Fife hotel helps NHS workers stranded by snow

A Fife hotel has been praised after stepping up to offer free accommodation for NHS workers left stranded because of the effects of Storm Darcy.

The owners of the Beveridge Park Hotel in Kirkcaldy made the gesture after the region was battered by blizzards and heavy snowfall.

Councillor Neil Crooks, chairman of Kirkcaldy area committee, said the gesture was a perfect example of community spirit

He said: “Often, when the chips are down, there are businesses and individuals who step up and help in times of crisis.

“This is a perfect example of that community spirit coming to the fore and particularly in these times that we show our appreciation and recognition for the vital role that key workers and those NHS staff are playing day in and day out.

“They are very special people and to be supported in such a way is commendable.”

The hotel offer was just one of a number of kind-spirited responses from members of the public during the severe weather.

In Dunfermline, volunteers stepped up to clear Thistle Street of snow and ice to allow nurses to get their vehicles to Newlands Care Home after the road had been blocked by snow for three days.

Elsewhere, a similar snow clearance was undertaken by volunteers at the respite unit on Broad Street, Cowdenbeath, after a call for help was issued on social media.

Meanwhile, a number of motorists with 4x4 vehicles answered calls for help in ferrying key workers and NHS staff to care homes and hospitals.