Volunteer at a soup kitchen – if you feel comfortable to

Soup kitchens around the country are struggling for staff as many of the volounteers fall into the retired and elderly bracket, and have therefore been asked to stay at home and self-isolate.

BBC News reports that The People’s Kitchen in Newcastle has lost 30% of its volunteer workforce as many of them are over 70, so instead the remaining few have taken to setting up tables in the car park with hot soup, sandwiches and cakes.

With venue spaces to hold these services also being under threat, some are going outside to offer food to those who need it. Look into which soup kitchens are near you and enquire whether they need extra hands at this time when their staffing resources may be impacted. You can even offer to help by following the lead of The People’s Kitchen and setting up additional tables outside if the venue has had to close.

Check up on the vulnerable in your area

With the streets deserted, homeless people are reporting that their usual source of donations is disappearing fast.

If you feel comfortable, take a walk around your area, specifically to any spots you know are favoured by the homeless and drop off some bottles of water and food.

With hardly any money being given out on the streets, many homeless people will be concerned with lack of food and water as a effect of the pandemic, even if they aren’t experiencing any symptoms.

Coronavirus: how to help homeless people in Covid-19 pandemic