Angels are coming to the aid of 20 households in Masham, where people are in self-isolation because of coronavirus.
Masham’s Shopping Angels – a small band of volunteers who collect and deliver food, prescriptions and pet supplies free of charge, has seen clergy from the Parish Church of St Mary The Virgin working in an ecumenical partnership with Masham Methodist Church, to assist anybody in the parish who is isolated at home and in need of help.
The venture was launched after The Reverend Sian Lawton, curate at St Mary The Virgin (pictured above) self-isolated with coronavirus symptoms on Friday 13th March.
Rev. Lawton, whose husband, The Reverend Chris Lawton, is the Vicar of St Patrick’s Church in Patrick Bromtpon and in charge of six churches in Lower Wensleydale, told The Stray Ferret:
“I thought, if my family can be affected by this terrible virus, there will be others in less fortunate circumstances than ourselves who need help.”
After she spoke with The Reverend David Cleeves, Vicar of St Mary The Virgin and with Steve Laugher, a regular speaker at Masham Methodist Church. Shopping Angels was up and running in a matter of days and advertised through signs around Masham, including on the gates of the Parish Church, itself currently closed because of the coronavirus crisis.
The Reverend Sian Lawton waits to collect a prescription at the Day Lewis Pharmacy in Masham
Among those to call on the shopping service, are Norman and Geri Stephenson, who have been in self-isolation in their home for several weeks.
Mrs Stephenson, said:
“As well as collecting prescriptions, we have had shopping done, which we just can’t do for ourselves at present. We don’t know how we would have managed without this help. It’s marvellous.”
In addition to the work of the Shopping Angels, Masham residents are helping their neighbours, as the community rises to the challenges that coronavirus poses. The Rev Lawton, pointed out:
“It is great to see that in almost every street, there is somebody looking out for and helping others, but we still need to tackle the issue of rural poverty, that causes a form of isolation for people on low income.”
She added:
“The nearest food bank is in Ripon and it costs £6 for a round trip on the bus – money that some people can’t afford to pay. We will be addressing this by setting up a Masham food bank when the coronavirus crisis is over.”
People living in Masham can contact Shopping Angels via: [email protected] [email protected] and [email protected]
