Community car effort gets seniors to COVID-19 clinic
Elizabeth driven for jab in new eco vehicle
A local church and community volunteers are playing a starring role in helping with the COVID vaccine programme rollout in the Carse of Gowrie.
St Madoes and Kinfauns Parish Church, using its registered community transport scheme, has taken to driving residents to get their jab using its brand new electric car.
Errol’s oldest resident Mrs Elizabeth Coutts, who is 100 this year, was the first person to receive the vaccine at the Carse Medical Practice after being driven there last week.
The car was added to the Madoch Community Transport service fleet after securing a grant of £22,616 from Scottish Government’s Community Climate Asset Fund.
Utilising a minivan, the service has been up and running since October 2019 to help older Carse residents get out and about, and now its new electric-run Nissan Leaf will also be used for COVID response deliveries of meals and groceries.
Madoch Centre community development co-ordinator Anthea Bircham commented: “We are delighted that our deliveries can be made using this eco-friendly vehicle.
“It has been an added bonus that we were also able to use the car for taking some of our oldest residents to their vaccine appointments.
“We already have an MPV for transporting people to appointments but it has a step and the car is easier for some people to get in to.”
St Madoes and Kinfauns Parish Church and the Madoch Centre have already been involved in coordinating COVID response activities and supplying food to the vulnerable throughout the pandemic.
The church hopes that, as well as reducing emissions and supporting food distribution, the car will also provide a springboard for a community climate change action plan for their area.
The transport service’s coordinator Oli Gage-Walker said: “We have had to take on board making our transport service as safe as possible with cleaning and sneeze guards.
“Our volunteer drivers are amazing in dealing with procedures and even gave up a Saturday to help out with the vaccine programme.
“Madoch Community Transport is able to offer a door to door service which is particularly suitable for those with mobility issues.”