Online shopping - sorry!

[Clevererthanyou]

Good evening :)
I’m a disabled woman living at home with my husband who works part time as he is my carer. He was in the middle of driving lessons when this virus happened so we don’t have a car. Pre-virus he could order groceries online. He still has to work, I have 7 year old son whom I can just about care for when my husband isn’t home as he leaves food/drink for us that doesn’t require preparation.
My question is this, I’m not so poorly/vulnerable that the government believe I should be assisted in any way but we’ve been looking on every grocery website for weeks and they are fully booked. So Is there a special secret to getting delivery slots? I’m on two of the supermarket sites at midnight and my husband is on the others but there’s nothing. We don’t live within walking distance of supermarkets and if he catches public transport he has to queue for 2+ hours and can only carry two bags back. Our greengrocers has shut down, the takeaways have closed and even the chemist only allows prescriptions to be collected so it’s getting increasingly difficult to find any essential items. Our local Spars has empty shelves most of the time as people seem to be there for the “right time” to get their essentials.

How are YOU managing at this time? Any tips please?

Have you tried Facebook for people selling fruit boxes or meat packs?
Where I live businesses are shut for people buying in person but they now deliver food items

A shopping trolley if you can get one from Amazon perhaps and a rucksack will increase the amount of food your husband can carry at least for the time being. Are taxis working? I've seem them around where I am but not many.

I was going to suggest a taxi?

Failing that look on local Facebook pages for helpers. There's people out there willing to help with delivering to vulnerable people etc.

Have you tried contacting your local council to see what local support is available?

Also do contact all the supermarkets and let them know your situation - they may be able to offer a slot. Try Iceland definitely.

Are you in a deliveroo or milk and more area?

Cook do nice healthy frozen meals and are prioritising the vulnerable.

Cook deliver for vulnerable customers only

I second local Facebook page Covid support in your area.
Or, local council website.
Ours has set up a support service whereby you ring the number given on the website and can place an order with the council worker for food from the Co-OP.
Co-op then phone back, and you give card details to pay for shopping.
Shopping is then delivered, by council worker/volunteer within 24 hours.
There is a lot of help about if you know where to look OP.
Good luck.

You’ve all been very kind and helpful with your ideas and I’ve written a to do list that I can begin tomorrow morning - many thanks!

Do you have a Morrisons nearby? Theyve started a new next day service

Morrisons and M&S do 'Food boxes', which are worth looking at. These are dealt with separately to Morrisons normal deliveries and there are a few to choose from (they've now introduced a 'ready meal' box).

I managed to get a delivery slot on Tesco the other night by going on at 11.40pm so that's worth a try; the other supermarkets are prioritizing those class as 'extremely vulnerable'.

Oh also look on facebook for your local Covid-19 support group of volunteers.

Ring and speak directly to tesco / asda etc see if you can get put on their priority list (I am disabled and have a shielding dc) I got put on list due to disability as dc can't have an account she said there was some discretion and went and spoke to her manager. It doesn't guarantee a slot but since being added I'm getting slots about every 10 days.

The Morrison's box is great or maybe your husband uses a backpack and fills that up and carries the two bags of shopping too. Could get a lot home that way. Or one of those trolleys that you push might be an idea for him to bring more back. Is he having to queue for two plus hours at the supermarket? Cause I don't think it's that bad anymore . I live in a major city and queues are 10 minutes plus here.

My mum uses a suit case to carry her shopping in. Agree with whoever said the queues shouldn’t be 2 hours now. Things have calmed down

You’ve all been very kind and provided helpful suggestions so thanks very much! Apologies for not returning, I’ve been bed bound for a short while.

Tesco release around midnight. Asda try around 2am. Morrisons food boxes are a life saver and they deliver quickly. Got a slot last night on Tesco...for May 24th!!! A month away. Madness.

It might be useful to phone and speak to
The manager at your local Spar.

I did this and found out what times their delivery lorries come in. It wasn't much use to me as I'm very vulnerable so can't go out.
The times were quite random times but worth knowing so your husband might be able to time a visit.

Do you have a wheeled trolly? Shopping type? It might be worth ordering one online. You can carry so much more if one is loaded up and bags on the top too.

I'm finding getting delivery slots increasingly hard.

Hello,

Hope you’re doing okay 💐

I usually find I always get a slow between 6:30 and 8:00 on Morrison’s.

Even if it’s a couple of weeks away book it now so at least you know they you have one ready for a couple weeks time :)

Hi OP,

I'm one of the Covid volunteers.

If it offers any reassurance we've all had to register with our local council and watch safeguarding training.

I delver shopping to a vulnerable household.

It's very well organised.

We have a local hub, and they call in their shopping.

As I'm assigned to a single household and I get their shopping list (we speak on the phone to agree any subs).

Then I deliver it to the porch.

In my case I send a photo receipt to a family member who pays me back via internet banking, but for other volunteers the household pays online directly.

I'd definitely suggest you contact your council. There will be people wiling to help you in your local community.