WITH a soaring number of people struggling to gain access to food during the coronavirus pandemic, Community Action Groups across Oxfordshire have ramped up their efforts to deliver several tonnes of groceries to those in need.

Before the outbreak residents were able to pick up free food, which would otherwise have been thrown away by supermarkets and other businesses, from community fridges.

However, following government social distancing guidelines, many community-spirited residents have started delivering food parcels to those in need or self-isolating.

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Workers at a community fridge based in Wantage made their1000th delivery last week and reported they have saved more than three tonnes of unsold and surplus stock since the lockdown started.

In Oxford, volunteers at the Botley Community Fridge in Seacourt Hill have made more than 300 deliveries in a single day, while fridges in Abingdon and Witney remain open but with reduced hours.

Another group – Harvest at Home – is fighting food insecurity 'from the ground up' by supporting people across the county to grow their own food.

Their current focus is distributing ‘grow kits’ to households facing food insecurity.