A SOUTHAMPTON charity in desperate need of more volunteers has been overwhelmed with calls for help during the coronavirus lockdown.

Communicare says its recent pleas for volunteers to help reported by the Daily Echo, has instead generated a huge demand from others in need.

The charity, who support the city’s isolated and lonely, appealed for volunteers last week to help others in their community with essential supplies and emotional support.

Now, the charity is urging people to only contact them for help if they have "no other alternative".

Communicare has received a number of calls from vulnerable people during the coronavirus crisis since their appeal for help last week.

Communicare’s Manager, Annie Clewlow, said that the majority of the charity’s volunteers are in vulnerable situations themselves being aged either 70 plus, or they have an underlying health condition, so they rightly need to be in self-isolation now, and for the next 12 weeks.

Annie added: “Our teams are being overwhelmed from people seeking assistance.

“Those asking for help need to be aware that we have been inundated with requests and as we’re working remotely, we are struggling to keep abreast of the demand.

“For this reason, we would ask everyone to please bear with us and only get in touch if they have no other alternative.

“Currently, it is unlikely that we will be able to help individuals who have been in touch with us recently without at least 48 hours’ notice and then only if we have a suitable volunteer available.

“Now it’s even more important than ever that we get more volunteers and fast. In order to do this, we would like to link with organisations where they can lend us staff or volunteers already DBS checked.

“This will speed up the process of us actually getting people out and about making essential visits, at a safe social distance, to some of the city’s elderly and vulnerable, who desperately need our support.

“We provided a vital lifeline to those in need before the current situation and now our service is more relevant and essential than ever. Hence the increase in requests we’re now getting.”

To find out more about volunteering, email volunteer@communicareinsouthampton.org.uk.