THE Isle of Wight Community Rail Partnership has provided funding worth £10,000 in aid of valuable support and outreach.

The funding has allowed Gaslight Cafe owner Ali Smith, with support from volunteer Ann Abe, to cook and deliver up to 400 weekly meals for vulnerable members of the Isle of Wight community, as previously reported.

Capital was secured courtesy of the National Emergency Fund managed through the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation, which matches fund redirected monies from South Western Railway.

A total of £15,000 will be used to ensure meals can be provided for local areas until late June.

Community rail manager, Bobby Lock, said: “The on the ground support cooking, packing and delivering these meals from the Gaslight café in Sandown Railway Station with dedicated volunteers has been overwhelming, but the response from those who have received these packages has been truly humbling.

"We will carry on supporting these families in this Covid-19 Pandemic, with I hope, further funding that is being applied for and would encourage all our communities to stay at home and stay safe.”

South Western Railway's Andy Harrowell said: “It is important we don’t forget those who are struggling during this crisis, so we’re pleased to be supporting a wonderful programme helping to distribute food to those in need.

“While it’s a shame not to be able to run the music trains this year as part of our annual Music on the Move campaign, we are grateful to Bobby, Ali and all the volunteers for their hard work to ensure people have the basic certainty of a meal.”