A group set up to help those in need during the pandemic hit a milestone of support last month.

The Somerset Food Resilience Taskforce was set up in 2020, funded by Somerset County Council, to help distribute food to those in need.

Supplied by generous organisations including Fareshare, HIS Church, supermarkets such as Tesco and Morrisons, Branstons potatoes, Charlie Bighams and more, the group has since been able to create veg boxes, carers respite meal packs and Christmas meal packs for thousands across the county.

And in December, they hit a major milestone – 1 million items of food being distributed to people in Somerset in 18 months.

the group was put together by CCS (Community Council for Somerset), whose village and community agents are the beating heart behind the Food Resilience Taskforce and have a warehouse where they manage food deliveries, gather donated food items, precooked meals and more and co-ordinate community groups to collect and distribute across Somerset.

This Christmas alone, they distributed more than 1,500 Christmas dinners to people who may have gone without, or who needed a little bit of TLC, and since April 2020 have funded and stocked 13 community freezers in Somerset.

"It is a phenomenal effort, and CCS Village Agents would like to express their deepest thanks to the amazing people who run food groups voluntarily to make sure people in their communities are looked after, and the funders Somerset County Council, Public Health and FareShare for enabling the movement," a spokesperson said.

"Thank you and congratulations to all involved, you should be incredibly proud."

If you think you could help, or if you need a helping hand, call 01823 331222, or visit somersetagents.org/help-with-food