The volunteers driven to 'do something' to support those isolated by coronavirus

Within hours, she’d connected with Jackie Heffer, who had had a similar idea, and together they founded Beverley and East Riding Covid-19 Mutual Aid.

It is one of more than 70 groups in Yorkshire that have sprung up in recent days under the banner of the UK-wide coronavirus Mutual Aid online group. Across the country, there are more than 1,000, alongside countless others bringing together volunteers ready and willing to do shopping, walk dogs, or even pick up a phone and chat to someone affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

“I’d lost all my work, and I just felt like I had to do something in response to what was going on,” Miss Kirkman said.

Join our new coronavirus Facebook group for the latest confirmed news and advice as soon as we get it www.facebook.com/groups/yorkshirecoronavirusWithin days, they were coordinating 250 volunteers and the Facebook group had 2,000 members. They have already helped 45 people, and are gearing up for helping a lot more, leafleting houses in Beverley to ensure those who need help the most know that it is there, in particular, the over 70s and those with underlying health conditions.

What has struck her, is how the crisis is bringing out true community spirit.

“People are being so generous in coming together and offering help,” she said. “We’ve got people who have set up WhatsApp groups for people living on their streets so they can keep in touch with their neighbours.

“Before all this I’d never spoken to my neighbours. Now, we’re organising a street party for when it’s all over.

“People are so grateful for help. They’re apologising, saying they wished they didn’t have to ask, but that’s what we’re here for.”

Eleven groups have set up in Sheffield under the Mutual Aid banner, while nine are operating in Leeds, seven in the East Riding and five in Craven.

These include #ViralKindness Heeley, a group which posts through the messaging platform WhatsApp to help people in the Sheffield area, and the Ingleton and District Covid-19 response group, which posts on Facebook about assistance available in the Yorkshire Dales.

In Pudsey in Leeds, the town’s parish church was one of the first in the city to recognise a need for coordinated action.

The Vicar of Pudsey, Rev Richard Dimery, was keen to use the connections he had built over recent years to offer support.. The church is being used as a drop off centre for donations of food, toiletries, pet food and basic medicines that will be distributed to isolated local people. Dozens of volunteers have come forward, and are being accredited by Voluntary Action Leeds in a way to ensure everyone involved stays safe.

Rev Richard told the Yorkshire Post: “We were seeing things online offering help with prescriptions or shopping and I was scared about safeguarding and virus spreading.

“I wanted to help coordinate the goodwill and generosity in a way that was transparent.”

The church is working with Leeds City Council, which has given them a £500 grant. Pudsey residents have also donated £800 to fund supplies.

It is in the next week, he said, that they will be called on, as people in Pudsey, and across Yorkshire, get used to a “new way of life”.

“We are in really good shape to be able to help but I am anxious for the young families, vulnerable families and older people we have already connected with,” he said.

“We don’t take change well and my concerns for the low level traumatisation and people’s mental health. I’m afraid for people who just refuse to comply with social distancing,

“Now, we should be talking more about physical distancing and social solidarity - talking to our neighbours by phone or video call.”