Locals rallying around, events off, firms taking precautions

Fifers are rallying around their vulnerable neighbours.

Businesses, individuals and an online women’s group are making plans to ensure vulnerable members of the community do not run short of essentials while self-isolating.

Shopping deliveries, prescription collections and checks on the elderly are among the assistance offered.

Kirkcaldy restaurant the Dining Room and Glenrothes business Hutchison’s Fresh Fish said in a joint statement: “If anyone local has to isolate themselves and they’re on their own, or if you’ve got a relative living here who has to isolate and you can’t get to them, please let us know and we will drop off food or whatever they need and we’ll check on them when we can.”

A similar offer has been made by Sarah Wedderburn-Ogilvy, founder of the Women Make Fife Facebook group, offering doorstep drops of supplies and urging anyone in a position to help to let her know.

Grain & Sustain in Burntisland has offered to do shopping for people self-isolating in the town and called for delivery volunteers to get in touch.

The ARCHIE Foundation Spring Ball at the Invercarse Hotel in Dundee has been postponed. Sarah Johnston, fundraising manager for ARCHIE Tayside, said: “This decision was an extremely difficult one to make after several months of hard work and planning to ensure the event was a success, but the wellbeing of all our guests and staff is our main priority.

“Some of our guests are frontline NHS Tayside staff and we would not want to put them, or anyone else, at undue risk.”

Perth Playhouse has introduced an empty seat break in between customers to combat coronavirus. People attending in couples or groups can ask to be seated together.

Abertay University is testing whether students can sit their exams online. A spokesman said: “We are in the process of testing online software that can allow student assessments to be delivered remotely.”

The Tay Cities Regional Tourism Conference on March 26 is postponed.

Andy’s Man Club in Perth has cancelled meetings for at least the next three Mondays. Online groups and live videos will be used by the charity during this time.

East Fife Male Voice Choir has postponed its annual concert planned for April 17 and 18 in the Old Kirk, Kirkcaldy.

Roof window firm Velux asked any of the 120 employees at its Glenrothes base who can work from home to do so for the foreseeable future. Bosses also advised against business travel unless it is critical.

The Rosyth branch of Lloyds TSB has been closed for seven days as a precaution as staff self-isolate.

Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), based at Perth Airport, is cancelling all public engagement events for the foreseeable future.

A Fife couple who have grown up as part of the Links Market have voiced the hope that the annual event will not be a victim of the coronavirus. Cherise and Billy White, of Burntisland, said if the April 15-20 show was cancelled it would have a massive impact on families directly involved and the local economy.

Scottish Showmen’s Guild chairman Alex Colquhoun said last week the chances were “around 50-50” of the event being cancelled for the first time in living memory.

Perth Festival of the Arts is continuing to plan for its event in May but the position remains under review.

Public toilets across Fife have been closed. Fife Coast and Countryside Trust shut the toilets it operates at West Sands and East Sands, St Andrews, Craigmead, Aberdour Black Sands, and Harbourmaster’s House in Kirkcaldy. The trust has also closed its bird hides at Birnie and Gaddon, Eden Estuary and Balgove.

Anstruther Harbour Festival is among events at risk of cancellation. The festival runs from June 12-15, but tickets for its headline band will not be sold until the situation changes.