Kind-hearted bikers are rallying around to take emergency essentials to the elderly and most vulnerable in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.
The Phoenix Motorcycle Club along with Skin and Ink Tattoo Studio in High Lane, Burslem will be putting together paper bags containing emergency items to help people last through any possible coronavirus isolation period.
They will be starting in Blurton before expanding the operation to the wider city area including Burslem, Tunstall and Kidsgrove.
The idea was the brainchild of club member Kelly Axford and husband Darren, the club chairman – after they were self-isolated for a fortnight.
Kelly, aged 38, said: “We have been on a two-week lockdown so as a club we decided we would start to get care packages together for vulnerable people, including loo roll and powdered milk that we can drop off.
“We will have a number attached to the packs and they can then call us if they need anything. We’re starting it up now with club members and then my daughters will go door-to-door to find out what people need.
“I have chronic asthma and we wanted to do something because people are now really starting to panic.
“We wanted to help the elderly, who will really struggle, or those on lockdown who cannot get out to the shops.”
Kelly says daughters Felicity, aged 14, and 12-year-old Delilah will be making the packages that will then be distributed by the bikers.
It came after they saw pictures of shelves stripped bare from shoppers panic buying essentials such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
She added: “We’re based in Blurton ourselves but have club members in Burslem, Tunstall, and Kidsgrove, but we can get around on the bikes and then the tattoo studio is based near Smallthorne.
“If people do need us further away then we can travel. We all have transport and a few people don’t work.
“We’ve been on a two-week lockdown and the schools are closing today (Friday) so it is a good chance for our daughters to give something back to the community.”
Community groups and charities across North Staffordshire have been banding together to help those isolated and most vulnerable during the Covid-19 outbreak.
This includes some businesses running delivery services, or neighbours running local social isolation groups.
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Source: Stoke-on-Trent Live