Coronavirus / Covid-19 Information

We hope the information below helps you through these unusual times.

Things are moving all the time at the moment so some of this info might have changed at the time of your viewing.

You can still contact us via our website, Email info@disabilitywatford.org.uk or by phone 01923 245944. The phone is working on a divert to a mobile phone so it will take some time to be answered, hence please let it ring.

Dial A Ride service in Watford

Disability Watford has been asked about the Dial-a-Ride service during the Covid-19 virus crisis.  Below is the information that Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) provided in response to our questions.  The service started from 20th July 2020.

HCC can confirm that Dial-a-Ride will be abiding by government guidance and social distancing will be in place, we can also confirm the following:

  • Passengers will be asked to wear face coverings when travelling (unless this is not possible due to a medical condition). Passengers will be expected to provide their own face coverings
  • Hand sanitisers have been fitted to all our vehicles for passengers to sanitise their hands when they board and exit the bus
  • Vehicle will be cleaned inside after every journey using wipes and disinfectant spray
  • Drivers have been issued with personal protective equipment
  • There will be less seats per journey due to social distancing, seats will be clearly marked where passenger can sit
  • All Dial-a-Ride members will receive a letter confirming the above arrangements

We can confirm Watford Borough Council pay towards the second vehicle operating in the area and there is no intention to withdraw the funding, therefore we can confirm that Dial-a-Ride will be operating as normal, albeit with fewer seats available at the moment.

Hope this helps you and let us know if there are problems with the service.

Help from RNIB with shopping if you are Blind/Severely Sight Impaired or Visually Impaired/Sight Impaired

Are you a person who is Blind/Severe Sight Impaired or visually impaired/Sight Impaired or help a person who has those conditions and can’t get on-line Priority shopping deliveries to you at home? Then RNIB can help.

The Royal National Institute of the Blind can help you get home deliveries if you aren’t on the shielded list. If you already have an Iceland or Tesco home delivery account and can’t get Priority Deliveries, then if you call the RNIB on 0303 123 9999 they can contact either of these stores to get you on the Priority home delivery list.

If you aren’t with Iceland or Tesco delivery service already, the RNIB will also register you with these 2 stores for the priority home delivery service.  Going forward, the Iceland and Tesco stores will then know you are on the list and you shouldn’t need the RNIB’s help again with this problem.  Additionally, if you call the RNIB, they can give you the phone numbers to call Sainsbury’s or Morrisons, but it is not clear if this will get you on those 2 stores Priority delivery service.

Medicines and prescriptions

A lot, if not most, of doctors’ practices link into one or more chemists and can send your prescription straight to them for the chemist to deliver to your door.  Some chemists will also pick up a prescription from you and deliver the medication afterwards, so it is worthwhile contacting either before looking for someone to do this task for you.

But if you need a volunteer, call 01923 278503.

Mobility equipment

Unfortunately a lot of places that hire out equipment like wheelchairs are closed through this crisis, but if you contact us we do have a small amount of equipment around for people to use. Otherwise plenty of places are still open via their on-line shops for equipment.

Getting food and essential shopping/supplies to your home

Going by those who have contacted us, getting food delivered to you is a major problem and you are having to risk your health and safety by going out shopping when you should be isolating yourselves.

Below are some ideas to help you and how some of the Supermarkets are helping people in these times:

  • Registering on the Government website seems to be the key that opens many doors, so please go to the www.gov.uk website and register as shielded/vulnerable/self isolating.
  • Once registered on there then items like online shopping and telephone shopping will open up to you, if you or the person you care for are entitled for these services
  • Hertshelp can help you arrange different boxes of essential supplies to your doorstep call 0300 123 4044
  • There is also a Watford Borough Council number for various types of help including shopping 01923 278503
  • When we talked to our new MP Dean Russell, he said if anyone contacted him at his Parliament email address, which is Dean.Russell.mp@parliament.uk, he would get food to them.

Take-aways

A lot of take-aways that did deliver hot food are still delivering, most of them have a delivery charge or a minimum amount you would have to spend to get the delivery. We would suggest you call them and ask if they would put this to one side while this virus crisis goes on.

But there is always the other option of ordering a take-away by the following:

Deliveroo (Download the Deliveroo app for iOS or Android)

  • Offering: Retailers and Takeaways
  • Details: Several local retailers are teaming up with Deliveroo to deliver key products. The Deliveroo app will update as they are added – at present McColls, Best One, Wenzel’s and Nisa Local feature. Deliveroo also features all available takeaway offerings in the area.
  • Contact: Download the Deliveroo app for iOS or Android

Just Eats (www.just-eat.co.uk)

  • Offering: Takeaway services from any active retailers
  • Details: Just Eat lists the active takeaway services in your area, and you can order directly from the website
  • Contact: Search ‘Just Eat’ on your laptop or in your smartphone’s app store

One Vision is another group providing hot food to your door once a day.

Local shops

There are a lot of local small shops delivering and again it is worth contacting them to see if they will help you out like those below:

Gibson Butchers
Tel 01923 236872

Gary Fruit (facebook.com/watford.fruitveg)

  • Offering: Fruit and Vegetables
  • Details: Watford Market stallholder offering fresh fruit and vegetable deliveries. Current offer: Choose a selection of 15 items and they will make up a big box for £35. Free delivery – Cash or contactless card payment on delivery. Orders to be placed via Facebook messages – see ‘Gary Fruit’ Facebook page for details.

