A CHARITY was devastated when the coronavirus outbreak forced it to suspend its services.

But Albion In The Community has found a way to keep up its good work in spite of the epidemic.

The organisation, which is the charity arm of Brighton and Hove Albion FC, supports thousands of people across Sussex through its work, hosting soccer schools, diabetes prevention programmes, educational schemes and much more.

A total of 60 schemes set up by the group help more than 40,000 people each year.

The charity’s chairman of trustees, Martin Perry, voiced his disappointment over the suspension of services.

But Albion In The Community has now found other ways to help those who benefit from its services.

Matt Dorn, its chief executive officer, said this was particularly important as many of its service users were vulnerable and currently in self-isolation.

Staff are now regularly checking in with the most-vulnerable people the charity helps and with teams are currently working to adapt workshops and sessions so they can be accessed online and broadcast into people’s homes.

To help children who are now staying at home after schools were ordered to close by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last Friday, the charity is in the process of making Albion-themed worksheets.

These are aimed at pupils studying English and maths at home.

Support is also being offered to schools in the area.

As well as these new measures, Albion In The Community is now looking to prepare for more lasting impacts of the coronavirus pandemic with long-term plans being put in place.

These include hosting live lessons online, holding health and fitness sessions on YouTube, providing healthy recipe ideas for families to cook at home and offering courses and qualifications that can be completed online.

Mr Dorn said the charity’s focus over the coming weeks would be on helping people get active, stay well, and continue to learn.

He said: “As a charity, we are determined to continue to support the people we work with, many of whom are particularly vulnerable and are now having to self-isolate as part of the Government’s shielding process. Our staff are doing their best to come up with new ways to provide support to those people, our other participants, and the wider local community.

At times like this it is more important than ever that we support the most-vulnerable people in society and as charity we will continue to do so in any way we can.”