Community Emergency Volunteer group in Laverstock and Ford boosted by SSEN funding

Scottish and Southern Electricity money funds the purchase of communications and safety equipment for the newly formed Laverstock & Ford Community Emergency Volunteer group.

In 2023, Wiltshire Council tasked local parishes and towns with setting up Community Emergency Volunteer (CEV) groups as part of Wiltshire’s emerging Community Resilience Plan, this included having a Community Emergency Plan and identifying Emergency Contact Hubs to provide a place where the community can go to help each other in the event of an emergency.

Primarily they are designed to enable communities to help themselves, but also to provide a link to emergency services in the local area. Wiltshire Council and emergency services will know where all hubs are located and how to contact them. 
 
The Laverstock and Ford Community Emergency Volunteers were formed in Spring 2024 to increase the readiness and resilience of the local community when faced with an emergency.

These people are ordinary residents able to offer their time or resources and who commit to helping others in a crisis. The CEV volunteers are still exploring their role but have already established Hampton Park Pavilion as an emergency Hub, with the capacity to use Old Sarum & Longhedge Community Centre should the need arise.

Jon Gunns, the group's coordinator, has developed a series of emergency action cards available via the Parish Council’s website.

During 2025, representatives of the local community police team and fire service have been invited to speak to volunteers. The Local Resilience Forum (LRF), known publicly as 'Wiltshire and Swindon Prepared', also offers online training to any volunteers who sign up.
 
Laverstock & Ford Parish Council’s Operations Officer, Joe Elder, who is the liaison officer for the Community Emergency Volunteer group, said, “I was presented with a shopping list of equipment considered necessary to achieve a basic level of operational readiness, by the group’s co-ordinator, Jon Gunns, and we applied to Scottish and Southern Electricity Network’s Powering Communities to Net Zero – Community-led Resilience Fund to supply some of this kit.

"We were delighted to hear in November that we had been successful and are grateful to The Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks for enabling us to be more prepared. It is a testament to the work that the Community Emergency Volunteers have already undertaken through research and consideration of past events in and around the parish where a group such as the CEV’s could have lessened the stress of an incident on residents and effectively provided low-level support to the emergency services”.
 
Jon Gunns, co-ordinator for the group, added, “This funding has enabled the Laverstock & Ford CEV to procure equipment to support their activities, including Two-way radios, a generator and lighting set and personal protective and operational equipment.

"There is a range of events that might trigger our action, from searching for a missing vulnerable person to support during a long-lasting power cut.

"This grant to the volunteers by The Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks will make a significant impact. It is anticipated that with this equipment, we will be able to expand our volunteer base and boost the development of the Community Emergency Volunteers. Many thanks to The Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks for this generous grant.”
 
The group works closely with the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator, who is also a CEV volunteer, to ensure that emergency alerts can reach as many people as possible and would welcome more people to join; no previous experience is necessary.
 
If you’d like to join the Laverstock & Ford Community Emergency Volunteers team, you can contact the group co-ordinator Jon Gunns, via cev@laverstockford-pc.gov.uk