Far Cotton support group grows from three volunteers to more than 80 during lockdown

From donating children's bicycles to one another, making sure all the children in the area are fed a packed lunch each day and topping up people's electricity cards - Far Cotton is going the extra mile to rally round those who are less vulnerable.

Far Cotton Community Support group came together with just three volunteers before lockdown was announced to help those already self-isolating.

One of those three people was Northampton Borough Councillor Julie Davenport who has been helping those in her community by donating £800 of her councillor's empowerment fund.

"There was only three of us in the beginning who started the support group and it just grew - it was amazing," Julie said.

"We put leaflets out and lots of people came back on those who needed people to get their shopping or people that wanted to volunteer their time, food and money.

"That really got the ball rolling and we became the official Covid group for the area. It started with people doing shopping and collecting medication but we found as time went by a lot of people were suffering financially.

"People who weren't used to having their children at home all day found money was tight before the vouches came out. I would go out and do emergency shops for them and go out and top up their energy."

After becoming established the group has been accepting referrals from Northampton Partnership Homes, Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council.

Southern Quarter Developments are working hard behind the scenes to make sure 135 hot meals are being dished out daily and they are delivering 30 weekly food boxes, which have been donated by residents.

To keep up with soaring demand, Northamptonshire Community Foundation has since given the group a £3,000 grant, Tesco has pledged £500, the Old White Hart Pub handed out their freezer food and boxer Chantelle Cameron's charity Maverick Stars Trust has funded 50 hot meals for children every day for eight weeks.

Some days Julie has been shopping six times a day with money given to the group to make sure families have their essential items.

"People have lost their jobs and it took weeks in the beginning for their Universal Credit to come through," she added.

"They had nothing. Of course buying them food and topping up their gas and electricity was a lifeline."

Delapre Abbey has also donated 50 gift bags for children and their parents as well as afternoon teas to appreciate volunteers working above and beyond what was expected of them.

"Far Cotton is a brilliant community anyway but they have really, really made me proud with this they have been incredible," Julie said.