Churches Together in Heathfield set up community support service

Churches Together in Heathfield have set up a Coronavirus support service called Happy to Help and have taken more than 230 calls since starting.

Callers ringing the Happy to Help hotline are matched with a church volunteers who are busy picking up prescriptions, running errands and getting shopping for people who are self-isolating. Church members are also being paired with people who are feeling lonely and would like a regular chat.

Happy to Help was set up by Kings Church Heathfield and is supported by Churches Together in Heathfield. The service is open to everyone in the Heathfield area, whether they are a church-goer or not.

Marcellus Edmonds, elder at Kings Church Heathfield, said: "As Christians we have a great example in Jesus of how to care for the community. Happy to Help is our way of showing God's love, by offering practical support to those who need it at this challenging time. We have had a tremendous response so far and have a team of volunteers ready and able to help. Please call us and we will do our very best to help you."

Some of the requests have included:

Delivering new hearing aid batteries to a woman who would have otherwise been deaf

Getting the right formula to a four-month old baby

Picking up more than 200 prescriptions

Collecting urgent medication for several dogs

Doing shopping for people

Helping fill out food bank forms

Matching volunteers to people who are feeling lonely and want a regular call

The Happy to Help number is 01435 863786. The answer machine is constantly monitored.