March marks two years of support through Here2Help

Worcestershire’s Here2Help service was launched in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a community action response to support residents who were most in need of help.

In the last two years the service has further developed to include a new Community Services Directory which signposts residents towards support in the county, and Here2Help Business which offers support for businesses.

A total of 18961 requests for help have been completed since Here2Help began and 3437 offers of help have been received.

The Here2Help Business Programme has fully allocated all of its support and has administered over £3 million in grant funding with over £4 million in private sector match, safeguarded over 500 jobs, contracted over 250 new jobs, and created 47 new graduate posts.

Councillor Matt Dormer, cabinet member with responsibility for communities at Worcestershire County Council said, “Here2Help has been a huge success and we are incredibly proud of the help that has been provided, whether that has been through volunteers, partners, or through our services.

“Through the launch of Here2Help we have also been able to provide our Community Services Directory, which is now supporting people to find organisations in their area that can help them when they need it.

“I want to thank everyone who has given their time to Here2Help in the last 2 years and I am looking forward to us continuing to build on the success of Here2Help to mobilise the fantastic support that exists in our communities in the future.”

Here2Help is continuing to provide an early help response to residents in Worcestershire by offering a information, advice and support with broader health and wellbeing needs as we move away from covid-19 restrictions.

Support can be found on the Worcestershire County Council website, including the Community Services Directory where Worcestershire residents can search a wide range of support offered by charities, community groups, businesses, public sector and other organisations.

To learn more about Here2Help or, if you are a charity, community group, public sector organisation or business offering services to Worcestershire residents and would like to register on the Community Services Directory please visit here2help page on the Council's website.