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

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

6 months?

I thought I was doing well getting a tin of corned beef to last 3 meals (the trick is frequent knife sharpening) but looks like 5 grains of rice a day it is then.

Lol i know the feeling as soon as i heard her say it could be 6 months, i went straight to freezer shopping, thankyou credit card. Still gotta get it and fill it somehow yet.

 

[lunarainbows]

Ooo my mouth is watering looking at those thanks for that I just made an order. My visa is taking a hammering but i'm very lucky that although my family are all a long way away, they will help me out for a few treats - think i'll be having these for my birthday this year

You can arrange for mid April delivery - by which time there will be some space in mine

I thought about it, but how on earth would I get it into the house

Hope you enjoy @JemPD ! It’s really nice to have yummy food in the freezer. I will have to put in an order soon as well!

 

[lunarainbows]

@Hell..hath..no..fury...
What will be 6 months? The quarantine? So work etc won’t start for another 6 months? I did expect as much. Actually didn’t they say winter would bring a second wave..So after 6 months wouldn’t it be winter which means surely the quarantine will be extended again to another 6 months or something?

Edit: I’ve decided to stop watching all news for a while, for my mental health. So didn’t know anything about this 6 months thing

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

@Hell..hath..no..fury...
What will be 6 months? The quarantine? So work etc won’t start for another 6 months? I did expect as much. Actually didn’t they say winter would bring a second wave..So after 6 months wouldn’t it be winter which means surely the quarantine will be extended again to another 6 months or something?

Edit: I’ve decided to stop watching all news for a while, for my mental health. So didn’t know anything about this 6 months thing

Until life 'may' start returning to normal. But they did keep mentioning 18 months last week so i'm guessing this is the plan if they can get away with it. I don't watch the daily dose of doom either, it caught me by accident. But i'm sick to the back teeth of worrying about food, regardless of how long they decide to drag this thing out for. So the extra freezer will help (if it arrives)

 

[Invisible Woman]

finding somewhere to keep it that isn't annoying

Depending on dimensions extra freezers can make stylish corner tables, especially when draped with a nice piece of fabric (don't cover the back and allow air circulation behind it obviously).

Can be hand for putting stuff on - lamps, plants that kind of thing.

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

Depending on dimensions extra freezers can make stylish corner tables, especially when draped with a nice piece of fabric (don't cover the back and allow air circulation behind it obviously).

Can be hand for putting stuff on - lamps, plants that kind of thing.

I have so many comical images running through my head right now

the one i wanted was a table top variety, but the one i got (probably not getting) is 85cm x 85cm x 50 depth. Top opening.

There is literally only 2 places it can go i think, in the corner of my bedroom or in my tiny spare room/library/tool room. Maybe i can move the microwave in here too, crawl out of bed to freezer, place meal in microwave, crawl back to bed

 

[Invisible Woman]

Facebook - what a .........

Having wrecked my head trying resurrect an account to reach out to a Facebook only help group for my relatives,

had my request to join that group bounced because the profile didn't look legit (well it wouldn't, it hadn't been used for years),

PM'd an admin, been admitted only to find most of the help was fairly ad hoc anyway

discovered that they were organizing WhatsApp groups for smaller areas and enquired whether there was one for that area (the relatives could manage whatsapp)

Tried to login to facebook tonight and no, I can't. Why? Because apparently I've reached the limit of codes they send when they don't recognise the device you logged in on. Even though,each time it asked me to save the device I told it to.

If this is help.........

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

What a nightmare @Invisible Woman i thought it was only difficult to 'leave' facebook. I opened a facebook account 15 years ago, never used it, and it took 3 months of hard work to close my account (if they were telling the truth)

Is whatsapp still an option?

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

Thankyou so much @lunarainbows for the Gourmade tip off. The food looks lovely! There's around half of the choices that i can eat. I'm stunned they're still taking on new customers and delivering!

I placed an order to arrive in a couple of weeks on the 14th April even though they are available now. That way, the order is in, in case things change, my freezer is 'maybe' arriving on the 9th so i've left myself a few days grace, and, if said freezer doesn't materialise, i have given myself 2 weeks to eat a space in my current freezer to house the frozen meals

I like the fact that you can choose a different delivery address too, without creating multiple accounts so that if my Mam ran into any difficulties i could order and have meals delivered to her too.

 

[Invisible Woman]

Is whatsapp still an option?

Maybe - but only if I can log in to Facebook to get the link for the group.

The most infuriating thing is I have wasted sodding hours mucking about with it. To the point the day before yesterday that I overstimulated my brain & then couldn't sleep.

Ah well.

Hope the timings work out for you with the Gourmade stuff. Sounds delicious!

 

[meg22]

From Saturdays Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...es-qualify-someone-as-sufficiently-vulnerable

 

[meg22]

I've had a further email from my MP Clive Betts.

