TWO months into lockdown and the Community Coronavirus Help Bridgwater group is still going strong, having supported hundreds of people during this difficult time.

At the start of the outbreak, community-minded volunteers Daniel Ball, Kirstie Sutton and Simon Bale set up a Facebook group to help residents communicate and make requests for help with shopping and picking up prescriptions.

The organisation has grown with dozens of volunteers helping vulnerable people in Bridgwater on a regular basis.

Simon Bale, who has been responsible for co-ordinating the volunteers, expressed his heartfelt thanks to all those who had helped to make the support group a success, and shared some of the moments which had made the effort so worthwhile.

Mr Bale said: "I make it eight weeks since we began this adventure. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to our volunteers - but these thanks come not just from me, but from the village agents, our councillors and officers, doctors' surgeries, pharmacies, the Bridgwater Foodbank and of course the people receiving deliveries on their doorsteps.

"Earlier this week I had a short but meaningful online exchange with a young mother today who seemed at her wits end and really not sure which way to turn.

"She was running out of money, struggling to cope with her young family and fearful of going out.

"She was put in touch with us through the cchbridgwater@gmail.com email address and within half an hour we had her down for a food parcel.

"It all happened so easily and that is because we have such a strong group of people."

Mr Bale also praised the speed and reliability of the volunteers collecting and delivering pharmacy prescriptions.

"One of our volunteers, Raegin Westcott, has now delivered 100 items since the start of lockdown, and took a photo with pharmacy staff to mark the occasion," Mr Bale added.

For more information visit the Coronavirus Community Help Bridgwater Facebook page.