Using an 18th birthday present from her aunt a year 13 student at Hagley College has spent the lockdown designing and building a website matching people who need help with shopping and collecting medication with those who can provide it. It launches today.

Aurelia Wilberforce, who is self-taught, said: “I wanted to do something useful rather than just sitting at home getting bored and depressed. The purpose of my website is to put anyone who needs help with anyone who can provide it. At the moment it focuses on help with shopping and medication or having a chat but down the line I see it extending to things like helping in the garden or other chores. At the moment it is aimed at people who are self isolating, who are unwell or just unable to get to the supermarket, and to essential workers like hospital and medical staff.”

Aurelia has taken particular care with the design of the website, making it as clear and simple to use as possible particularly for older people who may not be tech savvy or who have problems with their eyesight.“I have also built in features such as summaries of the terms and conditions and the privacy policy so people aren’t turned off by pages and pages of guff. You know how easy it is to just click on “I accept”without actually finding out what you are accepting.”

The website relies on the goodwill of its users to behave responsibly. Any who do not do so will be removed and their details may be given to the police.

Aurelia is also looking to the future. “Hopefully the greater sense of community and looking out for each other will extend beyond the COVID 19 emergency. I think this website will continue to be useful particularly for people who are isolated and don’t know who to turn to for help, and for those who want to give some meaning to their own lives by providing help. So I see it having a life beyond this current situation.”

For more info check out our launch article

© Scoop Media