Over the Summer, Just Straight Talk (JST) applied to the Heart of England Community Foundation Coronavirus Resilience Fund and received a grant to support the most vulnerable people and isolated people in the community. Part of this funding allowed the Just Start Talking’s Community Connectors (funded by East Coseley Big Local) to treat people shielding in Coseley to a free fish and chip supper.
Residents who would normally receive a friendly phone call from JST’s community connectors during the lockdown, instead enjoyed a doorstep visit and friendly chat, with the added excitement of feeling a little bit of normality with a delivery of fish and chips.
One of East Coseley Big Local’s plan priorities was to continue to organise Coseley community meals to help people who may be feeling lonely to come together to connect socially and build friendships. These meals took place four times a year but were cancelled due to lockdown restrictions.
When lockdown rules eased during the Summer months, JST’s Community Connectors organised an outdoor meet-up at Jack Newall Court for those feeling socially isolated and in need of non-virtual connection.
“As part of the recovery process for our community, we decided to help with their confidence in those steps to rejoining society by doing the chippy run meet up. Providing chairs placed at a sensible distance apart and hand sanitiser with optional extra PPE available we decided to give it a try. The importance of eating a meal together.”
Big Local workers are aware that many people will be experiencing new feelings of anxiety due to the pandemic. Part of our work in the recovery phase of Covid-19 may be to help isolated people to rebuild their confidence and feel safe to leave their homes.
“We understand that the recovery stage from Covid was for some is going to be harder and slower than others and we need to respect that in each other but for now, it was great to feel a little more normality” JST Community Connector
Since the beginning of the lockdown in April, Big Local workers and projects have been exploring new, creative, and virtual ways to interact, connect with, and support the Coseley community.
One of these new connecting methods included Virtual Coffee Mornings, organised by Just Start Talking’s Community Connectors, providing a welcoming online space for people of all ages to connect and get involved in activities when feeling isolated in their homes. Before lockdown restrictions, coffee mornings had previously taken place at Rainbow Community Centre, where local people would come together to chat over a hot drink and take part in craft activities including pom-pom making for Pom-poms 4 Loneliness.
For some people, the move to a new online meeting space was an entirely new way to communicate. When it was discovered that some people were unable to join virtual activities because they lacked the IT equipment to do so, the community connectors submitted a funding application to East Coseley Big Local’s Project Investment Team to purchase tablets. This funding has since enabled more people to join in with the virtual coffee mornings and connect with friends online.
In the months following, JST’s Community Connectors supported people to build their confidence and learn new digital skills through one-to-one tutorials. Some of the people who received the tablets wanted to advance their I.T. skills even further.
Billy, one of the recipients of the tablets said he’s now joined Facebook and it’s changed his life as he’s been able to get in touch with old friends as well as new.
Another resident, Jean, 83, was supported to create a Facebook account to connect with her wider network of friends and family.
“At 83 years young, many people would dismiss the idea of using the internet, never mind going onto Facebook which I understand but being open to going online opens up so many more opportunities to reduce isolation and loneliness from within your own home. Now she’s all set up, we’re both excited about old friends she may become acquainted with again.” JST Community Connector
One of the tablets, that was given to a Jack Newell Court resident, was hooked up to the TV in a common room, so now 15 residents join in and have taken part in all kinds of activities.
Supporting people to build confidence with technology has become an important part of tackling loneliness and isolation in Coseley.
More people are now motivated to join coffee mornings to reduce their feeling of isolation and loneliness. Due to this, Big Local Community Connectors plan to run more sessions, potentially 2-3 times a week to connect more people together.
Read more about East Coseley’s response to the pandemic…We’ve drawn together a report featuring insights from Big Local workers and Core Group members, research and existing knowledge to provide a record and examples of ways in which East Coseley Big Local projects and partners responded to COVID-19 during lockdown, in relation to East Coseley Big Local Plan priorities, and to indicate and give examples of emerging and potential activities and work which responds to Big Local Plan priorities and recovery post-lockdown. Read the review here: http://www.eastcoseleybiglocal.net/covid-19-review/
Since 2017, East Coseley Big Local has invested in projects that help people of all ages to connect, make new friendships and build confidence. These projects have included a Community Cinema, regular ‘Lunch and Chat’ events, and ‘Just Start Talking’ (JST), a project that connects and supports local people who may be experiencing isolation and loneliness within the Coseley community.
