A mum has told the ECHO how her two young children managed to beat the lockdown blues and raise thousands for a local food bank.
Amanda Ross, 45, lives on Victoria Road in Aigburth with husband Alan and their two children, Jack, 9, and Freya, 6.
When the lockdown for coronavirus began in March, Amanda’s children had initially struggled to find something to do.
Amanda said: “After the first weeks of lockdown I think reality dawned.
“My son is very outgoing and bubbly and he just got very down so we said to him we’ll go to our allotment and dig up some plants and see if we can give them out to people.
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“We dug up whatever was there – strawberry plants, raspberries and rhubarb and then it all started to take off.”
The plants and seedlings taken from their allotment proved to be so successful with people passing the house, they decided to give any donations they receive to a local food bank.
As things took off, neighbours started to donate their own plants and seedlings to the family so that they can raise more money.
Amanda said: “It really feels as though it’s helped bring the community together.
“There’s an older gentleman who lives on the next road who told me walking past brings joy to his day, which is lovely.
“We’ve got a tin on the front path – people take whatever they want and throw a donation in the tin and it’s great because the kids can stand on the step and chat to people.
“I’ve probably got to know 40 or 50 neighbours quite closely.
“My doorbell is constantly ringing with people who I’ve never met dropping things off for us to sell or even just to have a chat.”
So far, the family have raised £1,750 for the Bridge Chapel food bank in South Liverpool and Jack and Freya have been nominated for North West Tonight’s Everyday Heroes.
