A COMMUNITY group is putting a smile on the faces of people in Carlisle by delivering special hampers filled with treats.

Leave A Light On has taken the pandemic within its stride to support key workers and Cumbrian residents who are experiencing tough times.

Initially they delivered hampers to people who had been nominated as heroes, but that quickly expanded to include gift hampers that have been tailored for certain groups or professions.

Richard Francis, who heads up the team, said: "Lots more people have been taking note of the work we have been doing.

"We started initially basing it around emergency food, we started doing the hero hampers and the enrichment hampers, and then being an ideas person I thought there are a couple of generations that we're missing out here."

LALO quickly set about to change that so that no members of the community were getting left behind during the pandemic.

On the group's help the elderly day, they made up 23 hampers as a little treat for people who had been nominated because they were isolating or on their own.

They also had a baby and toddler day to celebrate families during Covid.

"We put together some big lovely hampers - there'll be a little bit of clothes in there, there will be nappies, toys, a treat for mum and dad," said Richard.

"It's just basically celebrating those that may have faced challenges while having young ones at home which we hear time and time again.

"Welcome to the world hampers emphasise on young babies celebrated this year because the parents, as well as the baby itself, has been born in such a difficult time."

LALO has plenty of exciting enrichment days coming up that support NHS workers and key workers too.

The group is also still providing immediate support and help for whoever needs it during the pandemic.