The Arches (Rhayader & District Community Support) is an independent charity set up in 1985, based in The Arches in the centre of Rhayader. They provide a range of services for local people and work with other local organisations to encourage community involvement and enhance people’s lives.
During the Covid-19 crisis the organisation saw a sharp increase in demand for their services and applied to the C-SERT emergency fund to enable them to meet it. With the help of the funding they have been able to co-ordinate additional volunteers to help vulnerable community members with everything from shopping deliveries to dog walking.
So far their team have
Delivered 54 prescriptions
Shopped and delivered 86 bags of shopping
Supplied 12 foodbank parcels
Set up 17 telephone support/befriending matches
Made around 200 phone calls to check on people’s welfare
Organised 2 dog walker volunteers
Compiled, printed and delivered 1500 bulletins to households in Rhayader and district
Some of those supported said:
“So very helpful- helping everybody with their medicines and food shopping, they have been so good at this time”
“Very efficient when I ring for shopping and Del (the volunteer) is so cheerful and kind.”
“My chats with the arches staff and volunteers have been a lifesaver”
“I look forward to seeing Billy (the driver) with my food deliveries “
“It is so good to have foodbank here in Rhayader”
“I couldn’t have done without them at this time”
The Powys Community Sector Emergency Response Team (C-SERT) and PAVO have worked together to distribute small grants to help communities respond to the Covid-19 emergency. The C-SERT Emergency Fund is drawn from the Welsh Government Integrated Care Fund (ICF), allocated by the Powys Regional Partnership Board (RPB).