Food hubs will help Blackpool's most vulnerable residents

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Blackpool Council is setting up hubs across the town which will be used by staff and volunteers to deliver essential supplies to those in most need.

Food parcels and medicines will be distributed to people having to isolate themselves but who have no friends or family support.

The council's coronakindness helpline, as well at its existing database of residents receiving support, will be used to identify those in need of the service.

Blackpool's director of public health Dr Arif Rajpura said: "The main aim is to protect the most vulnerable people over the age of 70 and with underlying health conditions, who could get a worse version of Covid-19.

"The hubs will support those people who are isolating themselves and struggling to get a food delivery.

"We have lots of people with underlying health conditions so the outcome for our town would be much worse unless we can shield them away from the general public.

"We don't want to expose these individuals to unnecessary risk."

High levels of deprivation in Blackpool impact on health and the town has the lowest life expectancy of any local authority in England, five years less than the national average.

Dr Rajpura said the public needed to play their part by observing social distancing rules.

He added: "Everyone needs to do their bit to stop the spread of this infection and that means socially distancing yourself and avoiding gatherings.

"We all have to change our mindset and only go out when it is essential and to exercise.

"Unless we do this the impact it could have on the most vulnerable and on the number of deaths we get, if it's just left to run its course, will be many times worse."

The council is set to receive around £6m in government funding to support people through the crisis, and has already dipped into its own reserves to meet initial costs.

If people need help or want to offer help via the council's coronakindness service they can email [email protected] or [email protected].