Within a week of lockdown being announced, Stonehouse Town Council set up a Helpline for people who were self-isolating and did not have family assistance.

A leaflet was produced to promote the service and to request volunteers to help with food shopping and prescription delivery.

Within the first two weeks, over 50 people came forward to volunteer their services and were matched up with residents requesting help with some just wanting a phone call to check on their wellbeing.

The town council has been working closely with the local Co-op store and the volunteers have made over 500 deliveries of groceries since the end of March; averaging 80 per week.

Stonehouse Pharmacy has its own service so that medication can be picked up and delivered, supplemented by our volunteers when medication was required urgently.

These services are still available for any local resident who requires help.

The town council also partnered with the Long Table to set up a frozen meal delivery service for Stonehouse residents, and the volunteers helped to distribute the leaflets and delivered 186 delicious and healthy home-made meals to 18 households during May.

Councillor Neil Gibbs, town mayor, said: “We always knew what a fantastic community we have here in Stonehouse but we have been truly humbled by the response we have received to our requests for help.

"One of our volunteers calls a fellow resident who is shielding, three times a week to have a chat and to check that they are ok.

“It is in these extraordinary times that ordinary people pull together and look after our most vulnerable friends and neighbours and we want to thank everyone who has responded and helped out, in whatever way, to make sure that fellow residents receive help and support.”

Key businesses in the town have continued to provide essential services throughout lockdown and, as restrictions ease and more businesses are set to re-open over the next few weeks, the town council will be available to offer support and information.

Call the council on 01453 822070 during office hours for support services.