Essex potato farmers have responded to the coronavirus crisis by setting up a free home delivery service for the local community.

According to eadt.co.uk, potato producer and chips maker Fairfields Farm, which is based in Wormingford, UK, is delivering sacks and boxes of potatoes, as well as hand-cooked chips made at a factory on the farm. The successful chips business was set up as a diversification by farmers Robert and Laura Strathern. The farm says it is currently “working hard seven days a week to meet the growing demand for basics that can’t be found in the supermarkets”.

Laura Strathern said: “We wanted to do something to help and thought home delivery would be a good idea. Since launching, we have been so busy with our home delivery service around the local area. I have used social media and local village groups to promote it and now word has spread further into town.”

As the farm appeared to be the only local place that sold potatoes, many people in isolation were calling them to provide much-needed essentials, she explained.

“We are so happy to be able to do something to help and to serve our community. Things on the farm are also really busy, with the team out planting for the new season,” she concluded.