A group of volunteers who work to provide practical support and help to their local neighbours, is celebrating five years.

Levens Good Neighbours is a team of around 40 volunteers, who live within the Parish and look after each other.

They make sure there is someone available every day between 8am and 8pm to answer the phone and organise help.

Whether someone needs a lift to a medical appointment a prescription collecting, some shopping, an odd job doing, an emergency child-minder, or just some company and a friendly conversation, the team do their best to be there for members of the community.

The group’s fifth anniversary was celebrated at a coffee morning, where Chairman, Richard Jones thanked Irene McKay for her help in setting up the service as she retired as a Trustee.

He said: “We are grateful for the hard work that she has put into this over the years. She has been the guiding hand behind it, especially through her ability to involve people, recruiting and supporting volunteers and developing the befriending service.”

Starting with small grants, Levens Good Neighbours’ only outgoing are the cost of the mobile phone and Public Liability Insurance. It doesn’t charge for its services but accepts donations from users to covers its costs.

They are responsible for helping over 50 people every year, including delivering monthly Meet and Eat meals to local housebound people and taking people to the village Tuesday Club.