How you can answer foodbank's plea to help elderly and vulnerable

The Dawdon Youth and Community Centre service has noticed an understandable drop off in donations following the nationwide lockdown at the start of this week.

But, with demand for its help increasing as the crisis continues, it says non-perishable contributions are desperately needed and can still be safely left at its Queen Alexandra Road premises.

Centre youth manager Joanne Bowen said volunteers had distributed around 100 food parcels in the Dawdon, Seaham and Parkside areas since the lockdown.

She added: “There has been a definite increase in demand since the start of the week and we are concentrating on people in self isolation for 12 weeks and also vulnerable families.

“The community has been brilliant as well and we have businesses in the area who have had to close who have given us their left overs.

“But we were trying to put some parcels together today and we are definitely short of a few everyday items.

“Demand is definitely outstripping supply and we need tinned potatoes, tinned meats, long-life milk and rices, pastas and sauces.”

She said a table is set up at certain times outside the centre for contributions to be left and that supplies are safely collected by volunteers once donors have left.

Those receiving parcels, which are left on doorsteps, are also reminded to wash their hands after they have unpacked them and discarded any packaging.

Miss Bowen added: “We have a few families we have promised to help throughout the pandemic, no matter what. These families are going to be our priority as they are really struggling.

“Then we will try to help those who are not isolated.”

The times the centre is currently open for donations are between 9.30am-noon and 1.30pm-5pm weekdays.

But this is liable to change and so anyone wishing to visit with supplies is asked to check its Youth Hub Facebook page.

Further details are also available by telephoning the centre on (0191) 5131777