The Community Carrot's Coronavirus response and shareholder update (17.3.2020)
Dear Crunchy customers and shareholders,
The Community Carrot Board and Managers met yesterday afternoon to go thoroughly over the shop's response to the Covid-19 crisis, to make sure we are taking all possible precautions to keep staff and customers safe.
Firstly, we want to acknowledge the additional risk our staff are taking by being in such a public role and say a huge thank you to them for doing so. No one signs up for potentially compromising their health when they go into work, and there is a sudden, unexpected and unprecedented element of 'front line working' in staffing the shop at the moment. We want to assure you we're taking it seriously.
The Crunchy's vital community role is already being highlighted. Supermarket shelves are emptying due to panic buying. Our regular services, especially deliveries, are more important than ever, especially to the elderly, ill and vulnerable for whom they may become a lifeline.
Please remember and remind others that we sell in micro-quantities: being able to buy 50g of rice or single units of vegetables can be really helpful to tightly squeezed budgets.
We will not be allowing stockpiling, to ensure that our shelves don’t empty for those who need it. Managers will impose rationing on certain items if need be.
The shop is mad busy just now! We’re pleased to see lots of new faces - hopefully we’re proving that small independent shops are more resilient than the big supermarkets in a crisis. However, if you are trying to avoid crowded places, consider coming in before 10am and after 2pm when we should be quieter.
For now, we have drawn up the following action plan. We have a named Board member taking the daily lead on staying up-to-date with changing government advice, and we'll update this plan if and when that changes:
1. Training
Managers are going to be running through some additional staff updates to cover the new measures that will be put in place to minimise the risk of infection to you and customers.
2. Food handling
Managers will be putting in place additional hygiene practices and will run through staff training on these. Customers will be required to hand-sanitise when coming into the shop, and adjustments will be made to the way we process refills to minimise / eliminate contact with containers for staff.
3. Staff absences
A plan has been written up to make sure we’re looking after staff in the event of sickness or quarantine. The Board agreed that statutory sick pay will be paid to all staff, not just those who are eligible under government regulations.
4. Stock policies
We will continue to follow sensible stock rationing, to be decided on by managers, to ensure availability for everyone where possible.
Managers have already increased ordering of some items to service increased demand, and will be closely monitoring this to allow for flexible response, as long as supply chains allow.
We have lined up potential substitutes for our Driver-Buyer for the market run, and will monitor delivery demand in the event that we need to increase the number of deliveries by additional routes - including a cargo bike for local drop-off, extra vehicles, more delivery drivers, volunteer support etc. If necessary we will prioritise vulnerable members of the community if we exceed capacity for deliveries.
5. Volunteers
Our first port of call for increased demand will be paid staff. In the event that demand increases further or staff absences mean rota gaps, we will start recruiting volunteers for shop support and to help with deliveries. The Board will step up to this first, and then we will look to the community - we've already had some kind offers of delivery help.
Difficult times like this are what community is made for. We are owned by the community and run for the community: we will do everything we can to keep stocked and cheerful during these nerve-wracking, crazy, uncharted weeks.