Nantwich Buddies was founded in March 2020 in response to the first COVID-19 lockdown, with a mission to support those most in need. What began as a small network of 40 volunteers quickly grew into a large community effort, working alongside Cheshire East’s People Helping People team to assist with shopping, prescription collections, and essential errands.

At the peak of the pandemic, we had over 130 volunteers supporting 230 households, completing an incredible 2,000 weekly shops, 1,000 prescription collections, and 1,500 hours assisting the Nantwich vaccination programme.

As the world reopened, our commitment remained strong. In our second year, 90 volunteers continued to provide over 8,000 hours of support, helping 100 households combat social isolation and loneliness. Today, we still have around 40 active volunteers supporting over 60 households, with new requests social support coming in regularly.

To further our mission, we have expanded to offer social groups, and an in-person and on the phone befriending services, forging strong partnerships with Cheshire East Council and local GP surgeries.