Volunteers from the Dons Local Action Group took to the streets of Wimbledon on Saturday to hand out leaflets encouraging people to get a COVID test.
It comes after Merton Council launched a week-long programme of enhanced testing after an individual with the South African variant of the virus was discovered in the Wimbledon Park area.
The group, which was set up by AFC Wimbledon supporters back at the start of the pandemic, was able to help the council out with the initiative.
Ash Thompson, who lives in Wimbledon and is a Dons Local Action Group volunteer, said: “It is really important to safeguard the community and contain the spread of the new South African variant of COVID-19.
“By volunteering with Dons Local Action Group, I got to spread the message within my community, as well as have a walk in the sun.”
Phillip Rudling, the director of the AFC Wimbledon Foundation, which is assisting alongside Dons Local Action, added: “When Merton Public Health approached us to help with this, we knew we had to get involved.
“The AFC Wimbledon Foundation delivers football coaching on Wimbledon Park, so this affects some of the families that we work with directly.
“Together with Dons Local Action Group, we were able to supply 16 volunteers.”
Merton Council are asking anyone over the age of 16, who lives, work or travels for essential reasons to the Wimbledon Park area to get a test via one of the options they are offering.
The first option being a Mobile Testing Unit open daily 8am-3pm in Wimbledon Park Golf Club, which requires a pre-book through the council’s website here.
There is also a pick-up/drop off test centre open until Friday at Christ the King Church Hall, where residents can collect home testing kits and then drop them off once they have done their test.
Featured image credit: Dons Local Action Group
