A DEDICATED volunteer has reflected on what he has achieved since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pradeep Bhardwaj founded Swindon Volunteers along with other people to help those who needed help during the lockdown.

Pradeep said: “ In the last two months , I haven’t learnt any new language or a new fitness regime, in fact I have forgotten many things.

“But I have learnt first-hand a lot of things about the real heroes in our society, about the sheer hard work they do, about their courage and dedication.

“We just had to do it, this was our call for duty, to help people, when it is needed the most at this hour of crisis.”

The group has helped the community in various ways including delivering free hot meals, doing free shopping, collecting prescriptions and schools meals, or calling people to check on their wellbeing.

Pradeep added: “Our greatest achievement is this feeling of gratitude that God chose us to have the privilege to meet, thank and serve so many wonderful people, whether it is the NHS staff in more than 40 departments in Great Western Hospital or the amazing nurses, various GP surgeries and pharmacies, ambulance station, fire station, homeless shelters, schools and so on.

He added: “We have been amply rewarded with genuine warmth and love people have shown to us and the smiles on people’s faces, and occasionally tears also, I must admit.”