COVID-19
Message from Andrew Yates, Chair, Cornwall Faith Forum
“As members of Cornwall Faith Communities we join whole heartedly in the thanks for those who are working so hard to enable us to get through this testing time: NHS and care workers; emergency response services; providers of food, medicine and other vital goods; those in government and officials; and the many others who may not be classed as ‘essential workers’ but make all the difference to our daily lives.
Sadly, COVID-19 will bring many more deaths. It is our hope that deaths of people of different faiths and beliefs are handled sensitively and that there is not friction over arrangements. It is vital that this matter is handled well. Faith communities stand ready to work with local authorities toward that end.
We also know that as the days go by there will be ever more stories of kindness and active compassion. It is our hope and our prayer that these will far outweigh the challenges and that we will emerge on the other side of the epidemic as a better connected and more empathetic society, ready to move forward together on the basis of our experience in positive ways.”
Thursday Prayers at noon
Every Thursday at 12 noon Rita Stephen our Inter Faith Development Worker prays for the people of Cornwall in her home with a model of our Dome of Human Kindness. She uses prayers that have been sent in by members of our various Communities and ends with the Peace Prayer. You can find the prayers on our web site HERE and Face Book pages. Initially the prayers were said at the Dor Kemmyn Peace Field but this had to cease following further movement restrictions. Please join Rita in prayer every Thursday at 12 noon.
Local Community Hubs and Faith Representatives
The support that grassroot community groups have offered in response to the challenges of the current crisis is amazing and many of these local groups have members of faith communities at their heart and as vital volunteers. To support these local groups a series of 19 local community hubs have been established and each of these hubs has a Faith Rep in recognition of the contribution by the Faith Communities. The hubs are there to listen to the issues that are arising on the ground and where necessary to escalate these higher and help bring in extra support if it is needed. So if you need a way in to your local hub take a look at the list of Faith Reps and get in touch with them:
Advice and information
Covid FAQs from Devon and Cornwall Police https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/advice/covid-19-coronavirus/covid-19-faqs
What does my faith group advise?
https://www.faithaction.net/campaigns/coronavirus/
Cornish Foodbanks are open – see list of Cornish Foodbanks: https://transformation-cornwall.org.uk/whats-new/cornish-foodbanks-remain-open-and-crucially-need-our-support
Domestic violence campaign: https://www.devonandcornwall-pcc.gov.uk/news-and-blog/multimedia-hub/new-domestic-campaign-launched-as-cases-expected-to-increase/
Your Neighbour
YourNeighbour.org is a network of over 1000 churches from over 40 denominations in the UK.
Your Neighbour is coordinating a UK church response to the Covid-19 crisis working with churches, the Government and the NHS. We are running a national call centre and email support line, Monday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm.
https://yourneighbour.org/
Welcome Churches – Resources for welcoming refugees during Covid 19:
https://welcomechurches.org/updates/covid19/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=yourneighbourorg_spread_the_word&utm_term=2020-04-16
Coronavirus Scams Warning – Please document from Citizens Advice here: https://dorkemmyn.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/CV-Scams-pn.pdf
Sign up to Cornwall’s (Voluntary and Community Sector) COVID-19 emergency response newsletter here: https://cornwall.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=81f0f5b15cc407aa5b5f9b50a&id=64830e2a92
Doctors of the world have great translations of COVID 19 (43 languages): https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/
The Cornwall Link
https://cornwall-link.co.uk/
Cornwall LInk have now launched our funded Covid-19 Community Support site under Cornwall Link in our efforts for a more #ConnectedCornwall during these challenging times. This support site is a development of the Inclusion Matters partnership between Age UK Cornwall & The Isles of Scilly, Cornwall Rural Community Charity, disAbility Cornwall & IoS, and the Digital Inclusion Team at Cornwall Council. Kindly developed by Made Open Communications You can find it here https://cornwall-link.madeopen.co.uk/
Crisis funding from Cornwall Community Foundation
The Cornwall Community Foundation Emergency Fund Appeal enables us to offer grants to organisations operating in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly working with people who may be affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. These grants are to cover the costs for additional work, over and above normal activities, and in response to the immediate relief of COVID-19 to your members or beneficiaries.
Funding will initially support:
• Groups that support the ongoing health and well-being needs of vulnerable people
• Groups and activities that support vulnerable people self-isolating
• Foodbanks and organisations working to combat hardship, including child hunger
• Community response coordination
• Additional support for emotional, mental health and bereavement services
For more details and link to apply for or to donate to this fund please go to www.cornwallcommunityfoundation.com/essential-guidelines-to-applying-for-grant-during-coronavirus/
Daily Hope
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has launched a free national phone line as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes while church buildings are closed because of the coronavirus.
Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.
The line – which is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 – has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind.