Appin Aid still here to help
Appin Aid is still supporting people in the community needing its help into the New Year and beyond, writes Kathie Griffiths.
Leaflets have been dropped through doors letting people know what help is available but organisers want to get the word out wider in case anyone has been missed.
There are hopes to restart the Appin Community Transport Scheme soon while remaining in line with government guidelines. Once up and running again, the service will be limited to hospital or medical appointments, with only one household using the car at any one time.
Even households not already registered with Appin Aid and needing to self-isolate on advice from the test and protect scheme can get help from it, such as with shopping and medication deliveries, says Appin Aid co-ordinator Clare Hunt. A hardship fund set up earlier in the year in the wake of Covid to support Appin residents struggling with financial difficulties because of the virus’s impact, is also still open and any enquiries will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.
And to keep people connected digitally, the aid scheme that has received help from the Supporting Communities fund has also bought a tablet device to be loaned out to anyone in the community who wants to use it for contacting friends and family on video call or to shop online. Plans for when current restrictions ease, are to get a volunteer to visit peoples’ homes to help show how it works and get them online.
In the meantime, anyone feeling lonely or in need of a blether can contact Appin Aid to have a friendly voice check on them and make sure they are coping okay.
Clare can be contacted on 01631 730 416 or by emailing clare_appintransport@outlook.com. Alternatively, any needs can be discussed with Appin Community Development Trust trustee Alison MacCorquodale via alisonmaccorquodale@btinternet.com
Donations to Appin Aid are still welcome via www.appin.scot
‘We send a huge thank you to all those have donated to Appin Aid so far,’ said Clare.