1. WIVENHOE MUTUAL AID SERVICES UPDATE. We have now been in operation for 9 months and during this period, our wonderfully willing volunteers have carried out over 3,050 deliveries, as well as other activities such as delivering shopping, phone support, gardening, transport and helping clients with contact details for local plumbers and electricians.

Wivenhoe Mutual Aid HELPLINE NUMBER: 07394 910486.

2. OUR CLIENTS. We must stress that we only have the resources to offer such support to those who are elderly, vulnerable and/or sheltering, and we ask family members and kindly neighbours to help out where they can. Unfortunately, it has become apparent that a few clients are taking our volunteers for granted to the point of blaming them when they have not been issued the medication they were expecting from the pharmacy. We understand that everyone has been under considerable stress during the pandemic, but this behaviour will not be tolerated, and volunteers will no longer deliver to anyone who treats our volunteers with disrespect.

3.THANK YOU, WIVENHOE. Conversely, we recognise that most of the community appreciate our volunteers for their unstinting support to the service. This was demonstrated recently, when our very own Sheila Scammell was contacted by a representative of the East of England Coop and be informed that, after a survey to ask for shoppers' opinions of organisations which have helped their local community most during the virus, Wivenhoe Mutual Aid was one of the top 30 winners;  thank you, lovely people of Wivenhoe, for taking the time to vote for us. Thanks must also go to all those who have so generously donated cash to WMA, it is much appreciated.

4.GP SURGERY & BOOTS PHARMACY CHRISTMAS CLOSING DATES. The Surgery will be closed on the Friday 25th, Saturday 26th, Sunday 27th, and Monday 28th December. Please ring 111 if you need out of hours medical help.

The Pharmacy will be closed on Friday 25th, Sunday 27th and Monday 28th - opened on Saturday 26th.

HAVE A GOOD, SAFE CHRISTMAS EVERYONE, FROM ALL WMA VOLUNTEERS.