Key workers from a Whitehaven call centre are raising coronavirus cash to help beat the lockdown blues.

Charity challenges which happened weekly at United Utilities’ call centres before the lockdown have now been resurrected by colleagues working on their own from home using apps like WhatsApp and Paypal.

To help boost the fundraising efforts of colleagues, the water firm has agreed to boost anything raised by £500 each week.

In Whitehaven, the first charity to benefit was Mirehouse Residents’ Group, which received a £500 cheque from United Utilities plus £90 from a virtual ‘dress down’ event.

The additional £90 will be used to buy cleaning products for volunteers to distribute to elderly people unable to leave their homes.

Call centre manager Lyndsey Moffitt said, with the vast majority of its 200 staff working from home, and the skeleton crew of people in the office keeping a wide distance from each other, the call centre building on North Shore Road was eerily quiet.

“It’s a bit strange but people are keeping in touch in other ways," she explained.

"We have always liked to do a bit of fundraising, so we thought ‘why not keep it going?’ It’s good for team spirit and people like sharing photos and videos. It keeps us in touch until things get back to normal.”

United Utilities Whitehaven centre deals with most of the company’s billing queries and staff there are designated as key workers as they continue to support customers through coronavirus, offering services like payment breaks on bills or signposting to one of the company's assistanct schemes.

“We chose Mirehouse Residents’ Group because it’s only two miles away and the volunteers there are collaborating with local shops and a café to collect ingredients, get them cooked and then deliver them to people in isolation who need them," continued Lyndsey.

"They also wanted cleaning products, because it’s one of the things people who can’t leave home find hard to get for themselves,” Lyndsey said.

Mirehouse Community Centre chairman and local councillor Carl Walmsley said the group was delighted to get the donation.

“It will help us so much with our new meals on wheels project ensuring even more elderly and vulnerable people on our estate will be getting warm home-cooked meals delivered to their door during these unprecedented times."