A message from our CEO

Dear All,

I am enormously proud to be part of the Age UKWD team as it steps up alongside colleagues in the NHS, Care Sectors and other essential services, to ensure that the most vulnerable in our communities are well supported.

Over the past month what has been achieved has been amazing. With skilled support from key individuals we have moved to a model that is based upon remote working, whilst mobilising and equipping a workforce of more than 200 staff and volunteers to deliver existing and new services to older people. Our COVID19 Action Plan summarises all that we are managing to do.

Maintaining our commitment to our NHS and local authority contracts we have worked with local partners to enable the development of new district-wide responses and have worked tirelessly to ensure that at every juncture we have kept on top of new demands and the latest instructions from central government.

We have been working hard in the background to ensure that everyone receives the support they deserve, including our hard-working teams. We are sourcing ongoing supplies of hand gels for everyone and PPE for those who are being placed at risk through the delivery of essential care. Despite significant shortages we are optimistic that we will be able to maintain this supply and compliment it with any additional measures that may come into play on advice of PHE.

Under normal circumstances we would have taken time to consult with teams around significant change, but I’m afraid there is nothing ‘normal’ about where we find ourselves today. We have simply had to move at pace to effect the necessary changes. It has been a huge relief to know that as we’ve made important and dramatic decisions that our staff all accepted and understood the imperative, supporting each other with goodwill, kindness and care.

I hope that we will all soon find ourselves back in each other’s company. In the meantime, I hope that you are all feeling yourselves to be part of a strong community that values everyone’s special contribution. Our continued kindness and care towards each other is helping us all to maintain a positive outlook in this difficult time, thank you.

With very best wishes to you all,

Paula Bee