It is my pleasure to report that The Listening Place is set to reopen for face-to-face support from July 13th. It has been a difficult few months and though we adapted quickly to Coronavirus and lockdown, we are delighted to get back to what we consider the best and most effective type of support – ongoing, face-to-face and with the same volunteer.
Obviously there are some caveats. We will begin as a hybrid service, gradually phasing out phone-based support as we transition visitors back to face-to-face support. We have adapted our Meade Mews premises to ensure that it has all necessary PPE equipment and is socially distancing friendly. This means limiting the number of volunteers on shift and the rooms used at any one time.
Re-opening was also massively dependent on the willingness of our volunteers to come in and I am delighted to report that the vast majority are happy to return to their shift, on a phased basis, dependent on their personal circumstances. Any volunteer who would still prefer not to come in will continue with their phone appointments remotely, for those of our visitors, also unable to get in for face-to-face. We are constantly monitoring this situation for both volunteers and visitors.
I would like to give a massive thank you to The Fishmongers’ Company’s Charitable Trust, if it had not been for your flexibility, understanding and commitment to our service in this time, we would not have been able to both adapt and reopen so quickly – which will ultimately save lives.
Daniel Hall – Fundraising Manager
© The Fishmongers’ Company 2024
