A SCHEME aimed at supporting those in need with basic supplies is helping as many as 70 households a week.
The project called Teesdale Care Packages was launched by The Hub, in Barnard Castle, three weeks ago and is now supplying food parcels to people in need.
Rachel Tweddle, from The Hub, said: “It is going really well and it has really taken off. We now have a nice group of volunteers and we have raised about £3,500 which is amazing because it will prolong the campaign.”
The group has also received funding from County Durham Community Foundation to cover core costs and cash from North Star Housing to pay for transport.
The six volunteers, who are all people who have either lost their jobs or have been furloughed, are involved in the entire process, from shopping and putting the parcels
together to delivering the items.
Each parcel includes long-life items donated by Morrisons supermarket and fresh items from local shops such as Peats’ Butchers and Teesdale Eggs. Chocolates and treats were added to parcels to make Easter brighter for people who receive the parcels.
Parcels are also tailored to those who are to receive them.
Ms Tweddle said: “If we know it is an elderly person, we will add things that are easy to prepare, like soup or packets of pasta.”
All of those who receive parcels are referred to the scheme by organisations such as churches and schools, Ms Tweddle said.
So far residents helped are from an area stretching from Bowes to High Etherley.
Ms Tweddle said: “We’ve had none from further up the dale because Utass (Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services) has their own structure in place.”
The Hub’s efforts to support those in need have received support from the Strathmore Lodge of the Freemasons, in Barnard Castle.
Lodge members have donated £100 and details of what volunteers at The Hub are doing have been circulated to lodges elsewhere in Teesdale.
Householders who want to help the scheme can search for “Rachel’s campaign for Teesdale Community Resources” on the gofundme.com website.
