September survey of Amberley Wildbrooks residents regarding the local response to Covid-19

This following is a summary of the detail results which can be found in the above document

We now have the results of the on-line Survey of Amberley Wildbrooks residents regarding the local response to Covid-19. This surveyed the use of support facilities that had been used between 15th March and 31st August, the facilities that you anticipate using in the future, your ideas for the continuation and content of the Amberley Helpline website plus any additional comments about the working of the Help Hub.

108 people responded to the online survey. Forms were also left in the shop in order to capture the responses of those not on ListServe and these can still be used to add to the survey.

The full data is available on the Amberley Helpline website (www.amberleyhelpline.co.uk) ,via a link on the homepage. What follows is a narrative which seeks to convey the results and to arrive at conclusions.

Informal networks of assistance provided the most used form of support. 62% sought help from neighbours and friends either often ( one third) or occasionally ( two thirds ). However the services of the volunteers were also used by 41% - most usually to help with shopping or pharmacy deliveries.

Help Hub member's advice was sought by 53%. Wherever possible this was in line with Government advice but in the early stages when asked about pets or quarantining home deliveries for example, we had to synthesise the best scientific advice available. General advice was often published on ListServe. Specific advice on COVID matters for individuals remained confidential.

Other sources of advice and information were available and frequently used. The daily Gov.uk guidance collated on Listserve was used either occasionally (47% ) or often (36%). The Amberley Helpline website was also used either occasionally ( 50% ) or often ( 15% ). The Amberley Helpline website work link was used by only 9%, which we hope reflected a generally supported employment situation here.

It is perhaps no surprise that the home delivery service provided by Amberley stores and volunteers was used by 56% ( often) and another 30% ( occasionally ). 43% were able to use a supermarket delivery service; 27% used a supermarket click and collect facility.

AGNES and the counselling service provided by Rev Burgess were rarely called upon and the bus which became available for specific needs from June 9thwas little used ( 3% ). Church activities were used by 28%, of whom 21% were occasional users

Looking to the future the survey asked what resources would be needed in order for people to feel safe, but did not specify what scenario was to be contemplated - which could be either a continuing low incidence of cases, a resurgence of infection or somewhere in between. The support which people felt they would need was, with one exception, broadly in line with the support which had already been drawn upon. The exception was the Amberley Stores home delivery service which fell from 56% to 26% of people using it often, balanced by some increase in supermarket deliveries or collections.

Only 4% of people were uncomfortable with the Help Hub suspending its activities if incidence of cases locally remains low. However 73% would like to see the Amberley Helpline website continue in some form beyond the current pandemic. The subjects people would like it cover were largely those currently available such as local tradespeople and government advice.

A few people had suggestions as to whether, in the event of a resurgence, they would like to see any other activities carried out by local organisations. These included advice about testing and information about incidence of cases locally ( the latter is now available on a weekly basis for each of the Districts on the West Sussex website ). More activities for children was also mentioned.

It was extremely heartening to see that 106 people of 107 would be willing to share COVID test results on a confidential basis. This is obviously crucial to monitoring our incidence of infection.

The different roles and responsibilities of the Help Hub and Amberley Parish Council were clear to 93%.

Finally 41 people provided additional comments. 29 of these were to express appreciation. One person ( surely not alone ) looked forward to the return of the scheduled bus service, and one person was unclear that the Help Hub advice was always supported by the Parish Council ( it was ). The only negative comment received was from one person who felt that restrictions on for example socialising (which had mirrored govt guidance) had been unnecessarily rigorous.