Coronavirus: Canvey Island residential park sets up food deliveries

Vulnerable residents at Kings Park Village have been practising self-isolation techniques

A residential holiday park hopes the introduction of social isolation schemes to get food and support to vulnerable people could save lives.

The average age of the 1,500 residents at Kings Park Village, in Canvey Island, is 70, with half over 75.

People have been given cards to put in windows to show if they need help.

Manager Rob Turner said the aim was no resident "would go hungry or be lonely", with staff delivering food previously supplied for its restaurant.

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Mr Turner, head of the residential division for park owners Cove UK, which took over the Essex site in February, said the food scheme was implemented after it was found two elderly residents had not eaten for a week.

Since the crisis started, five residents have been confirmed to have contracted the virus. Three have died.

Deliveries of fresh food to residents has helped keep the infection rate at Kings Park Village low. Only five out of 1,500 residents have contracted coronavirus

Residents have also been able to communicate via a Facebook group and 1,000 hot cross buns were delivered for Easter.

Mr Turner said when people started panic buying "we knew there would be a problem".

Mr Turner said the food scheme - which also includes delivery of prescription medication - allowed residents to "sit at home and not come into contact with people".

Residents have been given green and red cards to put in their windows to act as an early warning system

Residents are charged for the food and not delivery.

Mr Turner said the company has lost money as it is continues to employ staff to carry out deliveries.

"The cost will have been worth it to have saved or protected thousands of lives," he said.

"A lot of these people don't have family or anyone else to rely on."

Residents including Georgina and Arthur Byrne have expressed gratitude to staff at the park

Rob Turner said residents fill in a form to say what food they want. Food is then delivered to the site five times a week meaning there is no practically no waste.

Residents Georgina and Arthur Byrne wrote to staff to thank them, saying they were "very lucky to be this side of the gate".

Mr Turner said: "The team and I took it upon ourselves to set up a support system whereby no-one would go hungry or be lonely."

He added he hoped it would also take pressure of the NHS.

"If we overburden them with hundreds and hundreds of people they can't save everyone."

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