not Hermes doing the final mile :-\ )
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My meds run out at the weekend, chemist has halted their home delivery service .
That's a scary thought!
Last year, with No Deal Brexit on the cards when at the vets i asked for big prescription for the dog (epiphen & bromide (she's epileptic) and several courses of levi's, also some antibiotics thrown in for good measure!! And rectal diazepam). Nowt like stocking up!!! Well, he told me not necessary as drugs won't run out and he couldn't anyway due to epiphen being a restricted class! Well, I'm a worrier! SO, he told me 3 months and and seeing how I am there every month, 3 months then etc! So, stocked up, and brexit worry over and done with so dog started using the stock pills!
But, I also read and listen! Let's just say that I've forked out quite a bit of money recently for drugs! Might get another prescription in 3 months time to keep us several months worth in stock . . . . .
Point though is that mum is in the same boat as you. Guidelines for people have changed and where before she could get 3 months worth of pills at one go, now she can only get a month's worth. She's on 2 strengths of morphine + other glorious little rattlers and can't tolerate certain generic pills and has to have set types that for various reasons the chemist says can't get, (different chemist will get but she has to register with them - bit awkward when you phone and order pills on one prescription!)
This virus i find incredibly worrying as being 46, I wonder how many more are we going to see. We're isolating due to mum's health and I'm a loner anyway so it's really no different for me. I said to mum yesterday that as long as we don't go anywhere and no one comes here then technically we should be ok.
Originally i was concerned about the dog if she has a major do and needs help (mind you virus or not I always worry about this!!!) and getting the hay done (having to rely on others). Weather wise, was worrying about that before!! Now though, worrying about needing a vet if Juniper needs help or for confirming if the other 2 are in calf.....
You know, the day i worry about my own health and well-being will be a special day, will have to be, as all i seem to be doing is wherriting about the blasted animals!! Bet they dont worry about me!!
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I have just heard that we can register via Gov.uk as vulnerable, rather than having to try to ring on non-existant lines, which seems to have been organised this evening, so we'll see what comes of that. We do have friends who have offered to help which is really kind, but really only brings in crisis needs. It is also embarassing having to ask, and they tend not to want us to pay - we have money to pay, fortunately. I don't feel our needs justify using help designed for those really vulnerable people who have no-one at all. We still have stores of some foods, but when we did get the one order we have had delivered last week, various things were missing - in particular loo roll. Still, we have lots of moss round here :roflanim:
I think I was just crying out for the supermarkets to sort something out quickly (and they are doing their very best and I for one am very thankful ). I know this is a huge problem for very many people. Apparently a quarter of the World population is in lockdown now :o There is a local community group here, but as I say, there are plenty of others in far more dire need than we are. We could be perfectly independent if only we could get a delivery slot organised :-[
It's wonderful how you are pulling together in your communities to help others, but please don't put yourselves at risk. On the other hand, when you do drop off supplies, try to stop for a couple of minutes' chat - people will have had no-one to speak to for days, just remember to stay a good 2 metres away, and preferably more.
any link for the vulnerable registration ? Round here earliest delivery slot now first week in May !! All our neighbours are in isolation ( and are fed up with my goats milk and eggs ! )
I dont think the isolation plan will last too long here , food and medicines needed, we may have to draw lots on who is to be " sacrificed " ;D
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/25/supermarkets-use-database-to-prioritise-deliveries-to-elderly (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/25/supermarkets-use-database-to-prioritise-deliveries-to-elderly)
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The guidance/instructions are clear
You can go out of your house once a day for exercise
You can go out for groceries
You can go out for medication
You must keep 2 metres away from everyone else
Wash your hands befroe and after touching anything someone else has touched or use 65% minimum alcohol based sanitiser
Most supermarkets and shops are now employing measures to keep the social distancing - lines on the ground and at checkouts
So go out for a walk; go to the local shops for food; go to your local chemist for medication (order it on EMIS)
and look for your local support group on Facebook - there's one in almost every area
And lastly, listen to Johnson's daily reports but also check out Nicola Sturgeon's ones too as they are mreo accurate for keeping SCOTLAND safe
Keep well and stay safe xx
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Morrisons are doing a kind of pot luck box containing essentials, supposedly next day delivery
https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/?utm_source=tradedoubler_Skint%20Dad&utm_medium=affiliate&dclid=CjgKEAjwpfHzBRD4hpPoypyjvygSJAB1KxMbVTex7HP6TrMSK5ibGfG8CEsPzRe_6OqHkvGTYTCvuvD_BwE (https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/?utm_source=tradedoubler_Skint%20Dad&utm_medium=affiliate&dclid=CjgKEAjwpfHzBRD4hpPoypyjvygSJAB1KxMbVTex7HP6TrMSK5ibGfG8CEsPzRe_6OqHkvGTYTCvuvD_BwE)
Temporarily on hold for deliveries though
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I have decided just to sit back and wait until the supermarkets have worked out a way to distribute food to all. At the moment all attention is on the old and vulnerable, but I feel too for those with large families who, when they fill their trolleys high, are just doing a normal shop, but might be on the receiving end of disapproval.
Have no fear HBMG will distribute your essential emergency supplies using Amazon .
( of course , this may or may not be true , just hope it's not Hermes doing the final mile :-\ )
Round here hermes is brilliant :thumbsup: :love:
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At last our favourite small independent grocery shop in the town has worked out how to manage a sort of collect-from-the-shop-door box system, so we can get bread flour and veg, milk and dairy products, plus a surprising list of other stuff from them, for as long as they can get supplies :thumbsup: Our friends will collect as they shop there too :relief:
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I am so lucky. I was able to start online shopping at Morrisons getting it delivered way back for about a month before lockdown. However, as everyone started doing the same I've found it more difficult to get delivery slots, so my last one was on the 10th and my next one is 25th. I looked online just now and there's a slot free on 8th May so I've taken it meantime.
I have also bought a lot of things that I would normally buy day to day, so my last shop was almost £200. However, I think I can now hole up here for about 3 or 4 months other than bread and milk so I think I'll give up that slot in case someone needs it more than I do. Because I'm on the shielding list, if I run out of bread and milk the volunteers will very kindly get those and my medication for me.
In addition, I was in the middle of renovations when I moved, and my main contractor and his wife have taken me under their wing and when they go shopping they have been picking up seeds and plants for me and I can pay them direct through the bank as for the renovations.
My future orchard/paddock is great for the dogs and all they need extra is our daily wander down past the local farms on lead for an hour.
In a few months I should have home grown fresh vegetables and fruit, albeit perhaps sparse.
I wish you all a safe, happy, and healthy few months till we get to the other side of this dratted bug
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That's really good it's worked out well for you :thumbsup:
We now do click and collect from Sainsburys, and so far I've managed to get a slot every 10 days (one tomorrow). I freeze milk and I make my own bread anyway, plus we have plenty of fresh veg, salad and the last of the stored potatoes, and meat in the freezer. Apart from not seeing anyone to chat to, life seems fairly normal. It's 3 weeks since I last went out, as I was unwell for our last food collection, so I'm looking forward to a tour about, even if we can't go for a walk.