A WEBSITE has been set up to help Redditch amid the Covid-19 outbreak as it not only continues, but has been predicted to get much worse.

The site, https://supportredditch.net, was only launched on Saturday but already has thousands of users.

It has a clean design with three main buttons 'I need help or advice', 'I want to help', and 'Map of cases'.

If someone clicks they need help there is an online form they can complete which is uploaded to a secure database and shared with the community groups across Redditch to spring into action.

The help button also provides advice on public services, for business, for employees, the self-employed and even gives a crowd-sourced list of things to do whilst isolated at home.

The map of cases has had six reports of suspected cases (although it has been stressed these are unconfirmed reports).

There is also a form for businesses to donate food and supplies if they wish.

Redditch Advertiser:

Redditch councillor Mike Rouse, who started the website, said: "As I was a web developer before I became a councillor I decided to bring out my skills at this time of crisis and just get on with a job that clearly needed to be done, and should have been done at least a week ago if not longer considering this whole thing started in China before the New Year.

"I've built over a weekend something that would take a council months to develop. But as the inventor of the internet said: 'this is for everyone'."

He added: "I really hope both Worcestershire County Council and Redditch Borough Council will engage with the platform and work with me and the community groups - it's for them too.

"I've got a team of six community editors working evenings and weekends. In short, I've got resources they haven't got. The councils should be focused on providing aid, not managing websites - please, leave that to us and please use our skills."

For more on the site, which has strong cross-party support, go to https://supportredditch.net.