We had to do scrumthing..
STAFF from a rugby club in Wales pack bags of food ready to deliver to those most in need as our crusade to build a volunteer army gathers force.
More than 36,000 people from across the country have signed up to our Kindness Will Keep Us Together campaign, which aims to increase the number of Red Cross Community Reserve Volunteers to help during the virus crisis.
Jeff Jones, 43, was among those doing his bit in Rhyl, North Wales, delivering food donated by Rhyl Rugby Club.
Tony Evans, Chairman of Rhyl RFC said: “As soon as we learned we would have to suspend our activities, the staff offered to organise, bag and deliver all our fresh and perishable goods to pensioners. Our local Morrisons provided free bags.”
Community Reserve Volunteer Jeff went to the club, thinking he would then take the donations to the Red Cross office to pack, but realised most of the food was either fresh or frozen so needed to be distributed as soon as possible.
He said: “There was no way I could allow good food to go to waste when so many people are without.”
The bags went to people self-isolating. He said: “They all got a good bag each of potatoes, vegetables, eggs, a loaf, milk, a bag of frozen chips. People were quite overwhelmed. A lot were quite tearful.”
Since we launched our kindness crusade on Saturday, you, our amazing readers, have rushed to pledge your time and skills to do what you can to help.
In the last 72 hours, CRV Mirror readers have been deployed from Eastbourne to Manchester to the Shetland Isles.
On the south coast, Tracey Khan has been busy looking after people returning home from hospital in Eastbourne. A support worker, she has been making sure
patients have full cupboards and warm houses. She said: “Being asked to isolate for a minimum of 12 weeks is going to be hard for people. It’s a very anxious time and many of them are worried about their mental health as well as the practical side. We can make sure people get the support they need.”
Volunteers helped distribute food in the Trafford area of Manchester. The food was donated by Marks & Spencer and distributed to vulnerable people via foodbanks.
In the Shetland Isles, CRV volunteers took over a gym to give out emergency food supplies.
In Newport, South Wales, staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital had meals donated by Nando’s dished up and delivered by Red Cross volunteers. Team leader Sinead said: “We just wanted to show our appreciation. They are just going in and getting on with it, as much as we all are, but it is not a nice environment for everyone.
“It was just about bringing about a bit of light into this horrible situation, trying to keep people positive. It was something so simple that made such a big difference to people. People said it kept them going.”
Nurse Victoria Goodwin said the volunteers’ help was much appreciated.
She added: “The staff are working so hard, as they always do, and this gesture went a long way.”