Our ethos has always been to walk with women and meet them at every stage in their journeys to recovery. We do not want to close our doors to them now at a time of great need.
There have been lots of messages from friends and other organisations who support this. So I want to update everyone with how we’ll go ahead whilst keeping within current guidance.
Women who are particularly at risk are encouraged to stay at home, to avoid public transport and follow the Government’s guidance. We will continue with food drop-offs to women that require it.
It remains a priority to get the van out each night to reach out to the women most at risk. There is potential to focus on street outreach in the day time alongside partner organisations.
All staff are willing to be flexible and to support other teams to keep services going. Staff who do not need to be in the office will be working from home. Otherwise, office work is limited to two people per room, two metres apart. Face-to-face meetings, events and visitors are to be cancelled.
As we go ahead we’ll be in close touch with the women and our partners with changes to our services. We’ll also be doing further planning for how to keep reaching vulnerable women if staff are required to stay at home.
One25 is a whole community of people – the women, volunteers, staff and supporters – who are passionate about seeing a world where women are safe and able to life fulfilled lives. We are committed to keep doing our best to work for this in very difficult times.
Please follow NHS guidance on COVID-19 to protect yourselves and others as much as possible. Remain calm and consider how you may be able to support others around you as and when they need it. If you feel able, you might like to consider this scheme to reduce need and loneliness in your neighbourhood.
It may be that many of the women we work with are at greater risk of infection because of ill health and substance misuse, homelessness, unsafe accommodation and malnourishment. Should they contract COVID-19, many of the women we work with are certainly more likely to experience significantly exacerbated risks and symptoms.
Teams are currently planning outreach to women – taking food parcels and essential items and making sure that they have means of communication if they are unwell. We will be able to drop things off to women and will try to remain in contact by phone, helping them to seek medical advice.
Each case will be individual. We would hope that a woman could be placed into temporary accommodation.
We are putting measures in place to ensure that everyone’s health is prioritised. We have asked volunteers with underlying health conditions to let us know so that their shifts can be covered by those less at risk of contracting or being seriously affected by any illnesses. We have also asked staff to inform us of underlying issues and are dealing with this on an individual basis. We are keeping a very close eye on our procedures around this and will continue to make changes as and when needed.
Common questions regarding coronavirus: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
If you are travelling overseas: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
