AN army of Stourbridge volunteers have been working to help keep vulnerable and elderly residents safe during the coronavirus crisis.

Members of Stourbridge Community Support - Coronavirus COVID-19 - have been doing their bit to help people in need to get shopping, prescriptions, supply PPE to health workers and even just provide a friendly listening ear to the isolated and lonely as lockdown continues.

One of the key volunteers, Cat Eccles, said: "It started off as a bit of an online chat group. Emma Fitzgerald, who started the group, and I were really keen to do something to help the community."

More than 200 people have signed up to help the group get supplies to people self-isolating and more than 150 people have received help to date.

Healthcare professional Cat said: "It started off we were just going to do Stourbridge - but it now includes Kingswinford, Wordsley, Amblecote, Brierley Hill; we've even helped people as far away as Dudley. We won't turn anyone away. We'll do our best to find a volunteer that can help.

"We do a bit of shopping for people who can't get out, collect prescriptions for people. It's even giving them a phone call and having a chat."

The group has been working with Churches Together and the Black Country Foodbank and has set up a distribution centre to get food parcels delivered to those staying at home and Cat said: "In just three days we raised £3,760 on our Go Fund Me page.

"We're using the money to purchase key items for our Foodbank distribution centre - and we're working with local shops to help us bulk buy.

"There's been a huge increase in demand for Foodbank, especially as the weeks go by and people get lower on money.

"Black Country Foodbank provides a basic food parcel to ensure people are getting good, solid nutrition."

To donate go to gofundme.com/f/stourbridge-campaign-support-group-covid-19.

Many people in need of help are being referred by Dudley Council for Voluntary Service, social services, GPs and the Jobcentre but Cat said anyone needing help can get in touch. She added: "People can self refer or refer a relative they are worried about. We're all so worried about people who might slip through the net, people who have got no family or friends."

Meanwhile - other volunteers have been making much-needed protective equipment for health care staff fighting coronavirus on the frontline.

Mechanical engineer Billy Gordon in Stourbridge, together with Rich Dyer, Matt Bird and Alan Aldous, have taken to 3D printing to help manufacture more PPE. Around £1,800 has been raised to help their efforts to produce face shields for NHS staff - many of which have been donated to Russells Hall Hospital. While JT Foams and Fibres in Cradley Heath has donated foam and elastic to the cause.

Cat, an NHS theatre practitioner, said: "It's just incredible what's going on. There's a little army of manufacturers. They can't produce them fast enough."

She said the efforts of volunteers has been amazing and added: "The thing that has really amazed, impressed and humbled me is the kindness of our community when times do really get tough. It's sad it's taken a pandemic to do it. It's incredible to see."

She admitted being moved to tears after the group helped one elderly gentlemen who had reached out to try to get help with picking up his cancer prescription. She said: "He just wanted to tell me how grateful he was and overwhelmed. He was crying and I was crying."

Despite having plenty of hands on deck, the group is still keen to recruit more volunteers. Cat said: "As the virus is spread throughout our community - volunteers are having to self isolate which takes them off for two weeks. We don't want them going out if they're sick. We need as many people as we can to call on."

People interested in volunteering can email volunteers@stourbridgecommunitysupport.org, check out stourbridgecommunitysupport.org or search Stourbridge Community Support - Coronavirus COVID19 - on Facebook.

Anyone in need of help or wishing to refer a vulnerable relative or friend can call 01384 812761.