A DEDICATED service to provide help to the most vulnerable people during the present Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency has been set up by Bradford Council.

As well as providing constituency-based community hubs to co-ordinate helpful volunteers and organisations, the Council also wants to make sure that everyone in need of help and support will have somewhere to turn to when the need arises.

If you are in a high risk group, have symptoms or are in self isolation, then the advice is to ask for help from family, friends, neighbours and established local groups.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “At challenging times like this it’s a blessing to have friends, family, neighbours or members of the local community to rally round and give their support.

“This could be assistance with shopping, collecting medicines or a range of other services necessary to keep people healthy and safe.

“Unfortunately, some of our most vulnerable residents do not have those networks to rely on.

“We want to make sure they have somewhere to turn to when they need it.

“Anyone who needs our help should get in touch and we will provide the assistance you need from whichever organisation is most suitable for your particular circumstances.”

Residents who do not have anyone or any organisation that they can ask for help are asked to call the Bradford Council Contact Centre on 01274 431000.

The contact centre is open: 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday, and 10am – 4pm Saturday and Sunday.

We will register your need and you will be pointed in the right direction or connected with one of the co-ordinated teams or People Can volunteers in your area who can step in to help.

The Council also aims to keep people updated on social media. It can be followed on Twitter @bradfordmdc or on Facebook. The Council’s website, www.bradford.gov.uk, also has coronavirus advice and information.