Both O&H Land and BGL Group have made donations to the Peterborough Coordination Hub, which was set up to support people affected by the pandemic who don't have support from family, friends or neighbours.

O&H Land donated £25,000 and a number of charities will receive a proportion of this money to continue supporting Peterborough residents through this crisis. Disability Peterborough, Age UK, Peterborough Association for the Blind, Cambridgeshire Deaf Association, City College Foundation, Food for Nought and Peterborough Council for Voluntary Service are to benefit from the donation. The Peterborough Council for Voluntary Service will further distribute some of its funding to smaller community groups.

Tobin Rickets, director for O&H Land said: "O&H has been an important part of Peterborough's story over the last 25 years, with 6000 houses now occupied at Hampton. We have always maintained an excellent working relationship with the City Council and the wider Peterborough Community and we wanted to support some of the charities in most need of help during this current crisis."

BGL Group, the financial services company based in Peterborough, donated £3,700 to pay for IT equipment for local care homes. This is part of its £1.5million 'Empower, Pledge, Donate' campaign which aims to support community causes impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Eleven iPads with stands have been purchased and delivered to priority care homes to allow residents to Facetime their families. This will have a noteworthy impact for these residents - many have been struggling with the self-isolation measures that have seen visits from family and friends suspended. It will also allow for virtual meetings with the adult social care staff.

Caroline Raines, director of communications at BGL Group, said: “We’re only too pleased to be able to support our care homes at this time by keeping elderly and vulnerable residents in touch with their loved ones.

“Our charitable work is a key part of BGL and it’s important to our colleagues to be able to support people in their own communities.

“We’re pleased to have been in a position to support more than 100 organisations through our Empower, Pledge, Donate campaign, and we’d like to add our thanks to the many charities supporting those in need at this time.”

Wendi Ogle-Welbourn, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of People & Communities, said: “On behalf of Peterborough Community Resource Group (hub), I would like to say a big thank you to both O&H Land and BGL Group for their kind donations in support of the work of the hub. The hub is made up of over sixty voluntary, community, faith and public sector services and these donation will go a long way to support them to meet the needs of all our vulnerable residents.

“These donations will make a massively positive impact on our communities and those struggling as a result of the current crisis.

“It is so heart-warming to see local businesses displaying so much compassion for our residents by making such thoughtful donations to support the local community during these difficult times.

“It is yet another incredible example of the city coming together to support each other.”