Seven Seeded Artisan Bakery (sevenseeded.co.uk)

  • Contact: Email: info@sevenseeded.co.uk, Tel: 01923 897064.

RossCo (www.rossco.shop)

  • Offering: Fruit, Meat, Vegetables, Dairy and Delicatessen
  • Details: Local retailer from the Cassiobury estate offering deliveries of fresh fruit/veg/meat/diary/delicatessen products from their shop.
  • Contact: You can order online at www.rossco.shop or over the phone by calling 01923 249799.

Jaspers (jaspersonline.co.uk)

  • Offering: Essentials, Fruit and Vegetables
  • Temperature-controlled vehicles, friendly uniformed Jasper’s drivers, safe contact-free delivery to your door.
    • Delivered we can get these to you. Popular boxes include: Combo Box @ £39; Veg & Dairy Box @ £19; Fruit Box @ £11; Dairy & Loaf Box @ £11; Veg Box @ £11; Salad Box @ £10.
  • Contact: Please email pritesh@jaspersonline.co.uk or call 01923 883163

Supermarkets

We did not check all the supermarkets but we found the following:

A lot of supermarkets are now getting to a level that you can book an on-line delivery and some like Aldi, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Waitrose are doing boxes of essential foods and supplies. This is a new service and many of them do not need you to be an existing shopper with them.

Morrisons
Morrisons are now offering doorstep deliveries to members of the community, by asking people to pick the essentials they need from a list, and Call 0345 611 6111 and select option 5 to place your order. Any order placed before 4pm will aim to be delivered the next day. In order to use this service, you must live within 10 miles of a Morrisons store. Deliveries will adhere to the current social distancing rules so to avoid contact we strongly encourage contactless card payments only, if this isn’t possible chip and pin card payments are available but no cash payments can be accepted.’

Also they have a selection of different boxes of goods Take a look at the different types of box available below.

Vegetarian Food Box
£35.00
A selection of food suitable for vegetarians, plus essential household items.

Meat Eaters Food Box
£35.00
A selection of food including fresh meat, plus essential household items.

Market Kitchen Square Meals box
£30.00
Eight complete main meals – four different dishes.

Market Kitchen Meal Maker box
£30.00
Eight main meals – four different dishes. Add your own rice, pasta or potatoes to complete the meal.

Family Meat Box
£45.00
Create and enjoy hearty meals for the family – includes various fresh meat packs such as chicken, beef and pork

Ramadan Food Box
£35.00
A selection of food to create family meals for Ramadan

Tesco

  • If you qualify, you will be able to book a priority slot and select an eight hour window for delivery.
    Slots are now available.
  • Customers who do not currently have a Tesco account and have a letter from the NHS can either create an account online or call the supermarket on
  • 0800 917 7359.
    Tesco said it would then be able to verify whether they are on the government’s list.

Sainsbury’s
Once you are told you qualify for priority delivery, you can call the customer care line on 0800 052 5500 or 0800 328 1700

  • The supermarket has warned it is very busy and you might need to try a couple of times.
  • Once you are through to a member of staff, they will help you arrange a delivery slot.
  • If you are vulnerable and have received a government letter, but don’t already have a Sainsbury’s account, you can also call the helpline.

Asda
Asda said it has begun reaching out to vulnerable customers in England via email to offer them first access to delivery slots.

There will be a link in the email which will take them to the Asda site, where they will be able to access a recurring delivery slot.

They will also be able to access slots a week further in advance of everyone else if they don’t want a recurring slot.

These customers will also benefit from free delivery and no minimum spend when they place their order.

Aldi

Aldi are offering food parcels for delivery. The Aldi Food Parcel contains 22 food items and household products, delivered for £24.99

Contact: aldi.co.uk/food-parcels

If you know of more shops or services that you think should go on this page then please contact us.

Support Groups

In addition to the above, the information below was circulated on Monday 6th April by Hertfordshire Constabulary Neighbourhood Watch

Watford Borough Council has several links on their website that offer support in the community as well as a means to volunteer during this difficult time (www.watford.gov.uk/coronavirus )

Please find below some of the details.

Or for those residents who do not have the internet or computer access please call 01923 278503

Monday to Thursday: 8 45am to 5 15pm

Friday: 8 45am to 4 45pm

Any Hertfordshire residents outside of Watford can access support via Hertfordshire County Council Community Navigators at Herts Help on 0300 123 4044 or visit their website at www.hertshelp.net

Links to other support groups

Herts Age UK
Tel: 01707 323272 (Mon-Fri between 09:00 and 16:30)
Info@ageukherts.org.uk

New Hope Trust
Tel: 01923 210696
Email: egurney@newhope.org.uk

Hertfordshire Mind Network
Tel: 020 3727 3600

One Vision Project
Email: ovp@stanboroughpark.org

Small Acts of Kindness
Tel: 01923 372717
Email: info@smallactsofkindness.co.uk

Watford Foodbank (Mon-Sat between 10am and 1pm)
Tel: 01923 804435 or 07925 813027
Email: info@watford.foodbank.org.uk

Watford Citizens Advice
Tel: 03444 111 444 (Mon-Fri between 10am and 4pm)
Or visit the Watford CAB website