You’ve been top of the shops
Praise as COVID community services wind down
Two communities in Perthshire have acknowledged the amazing role played by their local shops during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Volunteers in Bankfoot and Murthly were sent out to deliver groceries, messages and prescriptions for vulnerable members of the community who were self-isolating.
Bankfoot Community Support Group responded to 500-plus requests for assistance.
And MACS (Murthly, Airntully, Caputh and Spittalfield) support group called up 28 volunteers and went out to 150 SOS requests for food and medicine from elderly and vulnerable residents.
Now the two groups are winding down, they have expressed thanks for the “absolutely brilliant” service of Nisa shopowners Ally and Ann Johnston who ran the communication for the support hotlines and the sterling work of their son Fraser and daughter-in-law Claire, who ran the shops and sourced the delivery items.
“We would like to thank Ally and Ann of the Nisa Store Murthly and Bankfoot for the amazing job they have done manning the phone line for the MACS support group, making sure that everyone in Murthly, Airntully, Caputh and Spittalfield could request support for shopping, prescriptions whilst isolating during COVID-19 and lockdown,” wrote Caroline Buchanan of MACS.
“They then co-ordinated with a group of volunteers on our WhatsApp group from our four villages to fulfil every order that came in.
“They handled over 150 requests for this area.
“We are so proud and thankful of everything they did and we couldn’t have supported our villages as well without them and our fabulous community shop.
“Thanks again from the MACS coordinator team Elaine Gillies, Caroline Buchanan, Paul Cromey and Ted Carr and every one in this community that is a better and more cohesive place because of this initiative.
“When all this is over and it’s safe to do so, a village party is in order and we can say thank you in person.”
She revealed shopkeepers Fraser and Claire not only went beyond the call trying to get exactly what people were asking for - at a time when flour and toilet paper were in shortage - but they allowed people to pay later on account or pay via BACS to make the delivery run smoothly and safely without cash changing hands.
Murthly resident Caroline also told the PA that Thomas Steuart Fothringham, the Laird of Murthly Estate, started a crowdfunding page and performed a piano recital in a bid to help raise some funds to cover the support group’s costs, bringing in £500.
Murthly village had a book trading box outside the village hall which was loved, particularly by local young readers.
In Bankfoot, where the support group was larger, the Nisa shop also run by the Johnstons again played the role of village lifeline.
Speaking for Bankfoot Community Support Group, which was made up of Rhona Pollok, Sandy Love, Bob Gallagher, Chris Pasteur and himself, local business owner Simon Yearsley expressed “tremendous” thanks to the shop team.
“We were able to have one phone number and keep it simple,” said Simon.
“People rang it and got through to Ally or Ann, who were really wonderful. They usually knew the folk calling in, which really helped people overcome anxiety and trust that they would get their request granted.
“The Johnstons used a WhatsApp group and volunteers were told what to get and where to take it. Fraser and Claire and the teams in both shops were absolutely brilliant. Everything was well managed through the Nisa store.”
Simon said his group took on well over 500 requests.
They trained 50 volunteers via Zoom to handle the deliveries with confidence and operate safely when infection considerations were at their most critical.
It is now time to wind it down as the lockdown restrictions are loosened. Simon has stepped down as leader and is giving his attention to his own business concerns now.
He concluded the COVID-19 experience had done good things to link up his community and bring people of all ages closer together.
“With a member of our group, Bob Gallagher’s help, we have been working with Auchtergaven Primary School and looking at technical support to help families with children schooling from home.
“Bob’s tapped into fundraising and we have £2000 which will help the youngsters stay connected.
“Altogether the experience from being part of the support group is greater connectedness all round.
“In Bankfoot we already had a strong community. There was already a lot of on-the-ground support there, but we were able to plug any gaps.”