With Tynedale in the grip of restrictions imposed due to the threat of coronavirus, shops, pubs, restaurants and businesses are closing; tourist sites are shutting down; events are being cancelled and shoppers are stripping the supermarket shelves amid a frenzy of panic buying.

So it is heartening, in the middle of the unprecedented times we find ourselves in, to see our local communities coming together to look after the most vulnerable affected by the outbreak.

These unsung heroes are setting up mutual aid groups, providing information, emotional support, and running errands, bringing vital supplies to people’s doors.

Seventeen-year-old Josh Burville, who set up the Hexham Helpers Facebook page, deserves a medal for his efforts in helping elderly people – as do many others.

West Wylam’s store manager Miv Chahal is another example, offering to deliver supplies to those that need them.

His words sum up the community spirit that has come to the fore in Tynedale over the past few days: “I just want to show the older generation that there’s somebody out there who cares.”