EVERYONE’S DIGGING IN
Storms bring out the best in people
Snow blizzards swept West Lothian last week as the Beast from the East arrived, causing chaos to schools and services but also bringing out the best in people eager to help the wider community.
As kids and adults enjoyed a few snow days off work and school, everyday heroes like our NHS staff, shopworkers, council staff and Good Samaritans braved the treacherous conditions to help the sick and vulnerable in our area.
Big-hearted 4x4 drivers battled the snow-covered roads to bring NHS staff to and from work while the staff themselves stayed in hospitals overnight, putting in extra hours and making sure sick patients were cared for during the storm.
West Lothian Council also set up their own Severe Weather Volunteer Service which allowed council staff to volunteer their services to help vulnerable people.
Caroline Campbell, a housing
research analyst, was one of the volunteers. “I wanted to help,” she said.
Caroline gave up her weekend and spent Saturday and Sunday picking up prescriptions, dropping off bread and milk to people in their houses and clearing paths of snow.
And she was still out on Monday, responding to further calls for help.
Caroline said: “I enjoyed it and people were very grateful for the assistance.”
Leader of West Lothian Council Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “It is very heartening to hear all the positive stories coming forward regarding good deeds in the bad weather.
“I firmly believe that community spirit is still strong in West Lothian, and from the evidence we have seen in our streets and on social media, this is definitely the case.
“There are too many heroes to mention individually, but a huge thank you to everyone who went out of their way to help their community through the recent severe weather.”
A huge thank you to everyone who went out of their way to help their community through the severe weather
Big-hearted 4x4 owners braved the treacherous conditions brought by the Beast from the East to help others caught up in the adverse weather.
Longridge couple Stacey Dickson and Scott Graham, Whitburn man Derek Adams, Mikkel Ostberg of Livingston and Colin Carson all navigated the snow covered roads in their 4x4 vehicles helping others out.
The Good Samaritans gave lifts to carers and medical staff who were stuck and couldn’t get either to or from work and they also delivered medicines and other supplies to those who needed it.
Stacey Dickson, who owns Supercar Experience UK and uses the 4x4 for business, said that their list of people to help grew steadily.
Stacey said: “We’re took a nurse who was on nightshift but had colleagues who couldn’t get home and she was trying to relieve them.
“After that Scott was away to pick up some medication for a house-bound lady who had run out.
“After that he went to a nursing home in Kirkliston to drop a carer home who was only meant to be working a backshift but was stuck and couldn’t get home.
“We have a vehicle that can get through the snow no problem so we could help people who were housebound and needed a pint of milk or nurses and doctors who were tired and needed to relieve staff as they had worked 24-hour shifts.
“It’s better to help than being stuck in the house watching the TV.”
Derek Adams was also happy to help those who found themselves in need of assistance.
Derek said: “I work for myself carrying out external building works so I was not able to get anything done.
“It’s nice to be nice I guess, plus our carers and NHS staff don’t get paid much for their efforts.
“I helped six people on Thursday afternoon and I picked up five carers and nurses that night.
“I collected a nurse on Friday morning for St John’s and collected two after their nightshift to drop them home. I then headed to collect a disabled lady in Blackburn to get medication and food.”
Colin Carson posted to Facebook on Thursday night that he was free on Friday to take staff to and from St John’s Hospital in Livingston. By Friday morning, he had already taken five people and had more booked for that night.
Colin said: “I saw a post asking for help
to get staff to and from the hospital so I put a post up to offer help.
“My family and I have been looked after several times by NHS staff and I understand the importance for vulnerable people to get care. It’s just nice to be nice and give back.”
Another 4x4 driver, Mikkel Ostberg, also helped transport NHS staff.
Mikkel said: “I’m a family man and if I was in trouble or my kids, family or friends were, I’d want people to help me out and I just so happen to own a ridiculously large truck and could get anywhere and everywhere to help out NHS nurses and staff get to hospitals.
“My son was born last year in January and was very unwell and I hated the thought of anyone being in hospital and the staff not being able to reach anyone in need.
“I was all over Fife, Edinburgh and West Lothian offering help to whoever, wherever I was, and also passed my number to the NHS lady in charge and she’s been phoning me up arranging nurses for Queen Margaret and St John’s.”
However, after two days of helping, Mikkel’s 4x4 got stuck in a snow drift and broke down, forcing him to abandon the vehicle.
Mikkel said: “I was buried up to the windows. It was an insane snowdrift and I never saw it until it was too late because of the wind blowing the snow.”
One good turn deserves another though and Mikkel was helped in his plight by Aberdour mechanic Steve Fairley of Woodside Garage in Aberdour who fixed the vehicle for free.