The Coddenham Community Response Group (CCRG) Celebrates its First Birthday!

The CCRG was set up in March 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, as the Coddenham Covid 19 Response Group.

The leading charitable and voluntary bodies in the village decided there was a need to take the initiative, co-ordinate and support each other’s efforts, to help the community during an unprecedented crisis.

Members included the Coddenham Centre, Community Shop, Church and PCC, Day Foundation, Gardemau Trusts and Parish Council. The Coddenham Country Club, History Club and Football Club have since joined and further strengthened the Group. The Coddenham Parish Council decided not to be represented from September 2020.

The CCRG meets virtually every month, chaired by representatives from founder members rotating quarterly, maintaining a clear focus on taking action and responding quickly and positively when it can, to the needs of the community.

We have had a very busy first year, but some notable achievements include establishing the new Community Website within three days of the first lockdown and continuing to expand it,  publishing Covid and other useful information via the site, email, posters and hard copy newsletters, obtaining grant funding for community support activities, providing food/goodwill parcels and financial support for the elderly and vulnerable, establishing a helpline and ‘telephone tree’ and organising a number of community and wellbeing events when regulations allowed. CCRG won a BBC ‘Making a Difference’ Award and individual member organisations have gained other awards and accreditations for their role in supporting the community, in these unprecedented times. Our thanks to all the volunteers and contributors, who have worked with us and the members.

Although, Covid infection rates are declining at the time of writing and the vaccination programme gives hope for the future, it is unlikely that the pandemic or its impact, is going to disappear any time soon. In September last year, the CCRG extended its Terms of Reference to become the Coddenham Community Response Group to not only ensure a pandemic response, but to continue to work together ‘as a community, supporting the community’ for the future.

HERE is a list of some of the activities over the last 12 months and available in print soon.

David McDonnell, the current chair, will be interviewed on the BBC Radio Suffolk on Tuesday 23rd between 7 and 8am.