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

If people are struggling to get food and essentials then it is worth trying to contact the supermarkets, or local places which sell food. I tried phoning supermarkets but no answer. I emailed Ocado a number of days ago and today their site let me in saying I had been identified as vulnerable, I presume because of that email, even though I only got a standard reply back. And my parents sent a letter by post to Morrison's who phoned them and gave them a delivery as a priority.

So if you can reach the supermarkets and explain your need you might have some luck. The letter in particular seems a good idea to me if people get desperate.
 
Joel said:
If people are struggling to get food and essentials then it is worth trying to contact the supermarkets, or local places which sell food. I tried phoning supermarkets but no answer. I emailed Ocado a number of days ago and today their site let me in saying I had been identified as vulnerable, I presume because of that email, even though I only got a standard reply back. And my parents sent a letter by post to Morrison's who phoned them and gave them a delivery as a priority.

So if you can reach the supermarkets and explain your need you might have some luck. The letter in particular seems a good idea to me if people get desperate.
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Oky, I've now looked into this.

Sainsburys main site only offers phone contact.

My advocate has been trying since last Tuesday to speak to someone at Sainsburys and has yet to reach a person.

A google has produced a mailing address for what's presumably head office.

I can write a letter.

But I cannot post it according to the new rules - as going out to post things, when my job isn't to do so, is not an allowed exception. Even if I was to ignore that, it's 1.2 miles each way to the nearest known post box, and I'm not supposed to use public transport.

Anyone know what my chances of lurching there and back, with a cough (bronchitis), taking probably the best part of 2 and a half hours to do so, and not being either fined, or arrested (if I happen to cough if stopped).

They don't make easy for housebound people to communicate with them.

No public email address? Really?

Jammed up phone lines that even if it rings no one ever answers?
 
I've now had a reply from my MP's assistant.
Lots of sympathy and offers of 'phone me anytime' - no thanks, phones are exhausting, and I don't want sympathy, I want access to supermarket deliveries.
Urging to join the government priority list - tried that, no go, don't have one of the listed conditions.
Offers of local volunteer shoppers - process involves phoning to make arrangements and paying cash when delivered - no use - too exhausting to have to phone every week, and I don't keep cash in the house.

Not sure how I'll reply. Probably with a copy of the letter from the ME organisations, and a request that they support those of us who are housebound getting on the vulnerable list so we can get supermarket slots.
 
Trish said:
I've now had a reply from my MP's assistant.
Lots of sympathy and offers of 'phone me anytime' - no thanks, phones are exhausting, and I don't want sympathy, I want access to supermarket deliveries.
Urging to join the government priority list - tried that, no go, don't have one of the listed conditions.
Offers of local volunteer shoppers - process involves phoning to make arrangements and paying cash when delivered - no use - too exhausting to have to phone every week, and I don't keep cash in the house.

Not sure how I'll reply. Probably with a copy of the letter from the ME organisations, and a request that they support those of us who are housebound getting on the vulnerable list so we can get supermarket slots.
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It's so evident they don't have any comprehension of what it means to be housebound because you are severely ill.
 
I tried emailing the Tesco email address last week and got a reply saying that they no longer monitor that address. I tried online@tesco.co.uk which is the one that appears on their receipt and had a reply back saying that they are currently not responding to emails. I have seriously thought of emailing the CEO Dave Lewis! I had a Tesco delivery last week and asked the driver which store my shopping came from. I might try ringing this store to try and get flagged up as vulnerable. That's if anyone answers the phone!!

I've just tried emailing Sainsbury's on the address in @Simbindi 's post and had a reply back saying they no longer monitor that address and they no longer offer email as a way of getting in touch.
 
I emailed my MP along a similar line as @Trish. I've had a reply back with the number for a council helpline. So not much use.

I emailed him again to say that it is a national problem not just in Sheffield with a link to the BBC news item on it. I also said in my email that the Govt Vulnerable persons scheme being used by the supermarkets only asks for NHS No and has a very restrictive list of qualifying conditions therefore only identifying people vulnerable to coronavirus not vulnerable people in general. I also said that were it to ask for NI No as well and whether on disability benefits it would flag up far more vulnerable people. I asked him to write to the Govt as a matter of urgency to highlight this omission. No reply from him as yet!
 
meg22 said:
I emailed my MP along a similar line as @Trish. I've had a reply back with the number for a council helpline. So not much use.

I emailed him again to say that it is a national problem not just in Sheffield with a link to the BBC news item on it. I also said in my email that the Govt Vulnerable persons scheme being used by the supermarkets only asks for NHS No and has a very restrictive list of qualifying conditions therefore only identifying people vulnerable to coronavirus not vulnerable people in general. I also said that were it to ask for NI No as well and whether on disability benefits it would flag up far more vulnerable people. I asked him to write to the Govt as a matter of urgency to highlight this omission. No reply from him as yet!
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What is the Sheffield council helpline number?
 
Wonko said:
Oky, I've now looked into this.

Sainsburys main site only offers phone contact.

My advocate has been trying since last Tuesday to speak to someone at Sainsburys and has yet to reach a person.

A google has produced a mailing address for what's presumably head office.

I can write a letter.

But I cannot post it according to the new rules - as going out to post things, when my job isn't to do so, is not an allowed exception. Even if I was to ignore that, it's 1.2 miles each way to the nearest known post box, and I'm not supposed to use public transport.

Anyone know what my chances of lurching there and back, with a cough (bronchitis), taking probably the best part of 2 and a half hours to do so, and not being either fined, or arrested (if I happen to cough if stopped).

They don't make easy for housebound people to communicate with them.

No public email address? Really?

Jammed up phone lines that even if it rings no one ever answers?
Click to expand...

if you are happy to email me your letter i will print and post it for you. I have a post box a couple hundred meters away from my door. Pm me if you want to do that.
 
The council helpline is a dedicated line for coronavirus updates which can be accessed via the main council number, 0114 2734567 according to my MP @ProudActivist He's also referred me to the council's website which does link to a voluntary service map of Covid19 action groups in the area. My local one is Facebook only though and I'm not on Facebook.
 
Well... there is always the random food fairy...

I am in bed, I can stand up but not for more than few mins. Knock at the door - it's a delivery from Prep Kitchen (ludicrously expensive but fabulous refrigerated ready-meals) - a very occasional treat. I opened bedroom window gave him specific instructions of where to put it (so I could sit on doorstep & unpack box without extra effort of moving it. (city Sprint their drivers are good)….. anyway....
By the time I got down there..... there was my box... plus 2 packs of ready made sandwiches (you know the ones you get in garages etc.) ???? no note or anything... where did they come from?

Sadly I don't think i'll be eating them because even after disinfecting the wrapper I'm unsure about the hygiene of these things anyway even before corona... but now... :cautious: Dunno

:confused::):emoji_shrug::emoji_blush:
 
If you have one then put them in the freezer - you never know they may become useful at some point.

At least 99% of people survive after eating a packed sandwich - and most of the rest have problems due to undeclared ingredients, like allergens.
 
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