Installation of Covid-safe visitor pod at veterans’ charity in time for Christmas

A specially designed, Covid-safe pod that has been donated to veterans’ charity to enable disabled residents to have visitors over the festive period.

Decorated by a Brighton street-artist, the unit has been donated by SafeTime Pod, a new not-for-profit start-up company. Earlier this month, the Pod was installed at Care for Veterans, a Worthing-based charity which provides care and rehabilitation to disabled veterans.

The ‘SafeTime Pod’ is a stand-alone, weatherproof, fully mobile unit, placed outside complete with heating, lighting and a hands-free communications system, allowing families and friends to visit residents without the risk of Covid. The pod, which has been donated to Care for Veterans, has been beautifully decorated by Brighton street artist, REQ, to turn it into a ‘cottage pod’. The exterior looks like a cottage with a thatched roof and the interior is a countryside scene with a false perspective.

Andy Neaves, Chief Executive explains how this will benefit the charity: “Like all facilities caring for those who are more vulnerable to Covid, we have had to prioritise the safety of our residents and sadly this has meant restrictions on visitors. Currently, our residents are limited to virtual visits with loved ones or window visits through a closed window, which can be hard for those who already experience difficulties with communication.

“The new pod will allow one or two visitors (two from the same household) to sit in a lit, heated pod with a communication system that makes hearing easy and above all is completely safe with no fear of virus transmission. The visitors also won’t need to wear a mask, which helps communication. The resident is the other side of the glass, so they can see and hear their visitors clearly. This pod is a real game-changer for residents, who have struggled for many months from the lack of contact from friends and families. We are extremely grateful to The SafeTime Project for this generous donation.”

The pod has been donated by The SafeTime Pod, a new not-for-profit start-up company, which is made up of Bruce Martindill, a Tiny house builder and Emma Joanne, a freelance photographer from Brighton, who they decided to devise a solution to the ban on visits to care homes due to coronavirus.

Emma Joanne at The SafeTime Pod said: “We have been building pods since the start of lockdown for care homes to connect families at this time of tragic isolation. We decided to produce a themed pod which has a lot of charm and decided to use REQ, the prolific street artist who has done a lot of work in the city and is very clever with a spray can! Our cottage themed pod is a beautiful piece of art, and we decided to give it away to charity. The lucky recipient is Care for Veterans, as this charity stood out among all others because they are looking after a whole range of people of all ages. They are a really caring charity, right from the people at reception to the CEO. We want to spread the word about SafeTime Pods and how they can help connect more families and help people who are feeling isolated during this difficult time and especially during the festive season.”

Read more about the Safetime Pod – www.safetimepod.com