Doing their bit

Lancashire businesses have responded to the coronavirus crisis by providing vital support and help for their communities and those in the Covid-19 frontline.

As the lockdown took hold, one of the most vulnerable groups in need of help and care was the homeless. On the Fylde Coast, the Blackpool Business Leaders Group joined a partnership involving churches, the local food bank and the council.

Their innovative solution means people who were homeless now have shelter and meals. It has involved putting them up in B&Bs near the centre of Blackpool.

The town’s Business Improvement District (BID) teamed up with Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blue Skies Hospital Fund and the Winter Gardens to provide a coordinated drop and distribution point for donations to frontline NHS staff.