HRH The Princess Royal has been at Droitwich Rugby Club yesterday to thank members and Droitwich CVS for all they have done to support the local community during the pandemic.
During the first lockdown, DRFC partnered with Droitwich CVS to deliver food and support to the whole Wychavon community.
The scheme provided 16,000 meals, along with help and support, via food parcels and wellbeing packs.
More than 90 people tirelessly worked – giving up their time – to ensure Droitwich and the surrounding areas were covered and people received everything they needed.
Droitwich CVS took calls and requests from those in need whilst Droitwich RFC converted the club house to allow the organisation to purchase, source, package and distribute the food parcels to the local community.
A food parcel was developed to cover basic needs, using dried and tinned products and adding in other donated goods when received.
As word spread about the scheme and the numbers kept increasing.
The contents were amended to include enough ingredients for five meals across five days. One of the volunteers even designed recipes to match the contents of the food parcels, giving people ideas on what meals they could make.
The scheme has progressed to coincide with the lockdown reopening measures and continues to grow. During the very first lockdown re-opening, the club started distributing free breakfast sandwiches to all areas of the community.
As shielding for the most vulnerable in the community started to end, the people were invited to the rugby club for a sit down socially distanced breakfast.
The aim was to get the shielding groups back out into communities, but in a safe and staggered manner.
This gave the shielding community not only a first visit out of the house for many months, but also an opportunity to discuss their experiences with other individuals who had been through the exact same circumstances.
Brigadier Roger Brunt, Worcestershire’s Vice Lord-Lieutenant, said: “All the volunteers at the Glyn Mitchell Memorial Ground were thrilled to see HRH and warmly welcomed her interest and encouragement of their fantastic efforts for their community over the past 12 months.”
Craig Browne – Droitwich RFC said welcoming HRH The Princess Royal was a great privilege and a great experience.
“It was a really proud moment for us all and amazing that we, all the volunteers and the hard work have been recognised in this way.
“We really enjoyed re-visiting the excellent work of all our volunteers, at a time when the local community were most in need.
“The Princess heard about all of the detail around the successful ongoing partnership with Droitwich CVS and how the two organisations adapted to offer valuable services within the community.
“To think just a year ago, the club house was filled with hundreds of long life products has really hit home everyone’s fantastic achievements.”
Tonia Enderbury, from Droitwich CVS, said: “It was a huge honour and privilege to meet HRH and for our partnership to be recognised.
“With a small team we have been able to support thousands of residents, not just with food parcels, but prescription deliveries, transport to medical appointments and well-being bags. It has been wonderful to see how the community has come together and we are proud to be at the centre of this.”
