Funds to fight impact of coronavirus crisis

A community group’s project to deliver food parcels to neighbours affected by the coronavirus pandemic has received a funding boost.

Northern Corridor Community Volunteers are among 14 good causes which each received local grants of £5143 to support their response to the Covid-19 crisis.

The group is providing more than 300 parcels of emergency supplies every week to those living in areas including Chryston, Gartcosh, Moodiesburn and Muirhead.

Its volunteers last month received a £6300 National Lottery grant to run its vital service for vulnerable and isolating residents, delivering fruit and vegetables, groceries and “comfort packs” of basics for those who are unwell, as well as providing a dogwalking service for those needing help.

The group has switched focus during the pandemic from its usual environmental projects, which include creating community gardens and new green spaces.

Also receiving the same £5143 funding from the Cumbernauld Gives fund was Chryston Community Council, which will be used to buy eight adult hybrid cycles and locks for the area’s bike library.

They will then be loaned out free of charge to Covid-19 key workers, people returning to work and others in need in the Chryston community.

North Lanarkshire Women’s Aid will use their grant to help reopen their face-to-face service, by installing perspex shields between office desks and purchasing the required stock of personal protective equipment.

Cumbernauld Gives – standing for Grants Initiative for Virus Emergency Scheme – saw £72,000 distributed to voluntary organisations working to tackle the pandemic in the Northern Corridor area as well as neighbouring Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, and was distributed by that area’s Cornerstone House Centre on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Development manager Mary McNeil said: “We’re delighted to disperse £72,000 of public funds which will play a major role in helping people and communities respond, recover and rebuild in the midst of the pandemic.

“Cumbernauld Gives is enabling 14 key organisations to co-ordinate a raft of coronavirus relief measures which will significantly benefit several vulnerable groups.

“The funds will initiate activities such as regular delivery of food parcels, loaning of bicycles to key workers and those requiring assistance with transport, and will also help a number of valued local voluntary sector organisations to reopen premises and key services.”