NTU and UoN students supporting the vulnerable during COVID-19 lockdown

A group of students from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and the University of Nottingham (UoN) are among those who are supporting vulnerable Nottingham residents during the lockdown.

The students are part of a national community union called Acorn who have recently set up a group in Nottinghamshire.

The students help the vulnerable and elderly residents of the city by picking up shopping, collecting prescriptions and calling those that may be lonely.

Outside of the lockdown, Acorn helps support people against rogue landlords and evictions, and helps alert the council to any wrongdoings.

Sam Harris, 20, a second year Politics and International Relations student at NTU, is part of the group and says they’ve seen a big increase in demand since the lockdown was enforced.

“We’re getting calls everyday from people, it’s been a huge increase,” he told us.

“Luckily for us, we have a great group of people who are ready to help.”

“We offer help and support to the community by offering to pick up and deliver shopping, post and prescriptions and we can do regular calls to people that may be feeling isolated and lonely during this pandemic.”

The group handed out leaflets before the government enforced lockdown (Photo credit: Sam Harris)

Sam told us that they plan to continue their support to the vulnerable throughout the lockdown.

He said: “There are 25 members of the group in Nottingham, and we’ve only just set up.”

“So many students and members of the Nottingham community have shown an interest.”

Sam is just one of a handful of students that have chosen to stay in Nottingham, despite NTU ‘recommending’ students return home.

By Faith Pring

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