A year-long hamper delivery service has not only provided free essentials to households, it's helped identify vulnerable people in need of mental health support.

The pick-me-up parcels began at the start of the first lockdown, a year ago last Tuesday, and were distributed by volunteers from the Talk It Out help group in Deal.

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Hundreds of door-step visits later, the group's founder Tracy Carr is thanking all those who helped, including the grant-giving bodies who stumped up the £18,500 to pay for it.

She said: "I never knew how much food poverty there was in Deal. I can't believe how bad it is in our area."

Asked about the highs and lows of the not-for-profit venture, she said a low was definitely "seeing the despair" of some of the people who were nominated for hampers.

These are people who might fall through the cracks, not being eligible for help from the government or charities like the Foodbank.

Or some saw their mental health nosedive during the grim isolation imposed by the the 'stay at home' regulations.

Many were already agoraphobic, and progress they'd made before lockdown went into reverse.

Mrs Carr said the visits enabled them to signpost those in need of professional help and some joined the Talk It Out online network.

Highlights were the joy Mrs Carr and her 10 volunteers witnessed on their visits - sparked from a new delivery of groceries, mood lifting gifts inside or just seeing a friendly face that was happy to listen.

She said: "Highs were receiving pictures from people who received a hamper. One lady sent me a picture of all her food laid out on the side. And we had boxes of chocolates to give out on Mother's Day. One lady said it was the first box of chocolates she'd ever had."

The project was made possible thanks to numerous grants.

Colin Smith, who supports Talk It Out, kick-started the financing by securing a £3,000 grant from The Kent Community Foundation Coronavirus Emergency Fund.

Another £7,500 came from the National Lottery, and others came in throughout the year.

Local businesses were given a budget to provide luxuries too which included £750 for flowers from Merrigardens, £500 to pay for fish and chips from The Friar Tuck and £700 to provide pampering products from BonneBomb. Sholden Village Stores was an early supplier of the essentials and Eastry Post Office took over that mantel, providing bumper hampers by bulking out the produce out of their own pockets.

These were delivered to people who had been nominated as beneficiaries and included residents from Deal, Dover, Folkestone and Aylesham.

Read more: All the latest news from Deal