ELDERLY and vulnerable West Wight residents have thanked the new coronavirus hub — and its 427 volunteers — for helping them through the pandemic.

Invaluable and unwavering support for the community has come from West Wight Coronavirus Support Hub, at West Wight Sports and Community Centre (WWSCC).

“I cannot express my gratitude for the support we’ve had from the help hub. Without it, we would not have been able to stay safe at home.

"I’m not sure what we would have done. I would have been forced to consider going to the shops and the pharmacy.”

These were the words of a 94-year-old Freshwater man, who is in isolation with his wife, 93.

“We go out in the garden, but we haven’t left home since before the lockdown.”

The couple’s prescriptions and weekly shopping have been delivered to their door by hub volunteers.

Nearly 500 residents of Freshwater, Totland, Yarmouth, Thorley and Wellow, have contacted the hub for support, while 427 people have signed up as helpers.

The hub opened on March 23, as lockdown began.

It is led by WWSCC, in partnership with West Wight parish and town councils, West Wight Churches and other organisations from across the area.

It was one of the first IW organisations to provide emergency help for isolated people.

Prescriptions, shopping and delivery of hot meals, cooked at the centre, were the first priorities and the range of services also includes telephone support, on-line fitness classes, children’s cookery classes, meditation classes and quizzes.

Other issues the hub has helped with are referring people to the local food bank, and sourcing a stair-gate and other essentials for a family new to the area.

When care homes needed scrubs, face shields and laundry bags, 40 sewing volunteers sprang into action, up-cycling donated duvet covers and sheets.

Rapanui donated T-shirts, while Cowes Enterprise College produced face shields.

WWSCC manager, Clare Griffin, said: “To have had more than 400 people come forward, willing to help vulnerable residents, shows the extraordinary community spirit we have in the West Wight.

“Setting up the hub has been a steep learning and we look forward to coming through this crisis in an even stronger position and with an even bigger team of volunteers supporting our community.”