AN ARMY of volunteers across Abingdon, Wantage and Wallingford have been praised for looking out for vulnerable and elderly residents who are stuck inside during the coronavirus crisis.

Since the beginning of the lockdown community groups across Oxfordshire have ‘gone the extra mile’ to help residents – they have delivered shopping, supported foodbanks, made scrubs and face masks, cooked meals for healthcare employees and have also collected pharmacy prescriptions.

The free community prescription delivery service AbiMeds was set up by volunteers from Abingdon’s Freewheeling cycling group – a club that organises road and mountain bike rides.

Volunteers deliver in Abingdon and surrounding areas including Culham, Sutton Courtenay, Drayton, Marcham, Shippon, Wootton and Radley on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and their latest ‘recruit’ is the town’s mayor Charlie Birks.

The brand new scheme, which was launched last week, is not only for vulnerable residents but for anybody in self-isolation that needs a prescription picked up from Boots or Jhoots.

To get in touch with AbiMeds phone 01865 818351.

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A similar scheme to AbiMeds was introduced in Wantage by the Ray Collins charity with the support of the town council.

By now the Wantage & Surrounding Area Coronavirus Support Group that has gained popularity on social media has assisted almost 50 families and individuals who have been identified as vulnerable.

More than 125 volunteers, including councillor James Goodman, who is coordinating the Meals on Wheels initiative, have addressed phone calls from more than 1,000 residents, carried out 300 shops, delivered 400 Meals on Wheels and countless pharmacy prescriptions.

The newly-elected Wantage MP David Johnston was also enlisted to help the organization by taking calls on its support line on Friday afternoon to assist residents with their prescriptions.

To get in touch with the organisation phone 01235 260033.

Wallingford town also boasts with its community spirit and dedicated group of volunteers that have been helping residents with shopping, dog walking, basic errands and collections of medications for more than five weeks now as it was set up in advance of the lockdown.

The scheme has been coordinated by South Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire county council.

To get in touch with the team at Wallingford2020 phone 07464 482717.