Community groups in the North East are bracing for an increase in demand for services as social distancing measures and mass gathering restrictions increase.
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On Sunday the Federal Government announced all non-essential services would be closed from 12 pm on Monday.
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Dorset Community House garden coordinator Mark Hayes said the group had experienced an increase in demand since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The house sells vegetable bags, made up of vegetables they grow or buy off local farmers, for an affordable price.
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Mr Hayes said the demand had doubled since the beginning of the pandemic.
"We produce bags of affordable vegetables and our sales have doubled if not tripled in the last week," he said.
Meanwhile the North East Animal Sanctuary is expecting demand for animal shelters to increase.
Sanctuary president and founder Michelle Jesson said they are in need of more foster carers.
"At the moment we only have a couple of foster carers and we have about 7 dogs and 7 puppies," she said.
"We are expecting people who need to go to hospital will need someone to look after their pets.
"We are looking for foster carers for our pets who are available for adoption and for people who can look after pets for people in hospital."
She said with some people working from home it could be a good time for them to foster a pet.
"It is a good company for people, having pets is very calming and it gives you something to focus on," Ms Jesson said.
"They can spend time with the animals and train them and get them used to being in a family situation."
Marina Shevchenko who has been fostering dogs for about nine months said it was an incredibly rewarding experience.
"I can't explain how it makes me feel, we are paid with love and affection from the dogs in return for giving them a chance in life we are receiving that love from them in return from them," she said.
She said some dogs require more work than others but generally it was not too hard.
"Some do take a bit longer, it is just about taking it at their pace and constantly reassuring that if they do do something they are not going to get a boot for it," Ms Shevchenko said.
"All in all it is not hard it is just like you would treat anyone else in your family."
Ms Jesson urged anyone who was in the position to be able to foster a pet to consider it.
She said in uncertain times people are less likely to adopt so more fosters are needed.
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