The social care army of dedicated employees working for a Gloucestershire care charity have been praised for their unstinting efforts in the face of the Coronavirus Crisis.

Gloucestershire-based charity Lilian Faithfull Care is caring for around 300 vulnerable elderly residents across five homes in the county.

They have more than 400 staff working in various roles, ensuring that the residents are receiving the best possible care and compassion at a time when the homes are in virtual lockdown.

Chief executive Martin Hughes said: "With the full support of the Board of Trustees, we took the decision to close our doors earlier to protect our residents, families and teams - that is our single most important priority.

"We hope that this will help in the long run, and keep our residents safe. Families have been hugely supportive."

Behind the Charity is 420 dedicated staff working in their teams, across all roles.

Suzanne Booker, Director of Care, said: "nothing we do would be possible without the sheer love, care and commitment of everyone in our Family.

"The NHS gets the credit it rightly deserves, but at our Charity there is a hidden social care army of people caring for our residents who have already given so much to society.

"We are so proud of each and every person!"

Lilian Faithfull Care has been working closely with its business partners, such as Creed Foodservice, where carers can now order food supplies direct, and other suppliers to see if they can support their businesses as work dries up.

Mr Hughes added: "We will get through this as a team at Lilian Faithfull Care, of that I have no doubt.

"And as a County working together, helping one another we'll all come out of this in a different shape - stronger!"

While the rest of the county and country is in lockdown Lilian Faithfull Care's residents are in the best place - safe, well cared for by their staff, with companionship, fresh homemade food and daily activity and entertainment, including time in their beautiful gardens.

On Mother's Day, the charity worked hard to ensure that the personal touches could still be made to residents, even though family members could not be there.

The charity are now inviting people to contact residents by letter or to provide drawings, pictures or make rainbows to keep the residents in social contact.

Anyone who wants to get involved is asked to contact Lilian Faithfull's activity coordinator via the website www.lilianfaithfull.co.uk/contact