Murton women deliver hundreds of pizzas and home-made meals to struggling families during lockdown

Since the start of the year, Julie Griffiths and Tracey Slater, who run Murton Junior Club, have distributed hundreds of pizzas and home-made meals to vulnerable members of the community.

Every Saturday, Julie and Tracey deliver home-made broth and pies to over 70 families in Murton – sometimes battling freezing temperatures and snow.

Julie said: "We’ve been working our way through the top of the bungalows in the village down to the bottom. It’s really an excuse for checking in on some elderly people, socially distanced, of course.”

“My mother-in-law has been making the broth and another lady, who comes to one of our groups, has been making the pies.

"Everyone’s coming together and I think it’s just lovely.”

Throughout lockdown, many families reached out to Julie to say they’ve struggled and she wanted to let them know there is help and support out there.

During the most recent half-term break, Julie and Tracey gave away pizza-making kits to over 400 families living in the village.

The dough and the toppings were provided by George’s Fish Bar in Murton and Morrissons supermarket in Dalton.

Julie said the pizza kits have brought families together and helped kids learn new skills while having fun.

The mother-of-two said: "It’s lovely, our little village has come together as a community.

“I just feel so over the moon that I’ve put a smile on a little child’s face.

“The whole family can get involved. It’s learning a life skill by cooking, but it’s also fun and there’s a hot meal out of it.

She continued: “Some parents have probably been worrying ‘Am I learning the kids anything?’, but cooking is a life skill.”

Julie, who has been furloughed since March, added that she and Tracey are always thinking of new ways to help.

"I always phone Tracey and say ‘What can we do next?’

"It annoys me when I think I can’t get out and help.

"I can’t really put it into words or explain it, but every day I’m trying to think of someone else I can get in contact with or the next thing we can do for the people of Murton, just to bring us all closer together.”