Councils across Devon have set up emergency funds to help community groups and local residents through the coronavirus outbreak.

A total of 78 people have died in Devon’s hospitals with Covid-19, although the South West is the least affected area of the country.

Devon County Council (DCC) has contributed £100,000 to the Devon Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund after an emergency appeal was launched by the Devon Community Foundation.

The Devon Community Foundation is an organisation that helps distribute funds to charitable and voluntary groups in the county to provide them with sustainable support and enable them to create change in their communities.

They set up the fund to help local charities and community organisations that are supporting the most vulnerable people affected by the outbreak of coronavirus.

The money donated by the council will help the foundation to provide support to these groups in two phases – response, then recovery.

The first will give vital, additional funding to organisations helping the most vulnerable members of their communities with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus outbreak; initially focussing on supporting charities specifically helping the vulnerable, who have been most affected by isolation.

This could include the delivery of essential goods, maintaining the wellbeing of those self-isolating or additional mental health and bereavement support, as well as safe assistance with practical concerns like cooking.

The second stage will help a wider range of charitable groups whose operations have been affected by the virus outbreak, supporting them to recover and continue their work once the spread of the virus eases.

Grants will be considered by the foundation on an individual basis and the amount will vary depending on the needs of the organisation.

There is no maximum grant available but in order to help as many organisations as possible, groups are requested to apply only for the funds that will keep them active for the next six to eight weeks.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) and Devon County Council are providing funding through the Covid-19 Prompt Action Fund which offers small grants of up to £500 and larger grants of up to £5,000 to support local organisations helping to tackle the effects of coronavirus in their communities.

It is providing flexible resources to organisations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the social and economic consequences of this outbreak.