Alan Irving was just like the rest of us.

He was confused by the information and misinformation that was spreading about Covid, lockdown rules, vaccines and the rest.

But, unlike the majority of us, he decided to do something about it.

The result is the Allerdale Area Covid-19 Support Group, a Facebook page with just under 4,000 members.

Alan, 56, has become familiar to the NHS, local MP and doctors and nurses as he ensures that everything that he puts on his Facebook page is helpful and true.

It is non-political and he will soon step in if anyone uses and abuses the page for anything other than honest Covid discussion along with a few good-humoured, inoffensive jokes.

"The one exception I have made is a discussion thread on the 'no vaccine, no job' argument - just letting people have their say."

Alan runs a plastering business.

"During the first lockdown I wasn't working so had plenty of time to do this.Now I have my phone at work and whenever I am waiting for plaster to dry, am stuck for a while by weather conditions or whatever, I will be in the van with a cuppa and my phone looking up all the latest information."

He ensures that people know what is going on.

"People have freedom of choice. They can do or believe what they want. But I know two people who have died of this virus - two people who were convinced it was not a real thing."

Alan goes further than providing information, valuable as it is.

When mass vaccinations took place in Maryport on two very cold, snowy days, Alan went out to clear and grit pavements around his area on what would be the most likely route people would be taking to walk to the Maryport Rugby Club.

"I knew the area around the club would be cleared but I was concerned about elderly people slipping on the snow or ice further out."

The battle off Covid-19 has been one of minds as well as bodies. As people decide whether to wear masks, break lockdown rules and spread misinformation about vaccinations, Alan Irving is determined that they will make these decisions based on truth.