Myerscough College offers support to coronavirus key workers

The College’s main Bilsborrow campus has been offered as an accommodation hub, with NHS staff working for the North West Ambulance Service already booked in for stays at Myerscough’s halls of residence. 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.

In addition, teaching facilities are being utilised as training and meeting rooms, and are being set up to fully observe social distancing guidelines.

The initiative is part of the response to the outbreak by the Lancashire Resilience Forum, with Myerscough College one of a number of businesses across Lancashire supporting and co-ordinating the Coronavirus response in the county. More companies are being encouraged to follow this example. This will help to ensure that vital services can continue while Covid-19 affects the whole country.

The Lancashire Resilience Forum has thanked people for their offers of support for key workers.

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."

Other organisations supporting the initiative so far include, 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.

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.