Volunteers in several Bosnian cities are doing grocery shopping and offering other assistance to people who cannot leave their homes during the coronavirus crisis. They call themselves the ‘Heroes of the Street’ and British Ambassador, Matthew Field, joined them on Tuesday.

As Bosnia completely restricted movement for those above the age of 65 and introduced curfews, many elderly citizens or those who are otherwise heavily susceptible to COVID-19 were left to fend for themselves.

But those who are most vulnerable can still count on the ‘Heroes of the Street’.

The group operates across Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar and Zenica.

N1 accompanied the volunteers as they did their rounds through Sarajevo.

The first stop was the home of a family of four where they delivered food. The operation is highly organised as the volunteers keep in contact with each other at all times.

Field told N1 that he is not there in the capacity of ambassador.

“I am just another volunteer. I am not here as an ambassador, only as a person,” he said.

“He also wanted to help a family in need and see how we are doing this,” one of the volunteers, Kana Custovic, said of the ambassador.

The group then went to the Ilidza municipality to deliver medicine to an elderly lady.

“Thank you a lot, I am truly speechless. You are wonderful,” she said as she was handed her package.

“The lady is an oncology patient and, considering the current situation, we offered her our services,” explained another volunteer, Vanja Mihajlovic.

The next stop was the Otoka neighbourhood, where residents of a local apartment building left notes for their neighbours who may be in need, offering them help while also regularly cleaning the building thoroughly.

“We made a list of neighbours who can participate. We have the support of our neighbours who can not. We have elderly people here who live alone,” one of the residents, Marina Arcon Amidzic, explained.

“They care for everyone who lives in this apartment building,” said one of her elderly neighbours, Drasko Mitic.