I'm not sure how to insert text and I've not got the brain power at the moment to work it out - perhaps someone could tell me? Anyway here's what he's said:

'Thank you for your further email.

I have looked at the Government scheme and you are right, it does ask for lots of information but not the information you feel would identify others who are isolated and in need.

I am not sure how long it will take the Government to alter the scheme on a national basis. What I was made aware of however is that there is a capacity at Local Authority level to work with voluntary groups and indeed the army in their national scheme as they are helping to distribute food to those who are considered most vulnerable by the Government and that will ensure that people who identify themselves as in need get assistance.

I have noticed that Manchester have just launched a very similar scheme and I think it is going to be easier and more flexible to get it done at a local level. Tell me if this does not work as it might help if you tried it and gave me some feedback and meanwhile I will write to Ministers with your suggestion.'

So a result. I'm not convinced the solution is for people to try and access local services though especially severe ME sufferers who struggle with phone calls. Or who aren't on Facebook. Ultimately what we want is to be flagged up as vulnerable by the supermarkets and get priority access to delivery slots. I'll have to think about whether to respond further. Maybe I could collect feedback from people?

 

[Wonko]

I simply wish to not be blocked out of the system for online ordering of food, although being ranked above those with no disabilities and cars would be nice.

I do not understand the problem with this.

I can understand why some community stuff is needed, but that isn't what I need - I just need for the system to work as it has done for years - albeit with the likelihood of less stock and less slots. I can, probably, cope with that, it's the being locked out of the system that is causing me issues.

I'm used to isolating (although I would never have called it that), but I do need that external services, such as food production and delivery, are accessible to me - not just cut off.

Not sure if any of that's helpful - even if I lived in the area's he mentions that sort of service isn't what's needed for me, and is completely unnecessary, at this point, for me.

All l I need is for some box to be ticked that puts me on a list so I am allowed the option of home delivery for food.

No need for volunteers, council organised groups, for the army, etc.

Just one box clicked.

 

[Trish]

No need for volunteers, council organised groups, for the army, etc.

Just one box clicked.

Yep, me too.

 

[Wonko]

I have just noticed (I'm in the middle of composing a letter to sainsburys ceo) that sainsburys has removed the 'disabled' from their info about their vulnerable customers list.

It now reads

We’re really sorry, but we haven’t been able to identify you as one of our elderly or vulnerable customers based on the information we have. We’re now working with the government to identify those who are most in need.

It used to say

We’re really sorry, but we haven’t been able to identify you as one of our elderly, disabled or vulnerable customers based on the information we have. We’re now working with the government to identify those who are most in need.

Not a good sign.

Still, as long as no one hears any wolves we're 'okay'.

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

I have just noticed (I'm in the middle of composing a letter to sainsburys ceo) that sainsburys has removed the 'disabled' from their info about their vulnerable customers list.

Not a good sign.

Still, as long as no one hears any wolves we're 'okay'.

Wow thats not good. Its seeming increasingly noticeable that in order to have the priviledge of ordering food, you have to give them control over every aspect of your private life. This is the price to pay to eat. I'm not having it. I do not want enforced 'help and interferance' by the millitary or some random off the street. I don't want multiple texts a day telling me what to do or frequent welfare checks. I just want to be allowed to order food. I feel they are forcing us into a position, not of our choosing, that could potentially cause more harm in the long run, and i don't like it.

I got a text from argos this morning which seems to be acknowledging the receipt of my freezer purchase. So fingers crossed i can keep the government off my back for as long as possible.

 

[Simbindi]

Tesco (my normal delivery company) haven't locked me out, but all their slots are booked for the next 3 weeks (they now only put 3 weeks of delivery slots up, it used to be 4).

 

[Simbindi]

I feel they are forcing us into a position, not of our choosing, that could potentially cause more harm in the long run, and i don't like it.

Absolutely.

Personally, if I didn't have my healthy daughter to help me, I would be back to suffering the severe mental illness (autism related) I've managed to keep at bay for the last few years.

 

[meg22]

I'm in the process of writing to my local Sainsbury's and Tesco in an attempt to get flagged up as vulnerable. I was thinking of sending a copy of my PIP award. Also a copy of the letter on the AFME website (https://www.actionforme.org.uk/uploads/images/2020/03/letter-to-supermarkets-MECFS-270320.pdf) in the hope that it may then get passed up to someone higher and they realise the problem. The slight problem for me is that the post seems to have stopped here as well. Sheffield seems to be a bit of a hotspot with the 3rd highest No of cases so not sure my letters will actually get through.

 

[JemPD]

Yep, me too.

& me. I'm not going to try & put myself on the extremely vulnerable list, but I have written to Ocado, Sainsburys & morrisons today. I'm not keen to flag myself up as vulnerable to complete strangers but there we are. Who knows if they will take any notice, or whether the posted letters will even get to the correct place - I sent to their postal addresses.