Volunteers rally round to help those in need

HUNDREDS of communities across Scotland are rallying round, with volunteers forming support groups and creating initiatives offering home deliveries, meals on wheels and other services.

One group in Inverness-shire has created information packs to help locals understand how they can protect themselves.

Rhona Middleton, a co-ordinator of Covid19 Ballachulish Community Support, said: ‘The community in Ballachulish has rallied and acted quickly to form community support and communication links.

‘In 24 hours we had over 50 volunteers sign up. Things volunteers can help to do will include grocery/leaflet deliveries, distributing prescriptions, making meals, communicating with those not online and dog walking. Protecting and supporting the most vulnerable in our community using the strengths we have, will ensure Ballachulish residents will be empowered to follow the NHS guidelines for as long as possible.’

In Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, Hannah Urquhart, 25, of the Fyvie Resistance Group, said: ‘The group is very newly formed, only making the leap from idea to formation in the last couple of days. It was set up in response to a social need and we want to protect our elderly and vulnerable.

‘The initial response has been incredible, with individuals, local businesses and the church pulling together in our community’s time of need. It is our hope to be able to safely meet the needs of the community as we face unknown challenges ahead.’

Members of the Scone and District Community Council in Perthshire launched a group yesterday morning and had nearly 30 volunteers by midday.

Jill Belch and Vanessa Shand, organisers of the team, said: ‘What a wonderful community. We are not big, only 2,500 households, but the reason for setting this up was we were getting calls from folk offering to help but who didn’t know how to tell folk they were available.

‘We are offering to shop for self-isolators, provide meals if meals on wheels can’t cope, and FaceTime folk who live alone twice a week to make sure they are OK.

‘If schools close, we will offer to babysit for NHS staff who have to work and we will respond to any non-viral emergency, such as falls, for folk who live alone.’

Meanwhile, a Scottish drink manufacturer has put normal production on hold to produce hand sanitiser for free.

Writing on Twitter, Leith Gin said: ‘We have suspended spirit production and are making high-strength hand sanitiser for those in need in our local community.’

Last night, a company spokesman said: ‘We have already started making it after initially making some last week for our own staff to use at a gin event in Glasgow.’