UK - Resources for help getting food during quarantine and other supermarket related problems

The only other possibility @Wonko is that it's a result of the letter that I sent to my local store rather than my email to Mike Coupe which has then been passed up to head office. I put both my phone number and email in the letter. I wasn't expecting that to reach the store until today though as the post has been really slow where I live so I would think it was more likely a response to my email to Mike Coupe.

 

Facebook can be a good resource for local help.

Search for an area and add community and it should highlight groups / businesses.
I have just done this for my stepmum in Kent who is housebound and found a local Italian restaurant who is doing veg and deli items

Seemingly Instagram is similar

 

Yeah me too. I emailed ceo's of tesco, sainsbury's and morrisons and had a reply back from local MP. Stating very clearly that I do not want to be put in vulnerable group but need to be able to get food. They said they are going to raise the issue about people with ME not being able to order food etc. but in the meantime told me that the local council have help on offer for the food side of things.

I replied saying that as long as it's not linked to the vulnerable group list and is food only I am interested. MP is going to enquire on my behalf. Feeling very nervous now Last time I had an MP to step in to help (with my scooter blocked in cupboard) they made everything massively worse.

 

I had a reply to my email to the CEO for Ocado:

So that sounds promising.

If you don’t get an acceptable response from your first point of contact to your preferred supermarket (as I didn’t), it might be worth making a complaint.

 

@Wonko not sure where you wrote it but I saw you said you couldn’t get cleaning supplies.
Just got this in an email

https://store.laundryheap.com/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=CarePack

 

discovered this 12 ready meals delivered for £30 from soulfood - I've eaten their meals before, they're vegan but as I meat eater I still enjoyed them. Quite small portion but very tasy & healthy!
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/d.../readymeals-delivered-to-your-door-discounts/

@lunarainbows think you might like these?

 

Oh this is a really good idea! I’ve had one or two soul food pots before (not straight from their website but from supermarkets) and they’re really quite tasty! It’s good they’re delivering straight from their website in bulk.

On that link I also see pasta evangelists mentioned. Oh the memories. I got those boxes for a brief time last year, or it might have been the year before, I remember their chocolate hazelnut gnocchi. Dessert pasta. Even their savouries. If anyone likes pasta, and is able to eat fatty food, I recommend it so so highly. They provide sauce, pasta, topping, you have to heat it up.

 

I don't suffer with anxiety. But I'm feeling it right now, probably unwarranted but feeling it none the less.

MP contacted my council's support hub on my behalf, and a social worker text me. So difficult answering questions... Need to answer just enough to get food, but not so honest that they decide to take over my life.

I explained to her that I do not want to be in the vulnerable group, I just need access to food.

They don't have the power to enable supermarket shopping (I'm guessing without the vulnerable group) all they can do is deliver a food package once a week until the lockdown has ended.

She has placed a referral for me. I don't know what happens now.

She said if I do manage to get a supermarket delivery at any point and don't need the food packages, just to text her and she will cancel it. (I didn't bother mentioning the morrison's food box I'm getting on Saturday)

 

Well that's never happened before, not so soon anyway nor to this severity I've often had lemons out at room temp for weeks and they've been fine.

This pack of three is only a few days old

 

I received a similar email last week (but still have one future order left).

Have any Ocado Smartpass customers received the email allowing them to book a slot yet? I'm a bit scared it's going to stuff up...

 

My daughter had to throw away two packs of meat a little while back, well inside their use-by date and delivered online from ASDA. I think there are some significant supply chain issues at the moment, and I suspect a consequence is that perishables are not getting anything like enough time in refrigeration, probably instead in crates in warehouse gangways because there is not enough refrigeration space. Something is going badly wrong; understandable but at the worst possible time. People and society in general can least afford to throw food away, and can least afford to go sick with food poisoning. I decided to report it but could find no sensible route to do that.

 

This is my message from Tesco today (as a online delivery plan subscriber):

But I'm assuming they are planning on using the 'shielding' list to judge who is vulnerable.

 

Well at least I know what kind of reply I'll be getting from them now. Looks like sainsbury's is in the lead so far with regard to giving a toss.

 

That was the message they sent to all their regular online delivery subscribers! They don't even offer 'Click and Collect' in Somerset. Apparently my nearest store that offers this is in Wales...

 

I'm not feeling quite so jubilant this morning Previously I wasn't allowed access to delivery slots at Sainsbury's - a message would appear saying I had not been identified as vulnerable. I logged on this morning and I am now being allowed access - but there aren't any slots actually available to book with them either! So I'm not out of the woods - I'm still going to have to stay up till midnight to try and get a slot but at least I have got another supermarket to try. Failing that I shall have to email the guy at head office who rang me yesterday.

 

I had this marketing email from Sainsbury's this morning. They do seem to be the most proactive for vulnerable customers and if they are increasing capacity maybe thing will improve.

 

Wow!! It was yesterday afternoon that the social worker text me, and this morning, 10 minutes ago, a food parcel arrived on my doorstep at 10am It was downstairs but I ain't complaining! Just a normal young lad delivered it.

This is what was included:

1 toilet roll,
Bag of noodles,
Bag of Oats,
Heinz chicken soup,
Heinz tomato soup,
Tin of tuna,
Tin of beans,
Tin of sweetcorn,
Carton of semi skimmed milk,
Carton of blended tomatoes,
6 bread buns,
Tetley's tea bags,
Fruity pot of Pineapple,
Packet of custard creams,
Carton of Orange Juice.



I don't 'think' I'm in the vulnerable group. Had no annoying texts today so far. I'll have to text the social worker to thank her. So this appears to be the weekly government food aid.

Thanks government!

I wonder if there's a way to make them come upstairs. Knackered now.

 

Thinking about it, I'm guessing this food aid is from the only local government charity that was advertised on the council website last week, one that is usually a food bank that I didn't apply for as I do have money. So it looks like I'm getting this

 

That is not a lot of food for a week.

It's not a lot of food for 3-4 days, but every little helps.

 

Yes, looks like a food bank delivery - they usually only supply 3 days of food in normal times.