A WOMAN who helped thousands of people with food hampers during the Covid-19 pandemic said society needs to pick up those who are struggling and not "kick them while they're down".

Helping Hands Bradford won the Voluntary and Community Group Award (sponsored by Volunteer Centre Bradford) at the Community Stars Awards last Wednesday.

There were 1,582 votes in the category in total, with Helping Hands receiving 773 of those.

The other finalists were Bracken Bank & District Community Association and Save the Mothers.

Claire Tempest, who set-up Helping Hands, said on receiving the award: “I'm absolutely overwhelmed, overwhelmed, that’s all I can say to you.”

The idea for Helping Hands came about through Mrs Tempest's own turmoil as the pandemic tightened its grip on people and families across Bradford and the country.

Mrs Tempest said: “I was struggling back in August 2020.

“So we got a food parcel delivered and I found a family that was struggling, so we shared it and it just went from there.

“It’s been a whirlwind.

“The last year-and-a-half has flown.”

The support Mrs Tempest received from her community is something she said she will never forget and wanted to give something back.

She would hand out food hampers and also offer guidance and support to those who were struggling.

Then it was suggested that Mrs Tempest should set-up a group to widen awareness of what she was doing to support others.

Helping Hands Bradford was officially born, in the form of a private Facebook group that people could join to ask for help, without needing to feel ashamed or embarrassed.

The group was set-up in November 2020 and now has more than 12,000 members.

The pandemic might slowly be becoming a distant memory, but people are still struggling to cope with the after effects and many in the city were living in extreme poverty even before the crisis came along.

Mrs Tempest is proud to be from Bradford and wants to continue to help people in any way she can.

She said: “I’m going to continue doing what I do best and that’s it.

“Course I’m proud, yes I’m 100 per cent of Bradford.

“But there’s a hell of a lot that are suffering, and struggling, and are vulnerable and it’s them that I’ll continue to support, if no one else does.”

The community stalwart feels the key is creating a cycle of helping others and then eventually coming together as one - as she experienced herself during the pandemic.

Mrs Tempest said: “It’s what’s needed.

“We need people that help others when they’re struggling, pick them off the ground, don’t kick them while they’re down.”

Mrs Tempest has been described by others as "amazing" and an "inspiration", who "goes above and beyond for everyone".