How COVID-19 has affected Community Action

We have all had to deal with changes due to coronavirus, personally, professionally, system wide and across the world. Some organisations and services have been forced to close and others have been forced to furlough or redeploy staff where possible. This has been a testing time for everyone and we thought we would update you on our circumstances here at Community Action.

The majority of our staff are #StillHereToHelp from home or remotely, so as always, please get in touch if you need us. We have redeployed some staff to other departments and organisations to ensure these have capacity to keep vital services running, and to keep our staff working where their own service has paused. To see how our redeployed staff are getting on see below.

We are working hard to ensure that we are working collaboratively with other VCS partners, Bradford Metropolitan District council, central government and Public Health to push key messages out to the sector. We are updating our

We have also been helping by redeploying some of our staff into the local COVID community hubs in Shipley distributing food and PPE. Another member of redeployed staff has got involved in is the scrub sewing effort by collecting donated material, and dropping this off with volunteers for production, after which it is given to the NHS for frontline use. In Keighley, we have furloughed the staff at Central hall as we are unable to operate the building at present. Some of these staff are currently volunteering with the local community to provide support.

“,Working arrangements had to be a bit flexible for me initially – juggling work, childcare and my wife’s work commitments as a frontline doctor, along with periods of self isolation. Hopefully this is starting to settle down now towards more normal hours (Mon-Thurs) but still with a bit of flexi-working. If you get a reply from me at a strange time of day, don’t feel you need to reply until your next normal working time. Initially my work was predominantly background work to support the collective VCS effort: supporting with database work to support COVID volunteers, supporting survey, data and intelligence work. This was because many of the initial challenges were the same for all organisations whether they worked with children and young people or not. More recently I have started to refocus on children and young people’s work, as more specific issues start to come into focus. Contact us via email on

“,I am working in what is essentially a corridor during lockdown – I’m half way between the telly and the fridge so there is a lot of traffic! My top tips are my newly adopted pink pen which I use to circle the few things I must do each day before I can log off and get out for a long wander with my family. I hope everyone is keeping safe,.” ~ Soo Nevison, CEO

,“I am currently working with the Shipley Area Hub, supporting the Covid-19 Response Team as the volunteer coordinator which is very different to my role as a self-care champion – I am really enjoying still been able to have contact with people/community organisations from the local Shipley area hub communities whilst supporting the work of the Shipley Hub. I have had the opportunity to speak with lots of volunteers who have been relentless in the gifting of their time to support those that are most needy in the local communities during Covid 19 pandemic. It has been fantastic to see new work develop within this time and especially the local care home support that volunteers have got involved with.”, Gill Blamires ~ Self-Care Champion for the Bingley Bubble

“I have been redeployed to the Information Team working alongside Kirsty and Emma. I have been getting info out to groups and Bradford District, amongst writing blogs, picking material and dropping off volunteers to make scrubs for the NHS. I am enjoying the getting out to pick up materials and distributing them as I feel that this is making a big difference for the NHS” ~ Cheryl Cowling, Training Administrator

“I am currently working as a volunteer co-ordinator for the COVID-19 Response Team Shipley Hub, and this is of course from my home. As with any thing that is new it takes time to adjust and get to know that job, but as I move into the my 4th working week things are falling into place and It feels positive. I’ve had the pleasure of talking with many people from the community of Shipley who have put their selves forward to help out during these difficult times and who now are making a difference to others. I am enjoying working with the rest of the team Gill, Becky and Hannah and we are having regular zoom meetings to keep each other up to date and share ideas” ~ Jo Horrox, Community Development Worker