MORE than 3,000 Gateshead residents have received help and support during the coronavirus lockdown.

In the last two months council staff, together with a number of voluntary sector partners including Age UK Gateshead and Citizens Advice Gateshead, as well as faith groups and local volunteers, have come together to create mutual aid groups to support our communities.

Councillor Catherine Donovan, Deputy Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “Volunteers are working together across Gateshead to protect and support those residents who need extra help during the coronavirus lockdown.

“Stories of people going the extra mile to help others are becoming more common as the pandemic continues and I want to pay tribute our staff and to those groups and volunteers that are coming forward and making every effort to help their neighbours.”

Gateshead Council has set up special coronavirus web pages where residents and businesses can access a range of advice.

There is health information; advice for jobseekers, furloughed employees and those facing job uncertainty; advice about what benefits can be claimed during the coronavirus crisis and a community directory of local independent businesses that are delivering food and supplies in the Gateshead area, as well as voluntary organisations in the Borough.

For residents that need help with food, routine shopping and other essential items they can register for help at gateshead.gov.uk/coronavirus or call 0191-4337112.