THIS week, our regular feature ’Your Community in Lockdown’ focuses on Minehead where the coronavirus has highlighted a “horrendous” lack of care and support for the elderly in Minehead, according to the town’s new mayor, Cllr Paul Bolton, who has been working with Minehead Coronavirus Support Group since the emergency began.

Founded jointly in March by Exmoor National Park senior manager Dan James and his wife Emma, the group’s volunteers, which have numbered up to 50, have been delivering shopping and medical prescriptions and meals-on-wheels for vulnerable Minehead residents often living alone in lockdown

“The Minehead community response has been absolutely brilliant,” Cllr Bolton said. “Volunteers have had to cope with some quite difficult situations when you find that elderly people have fallen or in need of urgent medical help.

“So many people in this area have gone for so long without any help. If any good comes out of the present situation it will be that these people are now on the radar and they will in future get more of the care and support that they deserve.

“At least 50 per cent of the people who have needed our help have not had any previous contact with adult social care when they obviously desperately need it. Now, hopefully, all this will change for the better.”

Fellow town councillor Toni Bloomfield, another founder member of the group, is manning the helpline for vulnerable people in lockdown and in need of help and reassurance: “There are 30 or 40 people in regular contact and new people are always calling,” she said.

“Some of our volunteers have returned to work and we are always looking for people who would like to help,” Cllr Bloomfield said.

“Meals on Wheels, provided by caterer Claire Lynch, of Claire’s Kitchen, are also being delivered to around 14 people a day in Minehead by volunteers.

“Over 65 per cent of Minehead residents are over retirement age and are particularly vulnerable – and the current rise in cases of coronavirus in West Somerset is of particular concern to us. The vital things are keeping people safe and reassuring them as much as possible.”

Village Agent Mark Shields, whose area takes in Minehead, said: “People tell us that, if we weren’t here, they just don’t know how they would cope with the lockdown situation. I have had nearly 20 referrals in one week and we are constantly getting calls from an increasing number of people who need help.

“The problem is so many elderly people have been brought up to be independent and are reluctant to admit that they can’t manage. It’s only when things have got desperate that they get in touch.”

He added: “At the beginning of the crisis we were in uncharted territory but now, with Government help and a network of support groups, we are making progress, although the workload has gone through the roof.”

The Minehead Coronavirus Support Group can be contacted on 07385 103 187 or email [email protected].

“Although the lockdown is beginning to be relaxed, a lot of older people are afraid to go out and this situation will probably remain until there is an efficient vaccine.

“It will be up to the volunteers and he welfare services to make sure they are looked after – and everyone is doing a wonderful job.”