A NUMBER of businesses, supported by fantastic volunteers are helping people in isolation, vulnerable groups and individuals and key workers in Crediton and the surrounding area during this particularly difficult time due to the coronavirus.

To support the community, the Crediton traders have set up a distribution hub to help those in need get deliveries to their door.

The scheme operates quite simply, the person in need or a neighbour on behalf of someone, telephones the shop with which you wish to make an order, the shop delivers the order to the new distribution hub located at 18 High Street (formerly Kathea Boutique), and then the order is delivered to the doorstep by a volunteer.

Bruce Evans, from Grape and Grain wine merchants and a member of Crediton Chamber of Commerce, explained: “A group of independent traders, with the support of Crediton Chamber of Commerce, have set up the Crediton Delivery Hub and it is already very busy.

“We had a website (https://shopcrediton.co.uk ), set up by Danu Design and it had more than 1,000 views in the first 24 hours.

“The hub at 18 High Street is staffed by volunteers and the orders are brought to the shop for the volunteer delivery people to take out.

“We are adhering to COVID-19 guidelines and when the delivery arrives at the address we leave the item on the doorstep and knock on the door and wait for the person to come and get it while standing some distance away.

“There are cases where we cannot deliver the same day. For example this could be bread or medicines or certain vegetables which might not be available.

“We are covering Crediton at the moment and have established links with most local villages so can deliver to those as well.

“Currently we are serving people in isolation, vulnerable groups and individuals and key workers.

“Hopefully we can expand the service to others in the near future.

“The service is encouraging people to stay at home and have less social interaction by having to go to a shop.

“I would particularly like to thank Rupert Geering at Carter Geering for his help in establishing the service and the Chamber of Commerce for financing aspects of it.

“It has enabled us to really help people in the community.

“It is about the community pulling together, not panicking but being sensible.

“The businesses and volunteers want to help and the fact that it is already a success shows what a great community we have here.”

For full details of the shops and businesses taking part, visit: https://shopcrediton.co.uk .