Dear Editor,

“In praise of Harlow’s voluntary services.

I THOUGHT I’d share my thoughts on the amazing contribution that Harlow’s volunteers are making to ease the burden on less advantaged residents of the town during this terrible pandemic we’re suffering.

Before this crisis, I had been involved with Andy and Rob at the Phoenix Resource Centre and Herty at Community Embrace in helping to arrange events and activities and recognised the vital work they did within the community.

As the virus began to take hold I saw them ramp up their charitable activities and join with Rainbow Services to form a powerful, formidable group that last Easter weekend helped to deliver over 100 hampers to families and individuals in need.

Harlow has long had a tradition of charitable services and helping the needy and the reaction of volunteers to this current crisis has carried on that ethic and taken it to new innovative heights.

There have been many many reasons for me to be proud of my hometown over the decades and the reaction of volunteers to this situation is yet another.

So let’s have a big thank you to Community Embrace, Phoenix Resource Centre, Rainbow Services and all our voluntary groups in Harlow for meeting challenges, not for financial or personal gain, but for the instinctive humanity of wanting to help others in need.

Jodi Dunne.