Social media turns Worthing neighbours into town leaders: this is how they did it

Worthing residents have created a sophisticated coronavirus support network within days, outpacing the Government and local authorities. This is the story of how they did it.
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In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, communities have united in a way not seen since the Second World War.

But with smartphones and social media, the ways this is happening looks decidedly different this time around.

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Much like towns across the country, Worthing has seen online support networks flourishing. These range from a town-wide Facebook group called the Worthing Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support Network that boasts 8,000 members right down to street-specific networks.

Claire Hunt from Northcourt Road, Worthing, has set up a neighbour support group: one of many across the townClaire Hunt from Northcourt Road, Worthing, has set up a neighbour support group: one of many across the town
Claire Hunt from Northcourt Road, Worthing, has set up a neighbour support group: one of many across the town

Claire Hunt, of Northcourt Road, Broadwater, runs one of these. Inspired by what she had seen on Facebook, the 60-year-old social enterprise co-founder devised a leaflet with the help of neighbours she knew. One lady who was social distancing printed them, while others volunteered to deliver – and before they knew it, they had 26 households join their WhatsApp text messaging group. She said: “It’s been brilliant. Everybody’s really up for helping each other.”

Through the group, people have been delivering food to neighbours and worked with the Gaisford Ward group to get medicine to someone who was ill.

Claire said she had learned a lot about her neighbours: such as one lady making face masks with filters on her sewing machine.

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She said she felt the community spirit stronger than ever: “I think this is a really brilliant thing for the future, that we have started to get to know each other. We had a brief glimpse of each other the other night when we came out to clap the NHS.

Worthing Borough Councillor Carl WalkerWorthing Borough Councillor Carl Walker
Worthing Borough Councillor Carl Walker

“Through this, we check in on each other and swap funny things. I hope it carries on.”

Worthing Borough Councillor Carl Walker runs the East Worthing Community Residents Group, which covers more than 4,000 homes in east Worthing with its own dedicated support phoneline, and a Whatsapp group for their growing army of volunteers. The 44-year-old psychologist, of Sugden Road, was bowled over by its successes – including getting at least ten bed donations to Worthing Hospital for doctors to sleep on.

He said: “I have never known anything like this, only reading in the history books about the blitz spirit. I get a sense of a revitalisation of the same thing.

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“It’s a level of community goodwill I haven’t seen in my life.”

This ‘ward group’ feeds into the larger Worthing Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support Network mentioned previously.

Callum, 23, is part of the leadership team of that group, and has been involved for around three weeks.

When he is not doing his day job in children’s social services for West Sussex County Council, he is manning the Facebook page.

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He said: “When I woke up this morning, I had 12 notifications from the group, and when I go to bed at 11pm I’ll have more.

“As far as I’m aware, there hasn’t been one family or person asking for support that hasn’t received it.”

The grass-roots group shows the power of social media, as members of the public have been able to set up networks far faster than the Government or local authorities.

The NHS Volunteer Responder scheme was launched on Tuesday, March 24, so that prescriptions could be delivered to those in need, among other tasks.

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But this was something the Facebook group’s volunteers had already been doing by working with pharmacies, Callum said.

Callum recognised this had its difficulties, as people were asking for help beyond what they could offer.

“We are not medical professionals; we are a mixture of 2,000 volunteers from different backgrounds. If people need a tin of beans or milk, we can help. But for other things, we have to tell people to call 111, or contact their GP or the council. We can’t give people money.”

The Durrington resident said Worthing Borough Council was now working with them to co-ordinate the response, which he welcomed.

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But the founding principles of the group have not changed, he said: “Someone said a couple of weeks ago that something like this brings out the best and worst in people.

“When we set it up, everyone had the same goal; this is Worthing, there are elderly and vulnerable people here. If we don’t help them and the council hasn’t set anything up, then who will?”