And more companies are encouraged to follow this example. The Lancashire Resilience Forum, which is coordinating the county's response to the coronavirus pandemic has thanked people for their offers of support for key workers. This will help to ensure that vital services can continue while COVID-19 affects the whole country. So far, offers of support for almost 1,000 people have been received around the county from the education sector and hotels offering their accommodation.
These include Myerscough College, Stirk House at Gisburn, Edge Hill University at Ormskirk, Mytton Fold Hotel at Langho, The Old Stone Trough Country Lodge at Kelbrook, Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa at Clayton-le-Moors, HY hotels on the Fylde and the Lindum Hotel in Lytham St Annes.
This will help by providing workers from the emergency services with a safe space, in the event they can't return home due to family self-isolating. Garry Payne, chief executive of Wyre Borough Council and spokesperson for the Lancashire Resilience Forum, said: "Lots of offers have already come in, and we really appreciate them and we give our thanks to those companies.
"More accommodation is likely to be needed in the future, if conditions change. So we're asking people to think about whether their business could also help the efforts.
"We'd like to hear from businesses who have available space to accommodate workers, and are happy to lend a hand to people who are doing amazing jobs during this difficult and unprecedented time. This is about us doing what we can to support them." Lancashire Police's own training facilities at Hutton are also being used to support the need for staff accommodation.
The NHS is also coordinating its own efforts for their own key workers. Arrangements will be made direct through organisations about housing their key workers, if required. People don't need to contact venues themselves at this time. If your business or organisation could help by providing space to help key workers, please visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/accommodation-support or call 0300 123 6787. The government has issued guidance on people who are considered key workers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision
Lancashire Resilience Forum has the primary responsibility for bringing agencies including the police, fire, local authorities and health, together to respond effectively to any emergency, including something like a flu pandemic. Organisations under the LRF umbrella have a specific focus on those people in our communities who are vulnerable, whether by reason of their age, health or any other issue.
Follow @LancsResilience on Twitter for updates.
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