Queuing finally broke me today

[SpringBlossomIsBeautiful]

I’ve continued to work throughout as I’m SE & don’t qualify for any grants etc.
I’m shopping for 3 families who haven’t left their houses for 9 weeks due to shielding. It’s stressful with endless lists, receipts etc as well as extremely time consuming.
Today I got to Tesco at 8.10am as I needed to be at work for 9.30 (5 minutes drive).
I was 3rd from the front by 9am when we were stopped to let the elderly & vulnerable in (I have no issues with this) .
At 9.25 I had to leave the queue empty handed. Over an hour of my day wasted & now I to go back this afternoon to get what I couldn’t get 😫
I’m exhausted & just don’t think I can do it anymore but at the same time I can’t let them go without.

The last time I looked at Sainsburys there were no delivery slots and no clock and collect slots for my nearest large store although the next nearest had some, about 20 minutes drive away.

Today there is nothing at all.

@crustycrab I'm in Preston and can only get sainsburys slots for delivery
Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons all booked up

Thank you all for your messages & I am currently WhatsApping them all with the options & have said I simply can’t do it on my own anymore.

The families are shielding due 1 member having a terminal condition (ie a couple of years left) which most certainly would result in near certain death if they were to catch Covid so I completely understand their need to isolate.
Hopefully going forward (I’ve shopped this afternoon for them because it’s too late for them to get a slot but not delivering) they are all going to go online. In some ways, as well, they aren’t seeing anyone else so I think they liked the waving/talking through the window IYSWIM ?
For them it’s a very strange bubble & yes they have become very reliant on me.
I’ve given myself a couple of hours off this afternoon & I’m currently WFH (paperwork 😴) & sat under a tree with a cold cider 🥂
It’s

OP you do right. They shouldn't be still expecting you to do this. At the beginning it was tricky and delivery options weren't up and running.

@ClientQ I'm only a few miles away from Preston and have lots of friends there.

There are Sainsbury’s slots, a friend has been getting Asda deliveries throughout, reilly's butchers offer free delivery. There next available Iceland slot is tomorrow between 6am and 8am. Even subway is open for delivery.

There is absolutely no need to have your friend do the shopping of several households if you live in a large town and can afford a £350 weekly shop.

OP hope it all works out for you and you get a bit of a break. Tonight make sure to do something nice for yourself or get a walk, an early night or something, you deserve it

And amazon will delivery amazon pantry to Preston as well as Morrison's food by Friday. Literally hundreds of options

Which large town? Whenever the question is asked nobody responds

Well, for me personally that's because I don't want to name my location, even if it's a large town. But it's still true.

@NamesNamesSoManyNames I seriously doubt it is

OK, that's fine then. I'm a liar. Crack on.

I dont get this, its kind of you to help OP but I don't understand why you are looking after 3 families? And one of them wants a huge amount of shopping?

Not saying you're a liar, I'm saying I doubt that in any large town there are no delivery options for groceries. If you won't name the town then the misconception I think you have can't be corrected can it?

And as a result people believe they can't get food delivered in their area and they continue to pile pressure onto their loved ones to the point that they feel utterly exhausted

@crustycrab just to show the difference though
This is Tesco and Iceland. No slots
It took me a month as a vulnerable person to get a slot, now Tesco won't recognise me as vulnerable but luckily sainsburys are being pretty good

Asda

Iceland have delivery in Preston for tomorrow and Tesco have click and collect when I check?

My point is that in every large town there are now lots of options. People have had to be creative especially early on.

But there is absolutely no reason for someone to be expecting their friends to take on this level of responsibility for them

Also, it was very clear early on that there was going to be a demand for delivery slots. This is where planning ahead comes in.

I can recommend sharrocks for veg deliveries also in that area

Look originally it was hard for the shielded to get slots but now it's easier they have to tick the box that says they need help for food and medicine and the supermarkets will be in touch if they have their email or they can apply to the supermarkets. A lot of local companies are delivering to the shielded. As a shielded person myself I'd say they do have options some of our local market stalls are delivering as well.
I hope you got yourself a well earned treat whilst you were out

@crustycrab we don't have a tesco in preston sadly! But I can't (as shielding people can't) click and collect hence the home delivery need

Sorry Morrison's on the docks have slots tomorrow. I've googled that many companies. Just about to see if that maccies is still there/open

You don't have the biggest Tesco in the world in leyland? They also have click and collect for Friday

@crustycrab yes but a 40 min round trip and I can't do click and collect. Luckily I'm sorted with sainsburys now but it hasn't been easy at all. It took 5 weeks to get a government food box

"But I can't (as shielding people can't) click and collect hence the home delivery need"

Family members of shielding members can click and collect. In fact the system at Lancaster Asda means you don't need to leave your car, I'd imagine it's the same there.

I think you're proving my point though. People are determined to argue that they can't get groceries when they can. So many options yet instead they just pile the pressure on to those trying to help them

Somebody else needs to take over the responsibility of getting those people's shopping from you. It's kind of you but you simply haven't got time to do this. A lot of neighbourhoods have volunteers who do people's shopping free of charge. The queuing isn't going to go away anytime soon.

@crustycrab I'm shielding alone. No family. That's the point I'm making - not everyone has family members or people happy to click and collect for them
Part of the reason I am not driving is if I am involved in an accident I am then breaking my shielding by being in contact with ambulance staff and hospital. My consultant doesn't want me anywhere near a hospital and has changed all my appointments to phone ones

I know it's been hard (FIL is shielding) but everyone should be sorted now.

These people relying on op could arrange their own c&c and she could collect it.

20 minutes to the supermarket isn't far either really is it? It's not a problem that means these 3 families relying on OP couldn't possibly overcome

@ClientQ but your situation doesn't apply to these people. Nor does it apply to the vast majority of people shielding.

I'm assuming you haven't expected a friend to do a £350 weekly shop? That is not for one person shielding alone