Launch of #WiltshireTogether Champions network

Wiltshire Council is launching the #WiltshireTogether Champions initiative to create a network of people who can get the latest COVID-19 information out across Wiltshire. This network will help the council share accurate and factual guidance and advice, which will help counter misleading and inaccurate information being spread through social media and word of mouth.

The #WiltshireTogether Champions will be able to keep up-to-date with the latest national guidance and receive Wiltshire-specific updates, so that they can keep themselves, their families, friends and communities safe. The messages will be created by the council, ready for champions to simply share in an easy and quick way.

Once signed up, the champions will receive:

• regular updates from the council on the latest situation with COVID-19 in Wiltshire
• key messages and updates that need to be communicated through Wiltshire's communities
• FAQs to help with myth-busting about COVID-19
• a single point of contact to discuss ideas, offer suggestions and ask questions

As well as sharing important public health messages and advice, champions can also help by giving feedback and sharing local knowledge, to ensure these communications and messages are effective and reaching as many people as possible.

From this week, and for the next two weeks whilst new national restrictions are in place, the council has also redeployed 36 leisure staff as #WiltshireTogether Champions out and about in towns across Wiltshire. These staff will be working with the council's Community Engagement Managers to engage with town and parish councils, businesses and residents to remind them of the importance of playing their part to help stop the spread of the virus in Wiltshire.

Wiltshire Council Leader, Cllr Philip Whitehead, said:

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Wiltshire, it is now more important than ever to ensure our communities stay up-to-date with this information to help protect ourselves, each other, and prevent the spread of the virus.

We want to reach as many people as possible with correct COVID-19 messages, so this is where we need the help of the community. We are encouraging as many people as possible to sign up to become a #WiltshireTogether Champion to share these messages even further.

Nothing compares to hearing information from family, friends and trusted people within your community. This network will help to support trusted individuals to share facts and disrupt the fiction out there, making sure everyone knows what they need to do in the coming days, weeks and months. We hope that people will also see our champions out and about over the next few weeks and chat to them about any queries they might have.

Anyone that is interested in signing up to become a #WiltshireTogether Champion can email their details to communitychampions@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).