Volunteers stepped up to help the most in need in Livingston

Some of Livingston’s poorest areas displayed their true wealth in community spirit during the Covid lockdown as people mobilised to help each other through the crisis.

Livingston North’s Local Area Committee heard details of the financial help available both from the council and Holyrood but the report revealed how much work had been put in by volunteers in the community and through Third Sector groups.

Regeneration officer, Scott McKillop, said in his report:“Communities mobilised quickly working together. Social media was a key factor in uniting communities. Many local Coronavirus Facebook pages sprung up, harnessing support, volunteers and actions.

“This was also a mechanism used for those shielding, vulnerable and/ or isolating to get help quickly and a useful resource to get key information out.”

Grants and other financial help organised by community groups helped more than 100 households.

The council’s Advice Shop run by the Anti-Poverty Service dealt with almost 26,000 enquiries county wide during the initial lockdown – and helped 1158 individuals and covered 2236 enquiries from the Livingston North Ward.

Livingston United Parish Church (LUPC) administered a support fund of £15,000 – £10,000 provided by Carmondean Community Centre user groups and £5000 sourced by LUPC. The purpose of the fund was to support COVID-19 impacted individuals and households in the various communities of Livingston.

Volunteers delivered shopping to those vulnerable and shielding. They also hosted an online summer holiday club which reached over 60 children of primary school age.

The Vennie has been pivotal in the local response to lockdown in Knightsridge.

The Food Outlet had been running since December 2018. It moved from once weekly to twice weekly opening in the main hall of the Mosswood Community Centre.

In July, 411 people visited the food outlet and this rose to 460 in September – one day serving 70 people, many of them pensioners.

The outlet is now working with 12 rotational volunteers who are contributing many hours a week to this.

At the Knightsridge Regeneration Group meeting, it was reported that there are a number of‘regulars’who have been attending The Food Outlet and volunteers have built up a relationship with them.

The group is looking at ways of equippingvolunteers to be abletoprovide morehelp to‘regulars’either with practical advice or signposting them to services.