SCORES of elderly and vulnerable people Failsworth have been helped by community spirited volunteers who have used the Facebook social media platform to deliver vital supplies during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

Vannessa Cooney was moved to launch the "We Care" page after she saw an image of a woman in a supermarket in tears. People were panic-buying and the shelves were empty.

After Vannessa, 34, an apprentice teaching assistant at Oldham's Springboard Project, asked people if they could help when she herself was forced to go into self isolation.

She was flooded with offers of help, including from Failsworth East councillor Brian Hobin, and fellow Failsworth residents Mark and Kath Wilkinson.

Together, they managed to secure the Mission Hall of St John the Evangelist Parish Church to collect and distribute donations from local residents and businesses in Failsworth to those that were in desperate need.

Along with other local volunteers they have for the last 10 weeks bagged and delivered to nearly 200 elderly and vulnerable residents of Failsworth.

Vanessa said: "The support from local people has been amazing. It's not just about me, everyone's got involved and pulled together.

"Without this support a lot of people in Failsworth would not cope."

Her friend and fellow volunteer Joanne Potts said: "This is a truly wonderful thing they are all doing and they need recognition for the amazing work and dedication that they and the community of Failsworth have achieved."

Cllr Hobin said: "Vanessa was doing a great job running it from the beginning of the lockdown running a food hub out of her garage, but it became too big, and she asked for help when she had to self isolate.

"We up the stuff and took it to Failsworth Town Hall. Then we were informed that the town hall probably have to close because of the lockdown.

"So we approached the new vicar at St John's the Rev Aysha St Giles, and she had no hesitation in handing over the keys to the mission hall."

He said it had been discovered that there were at least 130 elderly and vulnerable people in the community, so they started doing food and essential bag drops.

"We've called it the 'We Care Food Hub'," he sent on. "We've been getting public donations and we've gone to local businesses who started giving.

"One local green grocer has been donation £200 worth of stuff every week, and Morrisons, Tesco and Martin's Bakers and Sandwich Makers have also donated."

He said donations have been coming in for the last 11 weeks.

Cllr Hobin said: "A local fish and chip shop started delivering food to residents.

"It's a great example of a very good, community spirited public, support for the people of Failsworth by the people of Failsworth with little to no outside help."

Cllr Hobin said volunteers had been saying how "humbling" it was to be connecting with the vulnerable people in the community and there are hopes that, post lockdown, support for isolated people, identified as a result of the current crisis, would continue.