In anticipation of a difficult winter for older people and other vulnerable adults, a weekly café opened at St. Petroc’s Church. The advantage of a large flexible space gave confidence in a covid-secure environment. This drew 20 – 40 people each occasion through October and November 2020. A socially distanced Christmas Tree festival in the church during December drew these and many other folk in addition.
The next phases of lockdown inhibited continuing the café, but cards and gift bags were distributed to the network of 100 elderly folk drawn together by the church, Time Together attendees and Age Concern Bodmin. The team, led by Barbara Brittain, and including Robert Christie, Sara Bryon and Rachael Harris, kept in contact with as many people as they could over the phone and through Zoom meetings, as lockdown continued through the early part of 2021. A fortnightly catch-up on Zoom helped to maintain a Crochet & Knitting Friendship Group that had met at the Time Together café.
This project is due to relaunch in May 2021, with support from both paid staff and volunteers.