Many activities had taken place in community venues across Coseley and brought together many local people. However, in early April 2020, activities organised to take place at these venues were cancelled in response to lockdown restrictions.
A new way to connect people
Last year, JST’s Community Connectors built up relationships with people of all ages and hosted regular coffee mornings and craft sessions at the Rainbow Community Centre in Coseley.
When lockdown restrictions were imposed, coffee morning regulars (and new people introduced through the COVID-19 Support Network) were invited to join a virtual coffee morning using Zoom. This gave people the opportunity to continue to meet in a safe environment and chat over a ‘virtual cuppa’ without having to leave their home. Many people in Coseley have since been supported by Big Local to get online and use new technology through one-to-one coaching (socially distanced or over the phone).
The coffee morning group are invited to come up with ideas for activities, including virtual games, crafts and quizzes. Participants are also encouraged to lead and host Zoom coffee morning sessions to build their confidence.
As lockdown measures eased during the Summer, the Community Connectors responded to the different interests and needs of the group. Gardening activities were organised for people who were having problems with screen glare and those who wanted to meet physically at a safe distance outdoors.
Isolated people referred to the project are now invited out for walks to gently connect them to others which could potentially lead to new friendships.
JST’s Community Connectors have connected with many people experiencing isolation and loneliness during the pandemic, providing support and opportunities to get involved in new activities and connect with others.
Marilyn, who initially came along to a dementia cafe, was invited to an online craft session, she is now involved in the coffee morning. Her husband also now plays guitar at outdoor socially distanced gatherings.
Another lady, Marion, who was involved in the project, and had no-one else to support her, passed away. The connection and friendship she found with JST’s Community Connectors before she passed meant that she was able to talk to someone and share her life story. Marion’s story now lives on in a book calledLiving Memory.
Coseley’s coffee morning is now a registered Place of Welcome. Places of Welcome is a growing network of local community groups providing their neighbourhoods with places where all people feel safe to belong, connect and contribute.
JST’s Community Connectors host two online sessions each week, a crafting session on Tuesday 1-3pm and a social get together on Thursday 10-12pm. The team also offer over the phone/in-person tuition to help isolated people to connect online. To find out more visit their Facebook page
What else happened to keep people in Coseley connected?
At the beginning of Lockdown, Easter eggs were donated to Dudley CVS (East Coseley’s local trusted organisation) by the police to be distributed to older people. The eggs were then donated to East Coseley Big Local to distribute to coffee morning regulars and vulnerable people at Jack Newell Court. This became a way to start conversations and make new connections with more vulnerable people.
JST’s Community Connectors received a £30 prize from Chutneys Indian restaurant for their good work in the community. They decided to donate the prize money to the community and distributed to nominated people. From this, a new connection was made with a lady interested to get more involved as a participant in the project.
A new connection has been made with Broadway Halls Care Home in Dudley and they participated in East Coseley Big Local activities.
Sunflowers were gifted to people on Coseley by JST Community Connectors, to encourage photo sharing and interactions on social media throughout the growing process.
Read more about East Coseley’s response to the pandemic…We’ve drawn together a report featuring insights from Big Local workers and Core Group members, research and existing knowledge to provide a record and examples of ways in which East Coseley Big Local projects and partners responded to COVID-19 during lockdown, in relation to East Coseley Big Local Plan priorities, and to indicate and give examples of emerging and potential activities and work which responds to Big Local Plan priorities and recovery post-lockdown. Read the review here: http://www.eastcoseleybiglocal.net/covid-19-review/
Read more about East Coseley’s response to the pandemic here: http://www.eastcoseleybiglocal.net/covid-19-review/
