A community support network set up by a charity in Mansfield Woodhouse to help people through the coronavirus crisis has hit the Lottery jackpot!

The Focus Point Community Support Network, formed by The Peaceful Trust, has received a National Lottery Community Fund grant of almost £7,000 that will enable the project to continue into next year.

Charlene Burton-Betts, a trustee at The Peaceful Trust, said: “I’m immensely proud that our project has gained support from the lottery and it couldn’t have been done without the hard work and dedication of the volunteers.”

She explained how the network was formed after the Focus Point Community Centre on Vale Road, which it manages, was required to close due to social distancing and lockdown rules.

With the help of volunteers from a range of services, district councillors and Co Coun Joyce Bosnjak, the network developed a volunteer and response database, and set up a Facebook group and a dedicated telephone line to help residents of Mansfield Woodhouse. Among its work is collecting shopping and prescriptions for those who are isolated because of the pandemic.

The centre has also remained open for three days a week to accept donations for the local Sherwood Forest Foodbank.

Charlene added: “As you would expect with any project there are running costs, so we applied first to Nottinghamshire County Council for a grant, which we received, for the initial 12-week lockdown period.

“But as it became obvious this (coronavirus) wasn’t going to end in 12 weeks we applied to the National Lottery and its Community Fund has granted us almost £7,000 which will enable the project to continue into next year.”

Pictured is one of the volunteers, Charlene’s partner, Christine Burton-Betts, who has been roped in to help whilst she was furloughed.

Charlene added: “Most days we walk to take prescriptions and sometimes have clocked up five miles around the village.”