IHB are a group of volunteers in the London Borough of Bexley. The group was launched on 17 March 2020 in response to the looming COVID-19 Pandemic. Our concern was that the elderly and vulnerable of Bexley, particularly those with no digital footprint, would find the necessity to isolate a significant challenge. Concerns became a reality and for many the everyday possible became simply IMPOSSIBLE.
Simple tasks like collecting a prescription, buying a newspaper or walking a dog, suddenly attracted a degree of risk. Thankfully the fine people of Bexley quickly rose to the challenge and in the space of just over 2 months, every household in Bexley had received one of IHB’s flyers. Over 800 Bexley residents had joined IHB’s ranks and voluntarily provided practical help to many hundreds of elderly or vulnerable neighbours. One of the saddest discoveries, was just how many people were ‘isolated’ before there was a need to self isolate and so Bexley’s COVID legacy will be the birth of IHB.
We are a local community group dedicated to working together and with our partners to ensure that elderly and vulnerable members of our communities know that they will always have a lifeline in a time of crisis. Put simply, our ethos is that we are committed to ensuring that ‘NOBODY in Bexley feels isolated’.
IHB aim to make Bexley ‘London’s Friendliest Borough’.
Let’s Build An Even Better Bexley!
IHB is totally volunteer reliant and we have no regular income. Financial donations are essential, allowing us to purchase supplies for our emergency provisions boxes and to keep our essential communication channels open so we are always there when Bexley needs us. So please join the lottery on IHB’s page and on behalf of all of us at IHB and the countless people of Bexley that we have helped so far, thank you for your generosity and support and the very best of luck.
Click on the Bexley Community Lottery logo or click here to go to the IHB page to buy your tickets.
Our work
Volunteering with IHB isn’t like traditional volunteering. IHB will generally put you in contact with a vulnerable or elderly person in your community and leave the rest to you. You then pick up their shopping or prescriptions at the same time as you collect yours. Essentially, we are encouraging neighbourly qualities and community spiritedness.
IHB’s HELPdesk volunteers (our IHBees) use the very latest technology to view a request for help on a mapping system showing the location of each and every IHB volunteer. This means we can identify the most suitable volunteer for a task in a matter of seconds. That request for help will result in the allocation of an IHBuddy (a good neighbour, if you like). IHBuddies help with shopping, prescriptions, or are just there for a chat.
In 2022, we also introduced our DIGITAL CHAMPIONS service. IHB are working with the BVSC to provide IT services to the Digitally Excluded, in the form of Digital Champions. If you are interested in knowing more about our Digital Champions (DC) Team, please email dave@isolationhelpbexley.com
Please see our Useful Links and FAQ page here. You can also check out our video below!
Awards
IHB are the proud recipients of the Mayor of Bexley’s Civic Recognition of Outstanding Achievement award.
The award was collected by our very own Dave on the 15th of May, 2021 and we would like to thank our very dedicated volunteers for their hard work and service to their communities.
Our structure
Michelle is our HELPdesk Coordinator and is also responsible for the IHB Food Hub. Michelle coordinates a dedicated team of volunteers that staff the IHB HELPdesk during our hours of business. The team are affectionately known as the IHBees and manage the very busy task of matching requests with available volunteers using IHB’s TeamBee software. So when Michelle isn’t busy with the IHBees, she can be found collecting provisions from local supermarkets or dispatching urgent provisions boxes from the IHB Food Hub.
Fiona is our Duty Admin As such Fiona is the day to day go to member of the admin team for those tricky situations and help us find a resolution to problems as they arise.
Fiona is also the Strand Liaison, covering off tasks that may overlap a number of strands or that don’t fit under any specific umbrella.
You can click here to send an email to Fiona.
Liz is the IHB Safeguarding lead and also has responsibility for the IHB listening service. Essentially, Liz looks after the welfare of not just IHB’s people in need, but also all of us lottoo and is keen to stress that the listeners are there for IHB’s volunteers just as much as anybody else.
When Liz isn’t looking after us all, she also likes to muck in at the IHB Food Hub and can often be found at Michelle’s side on those regular, all important shopping trips to stock up on the Hubs supplies.
You can click here to send an email to Liz.
Dave is our Secretary and as such is responsible for our public image. He has oversight of our Media, Social Media and website content and liaises with outside agencies, like London Borough of Bexley (LBB) and Bexley Voluntary Services Council (BVSC). Dave sends out many of the internal communications you receive and is also responsible for policy writing prior to board approval. As Secretary, it’s down to him to take minutes, set agendas for meetings and ensure that they are duly documented.
You can click here to send an email to Dave.
Eugene manages our IT, be that Team Bee, IHB’s website or any other technological innovations that rear their heads with the potential to make IHB more efficient.
Colin is our Treasurer and manages IHB’s finances, keeping a keen eye on donations andoutgoings to make sure IHB remains financially stable.
As the Treasurer, Colin is responsible for funding applications and is also involved in all of our fundraising efforts.
You can click here to send an email to Colin.
Our partners
Contributors
We would like to thank the following supporters for donating product licenses that make running IHB possible:
CircleLoop brings your entire phone system together in powerful desktop and mobile apps. There’s no tedious admin, no daft jargon, and no contract ties.
Mojo Helpdesk ticketing system, centralizes customer conversations in one place, automates repetitive work to save time, for speedy resolution.
Keep all your work in one place with secure access from your computer, phone or tablet.
Easy automation for busy people. Zapier moves info between your web apps automatically, so you can focus on your most important work.
IHB’s work was recognised by The National Lottery Community Fund with a one-off donation to support specific aspects of our work. Thanks TNLCF!
Did you know?
Volunteering with IHB may count towards your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, please check with your DofE Leader for applicability.