Great Western Coffee Shop

Contact all members to see if anyone needs help – shopping or picking up medicine. Lots of groups tend to be populated by more aged folk, let’s stay in touch with those considered vulnerable and help them get through this thing.

Use the lockdown time in a positive way, while following latest government advice on staying safe. Lots of people are so bored of looking at funny cat videos that they’d willingly volunteer for almost anything. Recruit some new members – the promise of something positive to do after the restrictions are lifted will undoubtedly attract!

Review your constitution. Does it include Policies about working with young or vulnerable people?

Have another look at your risk assessments. Are your most frequent activities assessed? Are your chosen safeguards fully recorded?

Write an article for Community Rail News and share some good ideas and good practice with others. Encourage other groups to try something that you found successful.

Write a staff newsletter. Find out from your station manager who to email it to. Let your station staff know all about your recent activities and plans for the near future, when restrictions are lifted.

Write a press release for your local newspaper or magazine, letting your community know that you are still working albeit under lockdown conditions.  Share your ideas and successes.

Make a plan to promote your station and community so that people will want to come and visit once the virus restrictions are lifted. Tell your audience why your place is special and worthy of support.

Review your group’s objectives for the remainder of the year. It is likely to be a compressed year if virus restrictions aren’t lifted until late summer – there’s every likelihood that this thing will drag on, so make several timetabled plans.

Enjoy the rest. Relax a bit and keep your energy for that wonderful moment when you can go about your volunteering work again.  If you’ve don’t the stuff above, you’ll have plenty to get your teeth into and enjoy doing it fully refreshed.