New Emergency Initiative Calls For Volunteers To Deliver Essential Supplies

 Pop To The Shop, a new not-for-profit emergency initiative, launches today to help connect those in self-isolation with local people who can purchase and deliver much-needed food and medicine from local shops. 

The platform has been built in a matter of weeks by founder of SME banking challenger Tide, George Bevis, and a team of volunteer developers and designers, with the singular purpose of supporting the nation during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The online service aims to support those who are in danger of going hungry during lockdown, recently estimated at three million people by the Food Foundation.[1] With the supermarkets overwhelmed with requests for delivery slots, and the NHS Volunteer Responder scheme restricted to those with medical needs, Pop To The Shop is designed to complement existing measures and community support initiatives, opening up essential deliveries to anyone who needs help. 

The service has been designed to be as simple and easy to use as possible. Anyone is able to request a delivery for themselves, or for vulnerable family and friends, by logging into Pop To The Shop, placing their grocery or non-prescription medicine order, along with the maximum price they are willing to pay for each item and giving a time when they are able to receive their order. 

A local volunteer Shopper will then accept the order and deliver it to the address requested at the agreed time. Once the contactless delivery has taken place, money will be transferred electronically to the Shopper from the Requester’s payment card. The only fee is a £1 payment processing charge paid by the Requester to ensure the initiative can continue to operate. 

The automated payment system provides peace of mind for Shoppers who want to help but cannot afford to do so from their own pocket, and for those placing a request who cannot safely access cash in these times. By removing the need for cash payments and advising Shoppers to strictly adhere to social distancing guidelines, Pop To The Shop offers truly contact-free deliveries to safely support those in need. 

George Bevis, CEO of Pop To The Shop, said: “The COVID-19 crisis has left so many people across the nation struggling to get hold of essential food and medicine while they self-isolate. We’ve got the supermarkets working tirelessly to deliver to as many people as possible and the NHS Volunteer Responder scheme serving those with medical needs, but there are still people who are going unsupported and they need help from the rest of us. 

“It’s fantastic to see how many local communities are finding ways to support their most vulnerable members. Pop To The Shop has been designed to help this happen on an even broader scale, and to provide a way for fully contact-free deliveries through the platform’s payment system. 

“The more people who sign up to be a Shopper and deliver essential items, the more people we can help during these difficult times. If you are able to shop for others, even if it’s just picking up a few extra items on your own weekly shop, please do consider signing up.” 

Following a successful pilot with local delivery volunteers, Pop To The Shop is now launching nationwide. To find out more about the new service and how to sign up as a Shopper visit https://www.poptotheshop.org/.

Source : Pop To The Shop

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