An Ottery woman, who is determined to make the rest of 2020 all about being kind, has launched a community Facebook group where free items can be given away.

Vicki Trebble Sargent already has more than 500 members on the Items for free in Ottery, Honiton, Cranbrook and surrounding areas group.

Vicki said she was thinking about the current situation everyone was in when she came up with the idea.

She added: “There will be many people who are going to struggle, particularly in the run-up to Christmas.

“Christmas is always a challenging time for people but one thing that this pandemic has shown is that if you give your community a chance, they will be there for you.

“I thought we shouldn’t ask people for money as so many people have less but lots of people have had a clear-out during lockdown and many charity shops are overflowing and we don’t want to be putting things in landfill.

“I was hoping to encourage people to give things they don’t want or need anymore to others.

“If you feel uncomfortable taking free things then just pay it forward, donate to a charity, help a neighbour walk a dog or mow their lawn, give something of yours away for free.

“Kindness doesn’t cost anything and if there was ever a time we need to come together in the spirit of kindness and community it is now.”

Within 24 hours of the launch the group had more than 400 people on its Facebook giving group.

Vicki added: “Lots of items have been given away already and I hope it continues.

“This week I will be also launching a #payitforward Facebook group with ideas of how we can help each other that don’t cost a penny and I am also launching a local business support group to see if there is a way us local businesses can work together to help each other out in these strange times.

“It gives you faith in humanity. I’d love to make the rest of 2020 about paying it forward and community and less about what we can’t do at the moment.”