DORSET residents are being urged to step forward and volunteer to be part of the community response to Covid-19 as cases start to rise nationally again.

Volunteer Centre Dorset is looking for new volunteers - especially in the Weymouth area - to come forward and register to help support people who are struggling because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Cases are low in Dorset compared to other parts of the country, however, organisations involved in the coordinated community response to the virus are preparing for a potential rise in demand for help from residents who need to self-isolate.

Cllr Laura Miller, Dorset Council portfolio holder for adult social care and health, said: “We all remember the fantastic response from the Dorset community during the first wave of the outbreak.

“As we head towards winter, we need to call upon that goodwill again in order to help some of our residents get through what is likely to be a tough time.”

Volunteers can help others by shopping for food, delivering food parcels, collecting prescriptions and telephone befriending.

Marie Waterman, manager of the Volunteer Centre Dorset, said: “We want to make sure that our residents are looking out for one another ant that anyone who needs to stay at home will be safe and have the things they need, whether it’s food, medicine or simply someone to talk to over the phone or online.

“If you’re healthy and know yourself to be at low risk of the virus, we are urging you to come forward and help others in your community.”

The amount of time given can be flexible and volunteers don’t necessarily need to be able to drive.

Dave Thorp, CEO of Age UK North, South and West Dorset, said: “During the spring and summer, volunteers helped us to deliver vital services to older people in North, South and West Dorset as part of the community response.

“We now need to ask for that fantastic help again to ensure that nobody goes without essential supplies and a friendly contact during the next few months.

“Please give whatever time you can and make a real difference to the most vulnerable within our communities.”

To register, visit https://bit.ly/3cwGqX0