Reaching out into the community has always been something the Majorca Daily Bulletin has tried to do, and we have discovered that this need is even stronger now we can't physically be together at the moment.
Help a neighbour, stay in touch with your family, make regular contact with friends.
Do you know your neighbours? Have you made contact with them to check they are okay? If you have their telephone number then call them and have a quick chat, you will be surprised at how pleased people will be that someone has cared enough to call them. If you know of an elderly or “at risk” person nearby you, you can offer to do their shopping for them when you do your own. Just get their list and take it with you when you shop, drop their bag off outside of their door and let them know it is there. To avoid any physical risk to them make sure that you are following the guidelines around hygiene when you shop on their behalf, and make sure you wear gloves right up to the point of drop off to be as careful as possible.
You might want to video call family daily to check in with them if you have an older relative who lives on their own, or if you are living on your own, why not instigate a daily check in with your loved ones or friends? There are many ways of doing this through WhatsApp, Facetime, Skype, Zoom, or even a fun app called HouseParty which you can download onto your phone and use to hang out with your friends.
Social Media
A lot of us are staying in touch via social media. You can follow the Majorca Daily Bulletin on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MajorcaDaily/) and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/MajorcaDaily) where we post links to news articles. It’s no surprise most people’s “screen time” use has escalated rapidly in the past days, but there are definitely a lot of great things happening online which reflect the great spirit of our island.
A group called “Majorca Mallorca, At Home Together” (www.facebook.com/groups/MajorcaMallorca/) was started up last week by the Majorca Daily Bulletin’s Vicki McLeod and has grown rapidly. “The idea”, Vicki said, “was to just start up a fun group where people could share tutorials and ideas about what they could do during the self isolation. So far we have had magic lessons, dog training, live music, wine tasting, gardening, cooking lessons, yoga, pilates, boxing, cardio workouts, a daily quiz and so much more. It is a really fun place to be and a nice rest from worrying about the Corona Virus. I have actually asked the members not to post about the virus as we all need a “safe place” where we can just relax and have fun without worrying so much. There is a great page on Facebook run by the Guardia Civil in English (www.facebook.com/DrivingSpain/) which is very helpful for clarifying the current rules and of course the Bulletin’s own main page so if we need news, it is not so far away from us!”
Another aspect of the group is to support local businesses which are operating under these difficult situations, something which the Majorca Daily Bulletin is passionate about supporting. We have many solutions for businesses wishing to get their message out so please get in touch with us about how we can help you to keep reaching your customers during the next weeks or months.
The “Majorca Mallorca, At Home Together” Facebook group has quickly grown into a pseudo community television station with many homemade videos, if you want to join in and learn, or contribute your own then all you need to do is join the group, or contact us here and we will put you in touch. As the UK has also now gone into lockdown the group is growing again with many UK residents joining and contributing, as Vicki says, “Anyone is welcome and we are trying to support each other through this really difficult period with a dose of community spirit and positivity. When people are feeling down or struggling we are reaching out to them individually and offering support as well. Another Facebook group which I recommend you join is Open Mind Mallorca which is populated with some really caring people who are great to talk to when you are feeling anxious or depressed”.
From now on we will be sharing some highlights from each day of the group here and online. You can look forward to some great recipes from professional chefs, tips from dog trainers, gardeners, and so much more. Congratulations to the community in Majorca, yet again pulling together!