Our charity supports people who may be vulnerable, isolated and in need of financial support including pensioners, refugees, local residents as well as people who are living in hostels and some people living on the streets. We have a duty of care to our staff members, volunteers and also the people we support.

Our priority is to safely remain open to support those people in need – within public health guidelines and in line with the retail community. We will also proactively confront stigma or blame associated with any particular client group and maintain a factual resource for people.

Current Situation

We have put in place the following actions in response to the Coronavirus situation:

• Risk assessments across all buildings, services and activities
• Translation of public health guidance into multiple languages and display of information across our centres
• Establish hand sanitiser stations at our sites which are hosted by a staff member providing information and guidance as well as asking clients to use the facility
• Increased cleaning regimes and introduced deep clean on a daily basis plus daily cleaning actions owned by our managers and audited via a daily checklist
• Documented method statement for contagious diseases
• Reviewed staff members with long term conditions and priority groups and advised those still in work of the need to home-work from 20/3/20.
• Conducted case management reviews to assess clients and trainees who are still engaged with the charity and monitor risk and requirements for our vulnerable clients
• Communicated daily through team briefings at 9:30am with all staff members and volunteers including the latest guidance from Public Health England

Currently, we do not have any staff members who have caught COVID-19 but this is being reviewed with staff on a daily basis.

We have limited opening times for our smaller sites in Salford due to staff availability. We are open 10-2pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Little Hulton and we are open 10-2pm on Mondays and Wednesdays in Eccles.

Reduction in activities

The main changes are that we have ceased all art classes, music sessions, IT training, Customer Support training and our English classes. This has reduced the footfall of people into the charity.

From 20/3/20, we are suspending the collection and delivery of furniture. We are still accepting donations at the shops themselves – especially food, clothing, toiletries, sleeping bags and of course money to keep us going 😊.

Food Clubs and Emergency Support

We are keeping the shops, food clubs, emergency support and our small training café open for our clients, volunteers and trainees who need our services as we are operating as a critical service delivering charity front line services and food distribution.

In short, as long as the supermarkets are open, we remain open.

For any queries, please email information@mustardtree.org.uk.