A video showing the positive efforts of Barry Waterfront Community Group has been made by production company Together TV.

The video, published in January, uses drone footage from the Vale of Glamorgan Council and interviews group organiser Ruth John on how the community has rallied during the pandemic, including singing Happy Birthday to a young resident.

Sian, who's three-year-old son celebrated a lockdown birthday, was interviewed, as were Barry Coastguard Station Manager Chris Fletcher and Sargent Mark Jones of Barry's Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Sgt Mark Jones says the group has helped reduce the volume of calls to Barry's police team with its support for vulnerable people.

Singing is just one way the community has spread positivity – residents held a Tom Jones song and dance event, VE Day celebrations, made seasonal window displays and mini library drop off points.

The group has also been offering to post letters, pick-up prescriptions, do essential shopping and walk dogs for anyone shielding or vulnerable.

These were the first services the volunteers offered, who formed after Ruth posted in the Barry Quays Facebook group.

"I have a chronic condition so I'm used to shielding now and again," said Ruth.

"I understood first hand, how it felt to stay at home for long periods and how Unfortunately, some people don't have the help they need close by; so asking neighbours to build a network of support was the best way I felt we could help and it evolved from there."

"The first thing was thinking about the strain on our frontline services and I knew all the shops would be closing

"I telephoned places like Costa and The Works in Barry, for donations and neighbours were very generous with goodies.

"With the help of neighbours, 32 "care-ona" boxes were distributed across hospitals in the Vale, West Quay Medical Centre, chemists, Fire, Police, Coastguard and Ambulance services in Barry, before the first lockdown was announced to show our support."

Since starting, the group have run two further care-ona box delivery days where over 100 boxes were given to front line workers, including school hubs in Barry.

"When the first lockdown was announced, the focus changed quickly to looking after neighbours within the Barry Waterfront Community," said Ruth.

"I was overwhelmed with the amount of neighbours who wanted to support, it was such a positive and proactive feeling. Over 40 neighbours came forward and we had a few zoom calls to say hello and set up our efforts!

"Within the week 'Helping Hands' had delivered postcards to 800 households on the estate; offering shopping, prescription pick up, dog walking or letters posting. West Quay Estates and Lettings printed these for us," she said.

As a Regional Fundraising and Engagement Manager for Save the Children charity, Ruth was able to use her skills for the group while being furloughed on this project.

Ruth organised sponsorship for hi-vis vests from Newydd Housing and hand gel from Gwr Gin Distillery, organised weekly Zoom check-ins and a volunteer policies to ensure health and safety for everyone involved to sign.

She also registered the group with the local volunteer beauraux and the national mutual aid board, and made the local police aware of the project too.

The group run under the umbrella of the local Barry Waterfront Community Residents Association, whose Chair Paul Motte has been a vital part of the project.

"It was important to the volunteers involved, to create as much fun as we could," said Ruth.

"Vale Aggregates donated bags of pebbles for neighbours to decorate and leave across the estate for others to spot.

"We also printed off colouring sheets for neighbours to pick up including an initiative to put thank you notes on our rubbish to thank the refuse service, notes on doors to thank the post service and Royal Mail letter templates to send to missed loved ones.

"We knew not everyone had a printer and were keen to provide inclusive free activities to keep spirits up.

"Before we knew it, we were offered funding from the local volunteer bureau.

"We bought a dedicated mobile phone to use as a helpline, railing banners to promote our services, large posters for the book boxes and a printer," said Ruth.

"We were getting large number of calls ranging from brand new parents, who couldn't get out for milk or nappies - to the elderly who were on their own and needed weekly shopping and check in calls.

"There were also people who just wanted a chat because they were lonely. We were also getting emails from concerned sons and daughters, requesting we check in with their parents who live here.

"We all felt really good, it was a positive way of working around such a dark time.

"A small group of neighbours became coordinators. They would take charge of the phone line and coordinating tasks, then sanitising the phone before dropping it to the next coordinator.

"Some of the calls were so heart-breaking, people have been very scared, some literally haven't left their home for a year now. There was a lot of reassurance and friendly regular contact for people and I feel proud of the volunteers who made this happen.

" It's been lovely to share our experiences with the Covid-19 Barry group, who also set up a helping hands service during lockdown number one, their group has a very successful Facebook page which has proved invaluable for local information and we've enjoyed linking up with them.

"We're a confidential service and we understand the effort it takes to phone someone to ask for help," she said.

Ruth had certificates and fabric badges made to reward the children in Barry for coping with the effects of lockdown so well, and organised for a local fire truck to visit for everyone to enjoy safely and have pictures with.

"We also had a really successful sunflower seed project. A lady that lives in Glastonbury called Sally Freeman runs a sunflower project and we joined forces with her. She sent out sunflower seeds to people who wanted to bring sunshine to their gardens," said Ruth.

"Steph Newcombe, now dubbed 'Barry Sunflower Queen' delivered 2,500 seeds across Barry's front line services including schools, residential homes, supermarkets etc. which Sally had very kindly sent to us.

"Barry was full of sunflowers and it was just beautiful!"

The community also created three mini library points around the estate, where people can pick up and drop off books, complete with hand sanitiser.

To commemorate the community spirit experienced through the pandemic, the group has used funding to buy two 'bird-house-esque' little libraries.

"That's our lasting legacy," said Ruth.

"I'm extremely grateful to all the neighbours who came forward to help. I couldn't get out for most of lockdown, so without these lovely, kind and generous people; this wouldn't have been possible.

"It's not something completely unique to our group. There are so many incredible people/groups in the Vale who have done wonderful things throughout the pandemic, it's been a fantastic way of getting through a very difficult year" she said.

If you live in the Barry Waterfront area and need support from the group, please call 07907 383941.

If you have been inspired to volunteer, please contact The Vale Volunteer Beauraux https://www.gvs.wales/