Rural food lifeline for vulnerable

Written by David Fletcher 16 Apr 2020
Rural food lifeline for vulnerable

Families in rural England are totally dependent on volunteers delivering food during the coronavirus crisis. Many households face long journeys to buy food - more difficult if they are self-isolating. Catherine Boyes’ son has cystic fibrosis and she is shielding him by staying home. She says, ‘Without these deliveries my children would starve.’ The mother of six, living on a farm on the edge of the North York moors, struggled to get a regular delivery from a supermarket due to surging demand and is reliant on the Pickering Help Network to deliver supplies. Pauline Hewitt, delivering food, said, ‘There is a real sense of fear and panic among some people about how they are going to get their shopping in an area like this. We have spent a lot of time reassuring people that whatever happens, we will deliver a weekly supply of food.’

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