HIGHLAND AUTO CAMPERS

Whencoronavirusstarted appearingininverness, carehome managervictoriaconnollywas determinednoonewhoworkedor livedtherewouldfallill. Sosheaskedthestaffofthe Isobelfraserhomeininverness ifthey’dbepreparedtoliveonsite andwasthrilledwhen14saidthey would. Butthencametheproblemof wheretoputthem. The38-year-oldsaid:“Thereare acoupleofroomsupstairsicouldfit sixpeopleinto. Butthenithought, ‘Whereamigoingtoputeveryone else?’” “Ihaveafriendwitha campervansoiphonedherand askedifwecoulduseit. Sheagreed butineededmoresoshe suggestedihireone.” Victoriagot intouchwith Highlandauto Camperswhose ownermark Jarratt, 44, immediately agreedtohire herthreevehicles forcost. Whilethey’d normallycharge£130a nightfortheirpractically-newfleet, thecarehomegotthemforjust £250eachaweek. Marksays:“we’veonlybeen goingtwoyearsbutearlierthis year, thingsweregoingwell– March waspickingupandaprilandmay werefullybooked. “Butweonlygetaneight-month windowtomakeourmoneybecause ofthetouristseasonsolockdown cameattheworsttimeforus, thestartofourseasonandwasa completedisaster. “Thenaroundapril14, wegota callfromtheisobelfraserhome. Storieswere, bythen, beginningto emergethatsomecarehomeshad beenreallybadlyhitbycoronavirus. “Theysaidthatwhilethehome wasfreeofcoronavirus, theyknew theyneededtotakestepstokeep bothstaffandresidentsvirusfree andbyprovidingaccommodation fortheirstaffonsite. Theywanted torentthreeofourvanstodothis. “Weweresurprisedtogetthe phonecall– therearealotofsimilar companiesinthearea– butquite pleasedandweimmediatelyagreed toassistinanywaythatwecould. Wejustwantedtohelp. “Itwasalsoawin-winsituation forus. Thecampervanshadn’tbeen usedforafewweeks, theywere justsittingquarantinedandthiswas income– notagreatdealofincome butbetterthannothing. “Eventhoughtheyhadn’tbeen usedforweeks, andonewassonew ithadneverbeenused, we gavethemathorough cleanbeforedriving themoverand settingthemup. “Thestaff andsomeofthe residentswere quiteexcited whenwearrived andwerelooking outofthewindows.” Sixcarehome staffsleptinthevansfor betweenthreeandfiveweeks. Managervictoriasaid:“Theyreally enjoyedit– theywerewarmand comfortable. Mosthavesaidthey’d takethemoutonholiday!” Thecarehome, whichhas27 residents, hasn’thadasinglecaseof coronavirus. Marksaid:“wewere reallyproudtohavebeenableto help. It’sgoodtodosomethingfor thecommunity. TEAMING UP: Highland Auto Campers owner Mark Jarratt with girlfriend Alicia.