Nine thousand people join up to Northampton Mutual Aid group

An army of people have joined coronavirus Mutual Aid online groups to deliver goods to those unable to leave home in their areas.

Within days of the first Facebook page launching in south London, a UK-wide network of organisations has now formed - and among them is Northampton's Facebook group, which has 9,016 members.

Users of the groups have described them as a vital boost with NHS services likely to be stretched in the coming weeks.

Though people in need of them are being urged to be wary of potential scammers, especially when handing over money.

Co-ordinator for the national Covid-19 Mutual Aid umbrella group Kelsey Mohamed, 28, said the response had been 'overwhelming'.

"It shows us what's possible when we prioritise simple compassion," she said. "People are self-organising with incredible efficiency, respect and creativity."

Many of the groups formed through a templated leaflet being delivered through letterboxes in a particular area.

Seren John-Wood , 24, helped set up the first mutual aid group in Lewisham, south London, on Thursday, March 12.

The theatre worker and her housemates distributed hundreds of leaflets around their local area asking if people needed deliveries of food or medicine.

Shortly afterwards, the friends decided to launch an umbrella organisation to guide the various groups around the UK.

Its website displays a map of the volunteer groups they know of from the tip of Cornwall to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Some cover a single street, others a neighbourhood, ward or town.

In Lewisham, the support network has grown to the extent those in need of assistance are marking their windows with a red piece of card. There are now 4,000 members on the local Covid-19 Mutual Aid page.

Nicola Spurr, 46, who works for non-profit organisations, set up a WhatsApp thread in Westminster on Saturday.

She quickly saw hundreds of people volunteer to shop for the elderly, deliver medicine and walk dogs.

She said: "I've lived in Lancaster Gate for two years and I've never really spoken to my neighbours. London can be a bit like that, it can be a lonely place.

"But we saw this huge outpouring of solidarity and neighbourliness straight away."

Dieticians, therapists and dementia specialists were among some of the people offering their services for free.

But there are concerns criminals could take advantage of informal set ups to exploit the vulnerable.

In Brighton and Hove, a councillor is creating an ID card with a space for a photograph to ensure the helper is who they say they are.

Mutual Aid is advising its groups to check up on who is offering help to make sure they have done the right thing.