KIND-HEARTED South Yorkshire Police officers have helped a family struggling through the coronavirus crisis to put food on the table.<\/p>\n
Barnsley officers PC Mitchell and PC Massey were alerted to the family\u2019s plight when they attended a 999 call at the property.<\/p>\n
When they arrived, they discovered a six-year-old boy had made the call by mistake while playing with his mum\u2019s phone.<\/p>\n
It was clear to the officers that the family were struggling with their finances and that the boy\u2019s mother was a single parent and had lost her job due to the pandemic.<\/p>\n
The officers conducted a welfare check and could see there wasn\u2019t any food in the house.<\/p>\n
The concerned pair rang around local food banks and social care agencies to help the family get back on their feet and to ensure they get the support they need in the future.<\/p>\n
The big-hearted officers even donated some of their own family’s toys and crafts to the little lad.<\/p>\n
Colleagues back at the officers\u2019 base at Churchfield\u2019s station also chipped in, and in just 12 hours the officers had managed to get so much food and so many toys together that other struggling families in the area benefitted too.<\/p>\n
Chief Inspector Andy Berriman, who leads response teams in Barnsley, said: \u201cIncidents like these remind us of why people become police officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are caring people who want to help and protect our communities and sometimes that is not achieved by arresting criminals.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all need to pull together and support each other to make sure we get through these difficult times.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mother was extremely grateful for the donations, and the little boy was excited to be able to play and create some of his own drawings with the crafts given.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am proud of my officers every day, but their passion and dedication do not go unnoticed.\u201d<\/p>\n