GROUPS have stepped-up to support their community during the challenging coronavirus pandemic.

The support for those struggling during the hardship has continued after a proposal to extend free pack lunches was defeated in Parliament last week.

A new foundation from the Workington AFC football club will join groups and businesses in supporting those struggling in the community.

Workington AFC Foundation was set up by the club's community directors Richard Lewthwaite and Simon Collins after they were appointed in August.

Mr Lewthwaite said: "When we came on board, the club put together a committee. We got our heads together and said 'this foundation is the way to go.'"

First on the agenda is supporting vulnerable families who may be struggling for meals, the Football Food Collection.

"With the ongoing pandemic, people are out of work or in isolation, we're collecting what they need to put food on the table."

The foundation has big plans but with Covid-19 measures getting in the way, they are focussing on collecting foodbank donations as their first project.

"We decided to do something that can be done externally from the club."

The Workington AFC Foundation is collecting food donations that can be distributed to foodbanks in Cumbria.

"We aren't in a position to choose who needs it."

Fans and members of the community have gotten behind the project. In just 24 hours, the club has received an abundance of food donations as well as £500 in donations.

"It's a brilliant start." he said.

"Football clubs have a massive responsibility in the community."

Groups and families have taken it upon themselves to support the community after Conservative MPs voted against the free pack lunches proposal.

Workington’s MP Mark Jenkinson - along with his Conservative Party colleagues Carlisle MP John Stevenson, Copeland MP Trudy Harrison and Simon Fell, MP for Barrow and Furness - voted down the Labour motion in the House of Commons.

They said low-income families are being supported through Universal Credit, highlighting the £9.3bn funding boost into the welfare system and other means.

Since then Mr Jenkinson has come under fire after claiming on Twitter that some of his constituents trade food parcels for drugs.

Defending his position the MP said he didn’t want to see children go hungry but that “a relatively miniscule number” of those eligible and claiming did not have their children’s best interests at heart.

He said: “It is a serious issue, it’s no surprise to anyone on the frontline that these things happen.”

The MP said central Government was not best placed to tackle localised issues and that Cumbria County Council and district councils have received funding for provision.

Deputy project manager for North Lakes Foodbank, Linda Macdonald, said they work closely with referral agencies and full expect vouchers to go to the right place, making it clear that they are not for resale.

She said the food bank helps 3,000 people every year across Allerdale and Copeland and that they know of only five or six who have defrauded the system.

In light of the result in Parliament, businesses, communities and charities across Cumbria have rallied in support of children who receive free school meals.

Their aim is to end holiday hunger as the pandemic drives more families into poverty.

Across Allerdale, in the last school year, 4,558 children were eligible for free schools meals, though its thought the true figure, could now be far higher.