A Kentish Town food co-op project has expanded its network to help as many families as possible during the coronavirus crisis.

Cooperation Kentish Town, a branch of the nationwide Cooperation Town scheme, would usually only distribute food to its members in a hyper-local area.

However, in light of the pandemic the group is now delivering 140 bags of produce a week to people on little or no income further afield, including in Hampstead or Highgate.

“We have found, in this crisis, there is a never-ending surplus of food - no one needs to go hungry for 100 years,” said organiser Shiri Shalmy, who set up the country-wide initiative in the wake of the Conservative 2019 General Election landslide victory. “We had the infrastructure set up already to expand beyond our membership.”

In usual circumstances, members who pay a £3 weekly membership fee share out produce given to the scheme for free by suppliers using surplus stock.

Shiri said the project is ready to welcome new members in fresh Hampstead or Highgate branches when the Covid-19 pandemic has passed.

Cooperation Kentish Town uses existing organisations to source members, but is also accepting referrals or self-nominations on cooperationkentishtown@gmail.com