UPTON'S Baptist Church is helping the town's community recover from the coronavirus crisis.

Upton Baptist Church has launched "People Make Places" alongside Malvern Hills District Council to help the vulnerable and isolated and offer support with basic cooking, managing money, counselling and bereavement.

Pastor Amy Wearing said: "As a church, we are doing everything we can to help the most vulnerable in our communities.

"During COVID-19 the amazing volunteer help-force has kept in phone contact with isolated people, assisted with emergency errands and provide practical support.

"We want to build upon this work to help our community recover and thrive."

Alongside Renew Wellbeing, Upton Community Fridge and Foodbank distribution, the scheme wants to offer practical courses covering basic cooking skills, healthy eating and budgeting information for local people.

They also regularly run The Money Course, a budgeting and money education resource, designed to equip local people with the tools to get on top of finances and to tackle poverty, establish affordable professional counselling right in the heart of Upton and regularly run The Bereavement Journey, a six week course with a light meal that helps bereaved people process their loss.

Rev. Wearing added: "Love Your Neighbour is a long-term project in response to issues that have been highlighted during lockdown, but ones that have undoubtably been prevalent in Upton for a long time.

"As with many rural areas, transport poverty is high and there is a dire need for accessible, affordable community activities to improve the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of the community.

"The project is in the heart of town, accessible to all and all services delivered through the project will be universal.

"Donations will be welcomed but there will be no charge.

"The project will complement the existing Community Fridge, Foodbank distribution and Wellbeing Lounge, and will be run by professionals and trained volunteers meaning making it both sustainable and high quality."

Cllr Sarah Rouse, leader of Malvern Hills District Council, said: "Our communities have done a terrific job of supporting each other throughout this crisis.

"We created our People Make Places crowdfunding scheme so that we could go on supporting them to carry out the valuable work they are doing as we enter the next stage of the pandemic.

"This approach allows us to maximise the amount of money we have available so we can support more projects but crucially, it also continues to build on those increased community relationships by allowing others to contribute to making projects, like the Upton Baptist Church, a success."