Netherthird Community Centre will deliver its final food parcel this week after three months of operating the weekly service throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Netherthird will stop its food delivery service from Thursday, July 9 as lockdown restrictions ease and many of the centre’s volunteers return to work, marking the end of what has been a time of selfless hard work from everyone involved.

Those heading up the service have thanked the volunteers, local businesses and members of the community for their help during the crisis, but assure those who are vulnerable or shielding that a limited service will still be provided if needed.

Maggie Campbell, chairperson of the centre, said: “We’ve had a terrible time with COVID-19 but as a community we have really rallied round.

“It’s the younger people that have come forward to volunteer and everyone’s just been fantastic.

“We had a waiting list of volunteers because we had so many people who wanted to help.

“People are starting to go back to work and we’re hoping to re-open the community centre around mid-August.

“We’ll need to get it deep cleaned and work out how we’re going to operate so we thought this was a good time to finish up.

“We still have got lots of food at the centre so if anyone is struggling, all they have to do is get in touch through our Facebook page.

“We don’t want anyone to think they were abandoned so they can come and pick up food, we just won’t be making deliveries so we can start making preparations for reopening.”

Maggie says the service has brought communities together.

“People donated money and groceries and businesses such as Shire Housing, the Cora Foundation, the Thistle Inn and the Riverside Centre donated meals every single week.

“The villages have come together so well.”

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