Local churches of several denominations have worked together to take the lead in establishing an Emergency Community Network for the rural area centred on Carlton, (between Selby and Goole) in the south of the Diocese of York.
Invited by North Yorkshire County Council, Curate of Carlton and Drax the Revd Becky Allright has been heavily involved in co-ordinating a number of organisations and groups to offer a single route for people to request and access support during the Coronavirus lockdown which began in March 2020 and whose end date is still not known.
"In the parish there are no other 'infrastructure' organisations that cover the entire area, so there are five [civil] parish councils, two Methodist Circuits, one Roman Catholic church, and three different GP practices, so none that cover the whole geography," explains Becky.
Set up in March by a group of friends and volunteers, the network has been running whilst everyone is in self isolation.
So far the number of people needing support has been limited, as many of the villages in this area are very well connected and support is available through extended family, and some local businesses are offering delivery services for those unable to get out.
"It’s been really heart-warming to hear how generous our neighbours have been to each other," said Becky.