Your Call annual report 2012 - Blackburn with Darwen Borough ...

Pulling together through Winter
Abdullah Patel, Muhammad Chopdat, Umair Patel and Usmangani Kasam, outside Troy Street Mosque.
WINTER SQUADS
The Your Call winter squads have gone from strength to
strength since they started in 2011.
The squads are resident-led and aim to keep local pathways
gritted, keep an eye on vulnerable neighbours and generally
help their communities out.
The borough now has 50 squads compared to three when the
scheme started.
The number of volunteers involved in the squads has gone up
from 13 to 150.
The groups are given grit, equipment, emergency winter kits
(blankets, thermal hats and gloves) and information packs to
give to vulnerable residents.
Volunteers also use BwDWinter facebook page
www.facebook.com/bwdwinter to share information.
Abdullah Patel is a member of the Troy Street Mosque Winter
squad. The 59-year-old said: “A winter squad is good for the
community. Troy street is on a hill so people can have trouble
walking down when it’s icy. When the public have seen our
efforts they have always greeted us. The street has never been
shut or closed since we formed our winter squad.”
WINTER SQUADS IN NUMBERS
50
150 volunteers
80 tons of salt given to the groups
The number of squads now in the borough