Helping hands take the pressure off pensioners
A father and son team were quick to LEAP into action when a Rutherglen pensioner got into a spot of soapy bubble over a new washing machine.
Even with COVID-19 restrictions around social distancing and isolating, Cambuslang-based elderly charity LEAP proved it’s still managing to help people with emergency handyperson work.
An anxious Peter McLafferty, 69, phoned LEAP after his new washing machine had been delivered but not plumbed in.
Father and son Stuart and Calum McGregor were soon at Peter’s home to carry out the work.
Stuart, LEAP’s executive director, and Calum had both been living at home so were able to work together.
While taking the appropriate safety measures, they’ve made themselves available when two pairs of hands are needed for any of the charity’s handyperson emergency work.
Stuart and Calum made light work of removing the old machine and plumbing in the new one.
And when the new appliance sprung a leak, LEAP’s handyperson co-ordinator Kevin Key was quickly able to fix the problem and let Peter get on with his laundry.
Peter said: “I hadn’t heard about LEAP, but one of the wardens where I live gave me their number.
“I phoned and told them the company supplying my new machine couldn’t plumb it in because of the social restrictions, and a courier had just delivered it and left.
“Stuart and Calum soon had the new machine plumbed in, and Kevin quickly fixed the leak.
“Everyone was great, and I’ll be using LEAP again. I have a new TV stand and
Kevin has said he can get that built once they are taking on non-emergency work again. “It’s a great service.” Despite Peter’s successful outcome, there are some jobs the LEAP team can’t take on – and that’s where its professional contacts come in handy.
Zandra Hamilton, of Springhall, called LEAP when she had no electricity and talked to Kevin, who said: “Zandra was really upset and it took a long time for me to get enough information to figure out what might be wrong.
“We got there though, and I passed the job on to Danny McGeever, one of the electricians we use in cases such as this.
“I then phoned Zandra back after Danny told me he had restored her electricity. She was delighted.”
The grateful 74-year-old explained: “I was really quite upset by the time I spoke to Kevin, as I wasn’t getting any help from anyone else, although the council had given me LEAP’s number.
“Kevin was great though, and Danny was brilliant – he had things working again quickly.
“I can’t thank everyone enough. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Zandra’s daughter Elaina Connell was so grateful, she took to Facebook to tell of her appreciation.
She posted: “I just want to thank LEAP for helping my mum today. Her electrics went off and she was in a hell of a state. Isolation is hard enough but when you’ve no electricity would be impossible.
“The kind girl who answered the phone put her on to someone and an electrician appeared within the hour, fixed the problem and charged pennies.
“You guys are lifesavers. Thanks so much.”