By Christopher Morgan
Hello everyone, I hope you’ve all had a safe and enjoyable Easter holiday however you may have been spending it, and we hope no one tried to suggest that your Easter Eggs were a non-essential item!
Whether working tirelessly to help those in our community, or doing your bit by staying safe at home, the holidays are often a good time to reflect on the importance of working together for a common good.
We’ve officially passed week three of the lockdown, past that initial period that was put into place by the government. However, I think deep down we all understood that this was something we’d have to endure for much longer, despite what some world leaders may have suggested.
With that understanding, it’s been truly inspiring to see some of the selfless acts that have been popping up all over the country. Whether it’s people continuing to donate blood to help save lives, or simply leaving a nice note and a packet of biscuits for the local binmen as thanks, people’s continued generosity and kindness in the face of adversity is the kind of thing that makes me hopeful for the future, whatever shape it may take.
With all that said, let us move on to those links and resources we’d most like to share with you this week.
Childline
Unfortunately, in these times of crisis, certain issues within communities can unintentionally fall to the wayside as we look to help as many people as possible.
For children, fears and anxieties surrounding their home life may be amplified as everyone is told to stay indoors.
Childline aims to not only support children suffering from abuse, but also the effects of depression, loneliness and anxiety in everyday life.
You don’t even have to speak to anyone if you don’t feel comfortable, there are a variety of videos and other resources to help.
Our Neighbours
The ‘Our Neighbours’ initiative is a social movement that aims to prevent loneliness and encourage people to look out for each other in the little ways that sometimes matter the most.
Helping to combat isolation and loneliness which can lead to hospitalisation, especially in older folk, is an important goal that everyone can do.
DASH
DASH is a charity that aims to help destitute asylum seekers in an around Huddersfield. In this time of crisis, it can be hard for those seeking asylum to even access the news, which of course can lead to all sorts of problems when unified information is so vitally important for everyone’s safety.
DASH also works tirelessly to combat misinformation around asylum seekers and educate people on human rights. So check out their website if you’re unsure of how you can help.
Campaign to End Loneliness
As we touched on a little earlier, isolation and loneliness are some of the biggest hidden threats we face as people stay safe by staying at home.
Maintaining social connections with others is vital to our well being as a species, but not everyone has someone to keep in contact with.
The Campaign to End Loneliness works specifically with older people living alone, and currently has a COVID-19 page with various ideas and resources for those living by themselves.
Support for Volunteers
We’ve talked a lot about different kinds of volunteering and what volunteers can do, but what about help for the volunteers themselves?
Volunteering can take its own toll on one’s health, both mentally and physically.
Thankfully, Sakura Community Music Therapy is offering a confidential telephone support service to volunteers across Kirklees.
Now bear in mind they’re not a professional counselling service, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed or just need someone to chat with, they’ll be there for you.
That’s all from us this week, as always if you have any links or resources you’d like to share, contact us here or let us know via our social media channels.
Once again from all of here at KLTV, we hope you had a safe and enjoyable Easter. Stay Safe everyone.