COMPANIES have come forward to support some charities during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Beni Bear Club, a Swindon charity helping children and their families cope with daily challenges through events, trips and assistance in stressful situations, will receive a grant of £2,500 from American company MAXIMUS.

Charity founder and treasurer The Beni Bear Club Marie Scattergood, said: “The grant will be put towards a summer trip for the children to Longleat, which we have wanted to do for a few years but have not previously had the funds. The grant will help us continue to run the club.”

Chair of MAXIMUS Foundation UK Di Briggs, said: “We are honoured to be awarding a grant to The Beni Bear Club.

“It’s an exciting new charity which is in particular need of funding during this difficult time, and we’re pleased help the club continue its work to help families and children in need”

And to help Scrapstore Children’s Swindon deliver food parcels to the elderly and vulnerable people, Matt Hulland from Swindon’s DS Smith Packaging delivered them 800 new boxes.

CEO of the Scrapstore Olivia McCann said: “We are very grateful to Matt, his colleagues and company for helping us continue to provide our much-needed essential service to the Swindon community.

“It is great that the community is supporting us with our cause to help others in need.”

She added: “We get donation of food from the Neighbourly’s scheme. I decided to set up a home delivery food parcels.

“There’s a need for it, we got the food and people need it, and some of them can’t go out.

“We’ve had people crying on their doorstep when we’re delivering.

“What we are trying to do is give people what they need, to help them during this time rather than focusing on our self because obviously this not good for us.

“We are a charity that provides services to the community by getting them food, educational resources for the children.”