Volunteers raise a glass to celebrate efforts during lockdown

Hogsthorpe volunteers' cocktail party. Pictured from top left are Kerry Stafford and her partner Keith Clarke, who is also a volunteer; William Gray, District Councillor; .Elizabeth and Mark Elvidge, volunteers; Judith Groome, volunteer; Sue Cox volunteer; Scott and Bex Walker, volunteers; Paul Hibbert-Greaves - District Councillor; Kath Hayes, Parish Clerk; Jane Wright, Volunteer and one of two deputy co-ordinators of the group.

The volunteers group was set up by Karry Stafford and, as well as tasks such as shopping for vulnerable members of the community, they have also raised spirits by bring people together, including organising the VE Day street parties.

It was decided to hold a cocktail party during the National Volunteers' Week.

"As a way of thanking my volunteers, I invited our volunteers to a virtual Cocktail Party, which we held over Zoom," said Karry.

Hogsthorpe volunteers' Zoom cocktail party.

"We also invited Coun Colin Davie, our County Councillor, Couns Paul Hibbert- Greaves and William Gray, District Councillors, and Kath Hayes our Parish Clerk, to thank them for the funding and support they have given to our group.

"I was able to tell them what support we have given the community during lockdown."

The volunteers have supported 80 people within the village, made 660 telephone calls (these are mostly carried out by our self-isolating volunteers who are acting as phone buddies), carried out 94 shopping trips, helped 14 household with food parcels, carried out 15 prescription deliveries, and six dog walks.

They also open up the village hall for an hour a day, where they sell fruit and veg, with the profits funding the food bank.

"We estimate we have had 270 customers to the food bank and 88 visits to the free book and jigsaw exchange we are running alongside it," said Kerry.

"We have 22 volunteers and have had six referrals in from the well-being team.

Among the volunteers, Sue Cox, a benefits advisor, has been giving free advice to the Hogsthorpe residents and her sister,Steph, has been busy making masks for the volunteers and the villagers.

At the party, volunteers supplied their own favourite cocktail and Kerry thanked each of them for what they had done and had a drink with them.

"I think it's fair to say we were quite tipsy by the time we got round them all," said Kerry.