Rachael McMenemy
BBC News

People across Newmarket and the surrounding villages have have helped create 22 hampers full of treats and essential items for NHS staff.

The hampers include a range of items from chocolate and pasta to hand cream and bubble bath. All put together to say a massive thank you to staff at West Suffolk Hospital.

Laura Godfrey, who runs the Facebook blog the Horses Mouth NKT – Parenting in Newmarket, put out a call for contributions and the local community more than delivered, with over 50 donations made.

Lauren said: “I was keen to spread my efforts and help the nurses and staff at West Suffolk Hospital too.

"These hampers are just a very small way for us to try and thank them for their huge sacrifice."

Image source, Lauren Godfrey

Image source, Laura Godfrey

On Tuesday evening Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said its White Watch team took three calls to bonfires within five minutes of each other, in different areas of the county.

It is reminding everyone to "avoid lighting bonfires, as it takes away our vital resources at a time where our resources are much more under pressure".

Image source, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Praise has been heaped upon Yovi and Ellis, the founders of Chippefield Covid-19 Outreach team, who have donated hundreds of toiletries so hospitals in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans.

Watford Borough Council thanked them in this tweet.

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

In the latest figures released yesterday evening from Public Health England, external, it showed that there had been an increase of 89 deaths.

Here is the breakdown from each NHS Trust in the East.

• Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Trust - 19
• Bedford Hospital NHS Trust - 6
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust - 1
• Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 4
• East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust - 6
• East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust - 6
• Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - 1
• James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 3
• Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - 5
• Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust - 5
• Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - 5
• Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 4
• North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust - 2
• The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust - 7
• West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust - 15

It brings the total numbers of deaths to 1,190 in this region.

This week 112 new emergency call handlers started working for the East of England Ambulance Service to support the management of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nicholas Jones, senior ambulance operations centre manager, said he was "very proud" to introduce the new intake.

He said: "The educators and mentors" within the Trust have been "working flat out" and are an "amazing work team."

Image source, Nicholas Jones

More than 1,000 food parcels have been handed out to people in the Bedford area who are self-isolating with no family or friends to help.

The Community Hub helps deliver provisions, essential prescriptions and offers a link to the outside world.

Image source, Bedford Borough Council

Mayor Dave Hodgson said it was "vital support" that also offers "a friendly chat to help people in isolation feel a little less lonely".

"I am very proud that we have been able to get our hub up and running quickly, and have already delivered over 1,000 food parcels to those in need," he said.

A woman has been jailed after spitting on a police officer and claiming to have coronavirus.

Emily Whittal, 22, from Sinatra Drive, Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty, external to one count of assaulting an emergency worker and one count of racially aggravated public order.

Thames Valley Police said she made racist remarks to a call handler after calling 999 and, when arrested, spat at an officer on Friday in Milton Keynes.

PC Antony Hurd said: "This sentence is a strong message that assaults against emergency workers are not tolerated.

"Whittall showed nothing but disregard for this or the officer’s personal safety.

"I’m very pleased with the sentence passed, and I hope it acts as a deterrent against future assaults on police staff.”

She was sentenced to eight weeks at Oxford Magistrates' Court.

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

When Millie Clark was furloughed from her job as a chef, she decided to keep busy and "give something back."

The 21-year old started Bedford Care Packages, external to raise funds to send items to vulnerable people who are self-isolating and treats to key workers, delivery people, waste collectors, care home staff and postal workers.

"It’s not much but everyone I have already sent one to has been unbelievably grateful for the extra help.

"I would also like to start helping people who have lost their jobs through this and are struggling to get food on the table", she said.

Image source, Bedford Care Packages

So far she has raised about £600 and sent out 30 packages.

As children are spending more time on the internet with schools closed, police are urging parents and carers to talk about the dangers of falling victim to abuse.

Cambridgeshire Police want them to "have conversations about internet safety", to protect them from grooming.

Det Ch Insp Andrea Warren said: "We need parents and carers to take an interest in what their children are doing online and have important conversations about what is safe and appropriate.

“A key question to ask yourself is: Do I know the person my child is communicating with? If not, then this could be cause for concern and act as a warning sign."

While the football season has been stopped, a football club is offering a food delivery service to "support the local community".

Luton Town Football Club, external has started "Hungry Hatters Moveable Feasts" as a not-for-profit scheme.

It is open to keyworkers, the elderly and most-vulnerable people living within an eight-mile radius of Kenilworth Road, it said.

Items include fruit, vegetable, cleaning products and alcohol.

Image source, Luton Town Football Club

Insurer Hiscox has refused to pay out on claims relating to coronavirus, some small businesses have said.

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

Although most of us are trying to work from home, some jobs just have to stay in the workplace.

This includes waste collectors who have still been out collecting and sorting out rubbish.

Many children have been showing their appreciation by writing a special thank you lot, as Stevenage Borough Council have highlighted.

Tom Moore vows to keep walking laps of his garden in aid of NHS Charities Together.

Police in South Norfolk have been out on bike patrols after it received reports of "social gatherings".

PC Locke and PC Banes were pleased to report that people were "adhering to government restrictions" and thanked people for staying at home.

Four tonnes of rubbish has been cleared from the A41 in Hertfordshire, costing the local council about £28,000.

It comes as recycling centres have closed due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Councillor Alan Anderson, responsible for the environment at Dacorum Borough Council, said it would be looking to purse prosections.

Image source, East Herts Police

A 24-hour phone line has been set up to help people having mental health difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, external starts running the service from midday.

The free call, staffed by health professionals, hopes to provide reassurance, self-help advice and support.

Stuart Richardson, its chief operating officer, said: “This phoneline is designed to keep people safe in their homes by providing them with immediate mental health support.

"We hope that this will be particularly helpful during this period of uncertainty, when access to secondary mental health services is unfortunately more limited."

It is open to anyone in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Image source, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

A gin distillery has donated 10 litres of hand sanitiser to social workers and personal advisers working for Cambridgeshire County Council.

Roundwood Gin, based in Abbots Ripton, switched production several weeks ago.

"The sanitiser will ensure that frontline staff are keeping themselves and young people in care safe during visitations," the council said.

Image source, Cambridgeshire County Council

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

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More than 150 choir singers have got together virtually to record a song to raise money for NHS staff.

Members of the Buskerteers Choir, made up of groups across Essex, individually recorded their part of Stand By Me in their own homes on their phones. The mash-up was turned into an online video.

The group has raised more than £21,000 of its £1m target, which its Facebook page says will fund "accommodation, food, travel and counselling to NHS nurses, doctors, staff and volunteers fighting Covid-19".

One of the singers, Keith Davies, said: "I've had a few people come back to me saying it actually moved them to tears because, I think it's the power of the human voice, and then the lyrics and now attributing those lyrics to the situation we find ourselves."

The song was originally a hit for Ben E King in 1961 and has been released by other artists a number of times since.