DELIVERY of emergency food and other essential personal and household basic items to people in need during the coronavirus crisis is being co-ordinated by Oldham Council, the town's foodbank and the organisation Action Together.

The offer is for people who are unable to leave the house and don’t have a trusted friend, neighbour or family member to help them. This could be someone of any age.

A new hotline is now live on 0161 770 7007 for people to call for help. The hotline will be open from 9am-5pm on weekdays and 11am to 2pm on weekends.

After calling the helpline they aim to get back to people in 24 hours and a package will be coordinated in the following days.

The food will be a basic package of items and other essential such as sanitary products and basic toiletries. The delivery of prescriptions medicines will be handled separately by local pharmacies who will be contacting people on GP lists.

The offer is for people in the local community who are genuinely in emergency need because they are self-isolating and don’t have any friends or neighbours who can support them or are unable to leave the house to shop for these items.

Oldham Council, Oldham Foodbank and the voluntary sector led by Action Together are asking people to use the resource responsibly so that it doesn’t become overwhelmed and that is can give help to those who need it most.

Council leader Sean Fielding, said: “I am really pleased we have managed to get this service up and running so quickly. It is vital that our most vulnerable who have no-one else to call upon can access support at this very difficult time. This shows how the whole community is pulling together to help people who need it the most.”

"Hubs are being opened across the borough where supplies will be co-ordinated. This will link into an emergency food offer which will be run by the Council, Oldham Foodbank and Action Together.

"The hubs will also be able to link people to people to mutual aid, co-ordinate emergency response volunteers and act as a source of local intelligence.

"The hubs will be led by our district teams in partnership with Action Together and will be supported by staff from other parts of the council, partners and the community and voluntary sector who have good knowledge of the local community.

"The hubs will build on the fantastic work already being done in the community to make sure those in need can access emergency supplies including the fantastic work of Oldham Foodbank and by Age UK Oldham’s Shopping Service."

He said the hubs will need help from volunteers and many people have already come forward. Antone interested in getting involved should visit https://www.actiontogether.org.uk/volunteer/search-for-opportunities

How to donate items to the Foodbank

You can see a list of drop-off points here along with a list of items that are most needed.

You can also drop donations into the main Oldham Foodbank at Three Crowns, 1-3 Manchester Street Oldham, OL11LE.

From Monday 30 March you will be able to drop off donations at the following locations:

• Neon Community Centre, Holt Street, Greenacres, OL4 2DQ

• South Chadderton Methodist Church, 25 Thompson Lane, Chadderton OL9 8LX

• Honeywell Centre, Hadfield Street, Hathershaw, OL8 3BP

• Clemency House, Nugget Street, Oldham OL4 1BN