Good news as a community group that helped vulnerable people during the lockdown has got a £25,000 grant to expand its services.

The Hallbankgate Hub has said it has received the Power to Change emergency covid-19 grant last month – the Power to Change organisation has been endowed by the Big Lottery Fund to help local communities.

It made the announcement at a time when prime minister Boris Johnson this week said that many new covid-19 safety measures could be in place for six months.

The hub has now been able to create three jobs, increase opening hours and again provide cafe services.

The group runs a local shop, cafe, art gallery and weekly post office for the benefit of residents in the village and made getting food to the local community a priority.

During the coronavirus lockdown the hub kept the shop open, with dedicated staff and volunteers.

As a result it saw sales dramatically increase because residents felt safer to shop local. It also established a delivery service for those shielding and vulnerable because of the remote location and lack of public transport.

One older customer said: “I live alone and I would have had to go into sheltered accommodation if the hub had not delivered me food during lockdown."

For information on the hub go online to: hallbankgatehub.org