A SCOUT group has been helping out its community by providing free meals to vulnerable families.

1st Chandler’s Ford Scout Group is made up of about 170 children, aged 6 to 14.

Since Monday members have been cooking and delivering meals out to homes across Chandler’s Ford and Eastleigh.

The service has been promoted using social media and in two days they have handed out almost 100 meals to aid local families.

Group Scout Leader and main organiser, Paul Carcone, said the aim is to replace school meals over half term.

He said: “On Friday I got up and noticed that some other organisations had started to do this.

“I thought, I have a really phenomenal team, with a lovely big facility right in the middle of Chandler’s Ford.

“We got it cleared with scout headquarters and some food hygiene places and after getting the thumbs up, started on Monday.

“There’s no political value, this is just us identifying a niche in the community and doing what we can to fulfil it.”

Families have been asked to email what they’d like and their address to the group, and then meals are packaged and sent out to them.

The team has been working together from midday until 2pm each day to offer this service.

Members of the local community have also got involved, helping to deliver the food, as well as making financial contributions.

Paul added: “Scouting should not end at the boundary of our hut, it should be getting out into the community and doing what we can to help.

“The support has been absolutely incredible and I’m beside myself as to how well the team have got behind the idea and dropped other plans to make this happen.

“It wouldn’t have been possible if the community hadn’t been so amazing as well.

“I’ve almost got too many people volunteering now, which is lovely.”

The team is cooking to demand, but say any leftovers are being donated to a foodbank.