From money worries to loneliness - we’d like to hear your experiences of living through the coronavirus pandemic to help shape vital support for those in need across Norfolk.
The Norfolk Community Foundation (NCF) has created a survey to understand how communities are managing and what help and support they need to get them through the winter and beyond.
The foundation’s Surviving Winter appeal, backed by this newspaper, has this year been renamed Surviving the Covid Winter to reflect the particular hardship faced by thousands during the pandemic.
NCF chief executive Claire Cullens said: “We are privileged to have close working relationships with hundreds of charities and social enterprises working to make a tangible, positive difference to the lives of people in our county.
“But we need to know more about how people in Norfolk are coping during the ongoing pandemic - what are they most worried about and where is help needed.
“The survey will help by providing us with a snapshot of life in communities throughout the county.
“As an organisation which exists entirely to support communities in Norfolk, we need to know as much as possible about the worries people have: whether concerns about health, anxieties about money and paying bills, feeling lonely and sad, or fears for jobs, careers and the future.
“We hope that lots of people will spend just a couple of minutes to complete the survey and help to inform the work Norfolk Community Foundation delivers.”
One of the charities the NCF supports is SENsational Families, which provides support services and training to parents who have a child with a special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
Nicki Price, the founder and chief executive of SENSational Families, said: “The first Covid-19 lockdown presented an immediate crisis.
“With children being at home 24/7 and families unable to access their support network, we quickly saw an increase in mental health issues and child-on-parent violence and aggression.
“Since the start of the first lockdown, we have received 65 new referrals for families needing our support.
“We have appointed two additional part-time family support advisors since the pandemic hit, who work with families on a one-to-one basis.
“Our Great Yarmouth-based team member has been funded thanks to a grant from the NCF.
“We are incredibly grateful to our volunteers, fundraisers and anyone who has donated to the NCF.
“We are ready to provide support to SEND families throughout Norfolk and further funding will enable us to do more.”
You can help by donating online at norfolkfoundation.com/giving-philanthropy/surviving-the-covid-winter/, calling 01603 623958 to make a card payment or sending a cheque to Norfolk Community Foundation, 5th Floor St James Mill, Whitefriars, Norwich, NR3 1TN.
To take part in the survey, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NCFWinter20Survey.
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