We want to introduce you to some of the amazing people around Andover that are giving up their time, using their skills and helping others.
Meet Michael Palmer… he’s one of the volunteers at the Andover Isolation Help Group.
It’s not hard to really like communicative Michael Palmer. In a normal world he is an area sales manager for Russell Roof Tiles in Derbyshire, but today and everyday he is volunteering for the Andover Isolation Help Group.
In his Bristolian accent he says, “I’ve got a young child that I’ve not seen for a few weeks, but when this opportunity came along, I joined up.”
The Andover Isolation Help Group are arranging the collection and delivery of around 70 prescriptions every day and Michael is hard to get any time with, as his warm and supportive tones are on their phone from earlier and earlier in the morning each day of the week.
The phone constantly rings at the Help Group, and Michael who claims to be “38 years young”, told 95.9FM Andover Radio yesterday,“I could see the obvious need that people around the Test Valley would have so while I am furloughed from my job I have the time to help out.”
A keen angler, Michael also said, “We have seen the group grow and grow over the past few weeks and I am really pleased to help those people out that have no other form of support like family or friends.
“To start with it was a way to just keep my brain active, but it’s obviously now an essential service for many, many people”.
With two children, the sales manager from Albany Road added, “One story sticks in my mind, there was a ‘click and collect’ that had gone missing at a supermarket. They called us and were really worried because it was a substantial amount of money. We managed to find it, get it picked up and delivered within the hour.
“I have a young child I have not seen for a couple of weeks so it is really tough, but I have my head fully into this group and it keeps me focused.”
Support Michael and the work of the Andover Isolation Help Group by visiting their GoFundMe page here.
