Harbury Parish Council was delighted to receive an award from the High Sheriff of Warwickshire in recognition of ‘great and valuable services to the community’.
In March 2020, Harbury Parish Council acted swiftly to provide assistance to elderly and vulnerable residents during lockdown. Every household received a form to complete, where they could indicate if they needed help or if they could provide help. In the end 171 people volunteered to help the 160 households with shopping, collecting prescriptions, or just getting a daily newspaper. The network operated on a neighbourhood basis, so people were assisting those living on their own street, or close by, and has continued to function during each lockdown where needed.
At one point in April 2020, when the couple who operate Harbury Post Office and Village Stores were both ill with Covid, the volunteer network stepped up to open the shop for a week so villagers were still able to get essentials.
The High Sheriff attended the Parish Council’s virtual meeting on 25 March 2021 to make a ‘virtual presentation’ and then physically handed over the certificate to some of our councillors on 29 March 2021.
In the attached picture (L-R) are Parish Councillor Julie Balch (who played a key part in the network), the High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Joe Greenwell CBE DL, Katie Sykes (one of the volunteers) and Parish Councillor Tim Lockley, chairman of the parish council (who co-ordinated the network).
You can see the certificate we received below:
