How on earth am I supposed to self isolate?

[GammaRays]

Hi, I'm in a bit of a sticky situation and need some advice.

DS today got a high temperature out of nowhere. I called 111 and they've said I need to self isolate. However, I'm a single parent to DS, who's father is legally not allowed near us and for very good reason. My parents are both at risk and already self isolating, and the two friends I have who live nearby have both gone to stay with family far away. Every delivery slot of every supermarket is booked, and I cannot drive to do click and collect.

So, on Friday I'll be really running out of food. I don't know my neighbours (they all keep to themselves). What the hell am I meant to do? Even my local Facebook is saying they can't take any more requests for help as they're prioritising the elderly, which I completely understand, but in short, I'm screwed aren't I?

just saw your update - great news x

Which side of Chelmsford are you @GammaRays ?

The photos I posted further upthread should do around chelmsford as well; I had to look into options for my grandparents as they live just outside Chelmsford and are int he vulnerable group/I'm a keyworker and unable to visit them now..

Also DS is 1 so no school, not even nursery, and I lost my job when I was pregnant as I was on a zero hour contract and had severe sickness throughout my pregnancy so was fired. Since having DS, my life revolves around raising him and nursery would cost more than I could earn. Waiting until he's 2, then I can work when he has his free hours. If my life had been different and his dad not an arse it'd be different but unfortunately this is how it's turned out. Again, thank you all so much!

Our local taxi firms are happy to collect and deliver shopping ordered through click & collect. The taxi co's will take payment over the phone, too.

@zombiepara - no photos on your original post

Hi OP I used to work in Chelmsford and still have some of their local FB groups, try these as a starting point;
List of local services that are available in Great Baddow:
FOOD SHOPS | DELIVERY SERVICES | PHARMACIES | UTILITIES

LOCAL FOOD SHOPS
The vines fruiterers 3 The Vineyards, 01245 471999 (Card only)
The Cabin, 39 Beehive Lane, 01245 474077
Lathcoats Farm Shop, Beehive Lane CM2 8LX 01245 353021 or for home deliveries 07933181729
Thurley Meats 4 The Vineyards CM2 7QS, 01245 472843
The Local Convenience Store (next door to the Parish Hall) Maldon Rd CM2 7DW, 01245 478214
Co-op, 9C The Vineyards, CM2 7QS, 01245 472809
Co-op, 62 Beehive Lane CM2 9RP, 01245 357761
Co-op, (Petrol Station) 372 Baddow Road, CM2 9RA, 01245 493900
Co-op, 164-170 Meadgate Ave, CM2 7LJ 01245 354759
Tesco Express, 8 Purbeck Court, Dorset Ave
Baddow News, 266 Baddow Rd, CM2 9QX 01245 352777

LOCAL FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES AVAILABLE
The Manor Farm Shop Maldon Road, CM2 7RT 01245 474077 - OPEN FROM TUE 31 MARCH
Haslocks Social Food Delivery Service - order online
JM Swift Wholesale Fruit & Vegetables Deliver Fruit & Veg boxes
www.facebook.com/JMSwiftWholesaleFruitandVegetables/
Brownbread Baked Goods, deliver to CM2
Traymoor Ltd Traymoor Meats deliver.
S&M Butchers www.smbutchers.com
Knights Meats www.knightmeats.com
Direct Meats Foodstore Delivers Meat and Veg ALL OVER ESSEX

LOCAL POST OFFICE
Martin’s Newsagents, The Vineyards,CM2 7QS Open from 6am to 6.30pm Monday to Saturday, 7am to 1pm on Sundays. NEWS AGENTS and POST
OFFICE OPEN

DOCTOR SURGERIES
Do not go to the surgeries they are closed. Anything Coronavirus related, seek help online first at 111.nhs.uk/covid-19/ only then call 111 if you cannot get help online.
Non Coronavirus issues
You can call your surgery and if need be they will arrange for a telephone consultation with a doctor.
Be patient when ringing as it does take a long time sometimes to get through but you will get through.
Baddow Village surgery - baddowvillagesurgery.co.uk/ 01245 473251
Sutherland Lodge Surgery - www.sutherlandlodgesurgery.co.uk 01245 351351

PHARMACIES
Pillbox Pharmacy Meadgate Avenue, CM2 7LJ, 01245 356388
Boots: 1 The Vineyards CM2 7QS, 01245 472862
Shanty's Dispensing Chemist 62 Baddow Road, 01245 283160
Day Lewis Pharmacy: 136 Gloucester Ave, 01245 258484

FOOD BANK IN GREAT BADDOW
Foodbank works using a voucher referral system. In order to get help from our foodbank, you will need a voucher issued by local agencies.
LOCAL AGENCIES who will issue vouchers and also arrange delivery
Meadgate Vicarage: 01245 690710
Citizens Advice: 01245 20557
FOOD BANK - Bell Street Hall - Open Tuesday's 1:00pm - 3:00pm Bell Street Hall, CM2 7JS
DONATE directly to Foodbank Warehouse Vicarage Hall, 450A Beehive Lane, CM2 8RN, Mondays, Wednesday and Friday morning 10:00am - 12:30pm
DONATE to Bell Street Hall on Tuesdays 9:30am - 10:30am
COLLECTION of donations is very limited so please contact foodbank directly,
07512 574542 or [email protected]

GAS & ELECTRIC SERVICES
Families who are self-isolating and are on electric / gas meters or smart meters, can call the following provider numbers and organise to be sent 2 weeks credit for their meter:
British Gas – 0333 202 9802
EDF – 0333 200 5100
EON – 0345 052 000
N Power – 0800 073 3000
Scottish Power – 0800 027 0072
SSE – 0345 0262 658

VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Everyone to call around and ask for volunteers to help with the following:

1. Take ownership for a section of your street. Drop off leaflets and be willing to give your name and number and help to anyone that is vulnerable on your street.
2. Be a friendly voice over the phone to call elders that are on their own.
3. Shop for those in isolation. You will need to purchase the food first with your money and then be reimbursed with proof of receipt
4. Collect and deliver prescriptions
5. Have a car or van and become delivery drivers for food shops.

All volunteers please contact Clare Milligan [email protected] 07955 787368

Do let me know if there is any services that you know of that I may have missed. Thank you

I think I have the virus at the moment. I hope to get that confirmed when tests become available and if I have had it I intend to help people like you. You won’t starve. Perhaps your pharmacy or doctor’s office could put you in touch with an organisation. Good luck.

Our local community has a very active support group for elderly, vulnerable and self-isolators.

So glad to see you've found some neighbours who can help you!

A local butcher? Ours are delivering packs.

I would speak to your Health Visitor they gave a duty of care.

Great to hear some neighbours are willing to help get food, and some great suggestions for deliveries from local companies.

If you go o to the supermarket websites late at night and keep refreshing you can often get a slot for sometime away, so this could be an option from about the 17/18/19th April. Meantime HV or neighbours or local deliveries from farm shops etc.

Sign up to the app next door. You can ask for help on there.

Don’t know whether anyone else has mentioned but we managed to get a milkman delivery. He also does bread, juice, cheese, eggs, yoghurt, cream etc. So have a google.

Glad you got it sorted @GammaRays

I think the government mentioned on the radio today that there is a phone number if you are isolating and can’t get help from family or friends that you can contact they’ll deliver groceries but not sure if that was only for the 1.5 million they’ve asked to isolate for 12 weeks. Sorry only heard tail end of report. Good luck

Ask neighbours and stress the blitz spirit. Be direct 'I am in a difficult position and need you to please do something for me' as opposed to 'if you are going to the shops, do you think you could please get me some itemsbif it's not too much bother'

Morrisons are doing next day delivery box of essentials for 35 quid.

And the Morrisons boxes are back in stock as of right now

I'm glad you're sorted OP (though it seems that as usual many posters haven't rtft!). NextDoor is perfect for this sort of thing.

@CMOTDibbler Just went into Morrison's as a maybe, got this!

Sorry if this has been mentioned but saw it on another thread, apparently local councils have in place stuff to help people in this situation. It might be worth a look.

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay thanks, on the app so I will try again!

@zombiepara - that worked!

Glad you got the box OP.

Absolutely no practical help to offer just wanted to say I hope youre okay xx

If you have no luck on social media, you could try sticking a sign in your window "Please help. Isolating with child, running out of food" and perhaps a neighbour could stick their number through your door or leave a couple of tins of beans on your step or something. I think people want to be helpful if they can so worth a try. Good luck.