Bristol students set up Covid Relief Scheme to support those in quarantined halls
By Guy Taylor, Investigations Editor
Two Bristol students have set up a Student to Student Bristol Covid Relief Scheme to help those in isolation at the University.
The scheme provides essential items, such as food and prescription medicines, and caters for dietary requirements due to ‘ethical and medical reasons, or due to the impacts of eating disorders.’
The organisation is operated by student volunteers, and anyone can sign up using the google document form provided on the Facebook group, as long as they are not showing any symptoms of Coronavirus.
Requests are taken on a flat by flat basis via google forms. A volunteer group is then assigned, and the delivery is organised, with payment being made for the items via a ‘secure, cashless payment method,’ such as Paypal.
Their initiative was set up in in response to the lockdown at The Courtrooms accomodation on Friday, where approximately 300 students were placed into quarantine after 40 cases of coronavirus was confirmed among residents.
Discussing how the scheme has run so far, Alice Baxter, one of the creators of the initiative said they have had ‘quite a response,’ and that ‘it feels good to finally be able to help freshers.’
On the potential difficulties of the operation, she explained how ‘[the group] have found that as long as we are efficient, friendly and helpful, the sentiment is reciprocated, and the scheme runs smoothly.’
Volunteers are responsible for wearing PPE and taking all necessary precautions to ensure that deliveries are conducted safely. Alice, who volunteers for the NHS in handing out prescriptions, said ‘we have a very similar structure.’
The group is open to providing other items outside the bracket of medical and dietary needs, provided it is not illegal or age restricted.
Speaking about the future for the initiative, Alice said they plan to ‘run the scheme for as long as is necessary’.
Featured Image: Student to Student Bristol Covid Relief Scheme
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