VOLUNTEERS in Hereford have risen to the challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic and are getting food and medicine to the most vulnerable.

Challenge Community Church in Belmont Road and Putson Baptist Church have been two of those organisations helping coordinate grocery deliveries.

Liz Greenow, community link worker at Challenge Community Church, makes some of the deliveries.

“It’s been manageable and very well organised

“We do food, and we do prescriptions, including for dogs!”

She said her church was approached by Marlbrook School asking if they could help families who didn’t have any food.

“We were able to do food drops to 12 families. People have been great in donating food as well as money. So a huge thank-you to anyone who has supported us with that.”

Andy Goode, senior pastor at Putson Baptist Church, said one of his priorities was to try to help shield food banks.

“I’ve worked alongside food banks for many years and you know this is going to be a long haul marathon not a sprint. What I’ve been encouraging people to do is if they have food to donate, to deliver it to the food banks.

“We set up a fund so people are donating so I then buy the food from Booker, Tesco and Waitrose.

“So when it’s delivered onto someone’s doorstep I make sure no human hands will have touched it.

“I buy it pack it and then have a whole load of volunteers who will deliver it out to people. It’s all about being safe.”

If you need help, call the council’s response team on 01432 260027.

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