Metro Mayor introduces relief package for struggling businesses and communities

Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has unveiled an initial package of measures from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority aimed at easing the coronavirus burden on local people.

Chairing the first meeting of the Liverpool City Region Coronavirus Action Group, the mayor announced a number of new initiatives:

• The ‘LCR Cares’ COVID 19 Community Support Fund – a new crowdfunding campaign to support community and voluntary organisations on the frontline of helping communities cope with the spread of coronavirus.
• Free bus travel to and from school for the children of key workers using existing Merseytravel-funded supported bus services.
• Lifting the 9.30am restriction on concessionary travel for essential journeys, such as accessing designated shopping hours reserved for the elderly.
• A fund of £65,000 of business support for community and social businesses to help them cope with the impact of COVID-19.

Steve Rotheram said: “Tackling a challenge of this scale requires everybody to come together and do all that we can to stop the spread of the coronavirus, and mitigate the economic, social and health impacts it will have.

“This obviously requires support from government – and we’ve seen the start of that this week, though we await further announcements – but there are things we can do locally as well. I want to do all that I can to help support local people, businesses and community organisations through this uncertainty.”

Mayor Rotheram was speaking as he chaired a special City Region COVID-19 action group meeting.

The group brings together representatives from the Local Resilience Forum, local council leaders, the emergency services, Public Health England, local MPs from all political parties and other key local organisations.

Praising the work of emergency services, the NHS, local councils, and everyone keeping transport, the grocery sector and pharmacies open, Mr Rotheram added:

“We are lucky to have so many brilliant frontline staff working flat out to combat COVID-19 and I want to thank them for everything they are doing.

“I hope the public will be reassured, as I am, that a multi-agency response is under way right across the city region and everyone is pulling together to protect the 1.6 million people who rely on us.

“We all know we are in for an extremely difficult time in the next few days, weeks and, potentially, many months. We know it will be hard, but I also know that if we work together, and look out for each other, we will get through this.”

The LCR Cares COVID 19 Community Support Fund website page is now open for donations from the public. Go to https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/ and search for LCRCares or www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/lcrcares

Early next week, a simple and speedy processes for organisations to access those funds will be in place.

Speaking about the fund, The Metro Mayor added: “There is some unbelievable work going on from organisations at the heart of our communities to help keep those communities afloat in these testing times. I am launching the LCR Cares Fund to give those groups the financial support that they need to carry on their invaluable work.

“I know that some people are unsure of their own financial situations at the moment but, to those who can afford it, I would ask them to give whatever you can. Every donation will help some wonderful organisations continue the brilliant work they are doing to help protect the vulnerable in our region.”

Meanwhile, port workers across the UK have been designated as essential key workers to support the national effort to keep the supply chain moving. The UK Government published guidance on COVID-19 key workers to ensure supermarkets and medical goods remain available.

Peel Ports Group has a critical role in maintaining supply chains of the UK and Republic of Ireland, and has been recognised as a business of national importance to UK plc.

Workers at the Port of Liverpool are working round the clock handling large amounts of containerised and un-containerised medical, food and other key supplies, including blood plasma and medicines such as inhalers from Ireland.

Blood plasma and inhalers used by the UK are imported through the Port of Liverpool, both of which are essential to support the NHS.

Key personnel included in the Government guidance are those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods such as medicines and equipment.

David Huck, group managing director at Peel Ports, said: “In these unprecedented times, it’s crucial that supply routes are protected to ensure medical, energy, fuel and the food provisions remain available to all citizens throughout what is likely to be a sustained period of crisis.

David Huck

“We have a collective responsibility to ensure our ports remain fully functioning while taking every practicable measure to protect the safety and wellbeing of our dedicated workforce.”

And responding to Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s latest package of support measures for businesses on Friday (March 20), Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID Company and chair of The BID Foundation said: “This week the message from businesses and from our BID levy payers has been clear – we need help and we need it now.

“For many, the Government has offered a lifeline.

“We welcome what is an easing of the intense pressure on business and their immediate cash flow.

“The VAT holiday until June is essentially a cash injection of £30bn.

“The announcement of 12 month interest-free loans for businesses starting on Monday will provide much needed relief and we will seek clarification on how businesses can access this and offer them support as and when they need it.

Bill Addy

“The support for employees is just as important as for business.

“The government’s announcement to pay the wages of those not working – 80% up to a total of £2,500 a month, backdated to 1st March for at least three months – is welcome, and it will ease the pressure on households as well as business owners. The support for the self-employed is a start.

Yet these remain intensely challenging times, particularly for the hospitality sector, which so many of our towns, cities and households depend upon.

“The closure of cafes, bars and restaurants is important in terms of social distancing but it is vital we continue to support every level of our business community and society and we need comprehensive measures, from those who serve a morning coffee to those running several restaurants.

“We will examine the fine print and continue to offer clarification and guidance for everyone who lives, works and operates within Liverpool’s BID areas.

“At Liverpool BID we will continue to provide a voice for business within the city and beyond. We will continue to offer support through all of our channels and while we may be working remotely we are always contactable.”

In another effort to help communities, Everton Football Club and Everton in the Community has launched ‘Blue Family’, a coordinated outreach and engagement campaign to maintain contact with fans and provide vital support and assistance to some of the most vulnerable, socially-isolated and at-risk members of the community in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The campaign will maintain and extend the reach of the club and the charity following the closure of all club sites, the suspension of football fixtures and the postponement of most community programme delivery.

The club will be providing £50,000 to fund the launch and initial activities and will be reallocating club and community staff to ensure the effective delivery of the campaign.

The initial outreach activity includes fans and members of the community in greatest need contacted by Everton in the Community staff to deliver tailored and focused support, assistance and guidance, including:

• Essential food parcels distribution, including breakfast packs for young children
• Financial assistance for prescription purchases and delivery
• Mobile phone credit for those living alone and with limited support networks
•  Support with gas and/or electricity vouchers for those facing increased fuel bills
• Mental health support and advice
• A referral service for access to Everton in the Community’s support provision
•  Calls from the Everton Fan Centre to thousands of fans to maintain contact and provide a friendly voice to talk to, prioritising the elderly and isolated
• Increased communication through the club’s email, social media and web platforms to share important public information and deliver engaging content for those in isolation
• Exercise and mindfulness videos provided by trained staff from the club and Everton in the Community

Everton chief executive, Prof Denise Barrett-Baxendale, said: “Society is facing an unprecedented challenge. Everton has never shied away from its responsibility as a club at the heart of the community.

Prof Denise Barrett-Baxendale

“As we face up to a new reality brought by the coronavirus pandemic, we are embracing that responsibility more than ever. We are determined to do everything we can to provide assistance and support to our fans and the wider community, with particular focus on those at greatest risk.”

People can show their backing for the Blue Family campaign by donating online at evertonfc.com/bluefamily, with every penny raised going to support the community.

A percentage of those funds raised for the Blue Family campaign will be allocated to Fans Supporting Foodbanks to assist its operation in packaging and distributing food packages to those in need across the city.

Further details on the Blue Family initiative can be found at evertonfc.com/bluefamily