Bruton’s neighbours’ support pods are a community initiative set up in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The pods are very local and average less than 20 households. Each pod is co-ordinated by one of more people who live in that pod. If you live somewhere there is a pod, you should know, because you will already be in touch with your neighbours. If not, and you are thinking about starting one, please use the Message service on this Facebook Page.
The aim of the pods is to provide a resilient means of mutual aid. We hope that pods are building on and enhancing the strong sense of community that already exists in Bruton. Co-ordinators are making contact with each household in their small patch, usually by popping a note through the door, inviting one or more people in the home to join a WhatsApp group of neighbours. Neighbours who don’t have WhatsApp will be offered the opportunity to participate via phone or text.
The WhatsApp groups can be used by neighbours to share offers of help, requests for help, local information or news, or to generally just keep in touch, particularly at this time when we cannot ‘greet on the street’ as much as we might normally. They should not be used for medical advice. All neighbours should be advised that any shopping or other deliveries should be left on the doorstep: no-one should be entering another’s home.
The pods are not a substitute for the professional care or support services that might be needed by the frailest members of our community.
The Pod Co-ordinators are all able to liaise with each other through a Facebook group. The aim of this group is:
– to support Co-ordinators with any issues that may arise;
– to share information and good practices between pods;
– to allow for support to be drawn from neighbouring pods, if necessary;
– to help ensure that no household is left out;
– to provide some level of consistency between pods.
This mutual aid network is not run by any organisation, but it is being set up in alignment with other local services, follows One Planet principles, and is endorsed by Bruton Town Council.
