A FUND to help communities during the coronavirus pandemic has helped to provide more than 3,000 meals for vulnerable people.

The believe housing Coronavirus Crisis Fund was launched in May to provide targeted assistance to those struggling during lockdown.

One of its targets is to help people struggling to feed themselves, or their families, due to the effects of pandemic.

The funding is directed to community groups, with more than 30 now given urgently needed cash.

One of the groups awarded funding was Murton Parish Council, which received £1,000 towards providing food packs for around 1,000 people in the area.

The Solan Connor Fawcett Family Cancer Trust also received £500 to provide highly targeted assistance with food to seven extremely vulnerable families during the pandemic.

The Meal Orchard project, delivering hundreds of hot meals directly to vulnerable people in and around Crook has also benefited from believe housing funding.

Damian Pearson, who is the housing association’s funding officer, said: “Lots of people have been struggling to keep food in their cupboards during lockdown.

“Hunger was a key issue that we felt we had to tackle during the coronavirus outbreak and it’s been great to see the response from so many community groups.”