Covid appointment issues unacceptable
I am 83 and my wife is in her seventies.
Our daughter is in her forties and has twin, two year-old, boys who she looks after on her own.
Following maternity leave, her company has allowed her to work two days a week from home.
As we are in a ‘bubble’ she has been doing this at our house in Blairgowrie while we look after the children.
She was recently invited to have her first coronavirus jab in Dundee, where she lives.
She was with us working at the time and only discovered the letter on returning home at the end of the week.
She telephoned immediately and was told there were no appointments available.
She has had the same message on the numerous occasions she has telephoned since.
She has been told that she cannot rearrange the jab for while she is in Blairgowrie, which would be far more convenient, as she is not registered here.
She has now been told that she is too late to book online despite all her phone calls.
If she does not work she will lose her job.
Who will take the blame if our daughter catches the virus due the inept system and how will the boys cope without their mother?
Is it totally impossible for our incompetent government to give our daughter the vaccination due to her, despite there being so many gaps through people missing theirs?
Sean and Marilyn Galbally, Blairgowrie
Thanks for support
Dear Editor
It’s surprising how far a word can travel.
Last year I wrote to community newsletter Across the Glens to thank the people of Kirkmichael, Cally Crafters and St Ninian’s church Alyth for all their donations to Cornton Vale Women’s Prison near Stirling as they supported the Mothers’ Union (MU) programme to help prisoners.
Development worker Petrina Menzies submitted this to the
Blairgowrie Advertiser not knowing that it would find its way onto the Perthshire section of the Daily Record’s website.
So now folk in the glens are known nationally for their kindness and care for others. What an accolade!
A surprise outcome from this was that Petrina received two phone calls from people in Perth who had read about us and had items they wished to donate.
So, as soon as Covid restrictions allowed, she went to Perth to collect bags, towels and pants from two unknown ladies in Perth.
So it really is amazing how far “a little word” can travel.
The trustees of the MU in this Diocese (St Andrew’s) are so appreciative of the continued support which is shown for this programme.
Additionally, the prison staff are delighted and grateful as it means so much to them to be able to help the prisoners.
During the various lockdowns there has been building work, in addition to the prisoners and staff not being able to see their families.
The old building was not fit
for purpose any longer and was in need of repair so it was decided to build a replacement one.
In the meantime the MU keeps on “rolling up its sleeves and tackling whatever needs to be done wherever it can”.
That is why we are so appreciative of the continued support shown across the glens – and beyond – as we try to rehabilitate and rebuild other people’s lives.
Now that lockdown restrictions are easing I will be able to take the January/ February collection to our liaison member in Dunblane who will pass them onto the prison staff at Cornton Vale.
Getting 40 pairs of pants, 50 towels, 81 bags, eight ‘shoppers’, two rucksacks, assorted purses and other related items into my car will be a pleasurable challenge!
So once again, thank you to everyone who has contributed to the project – all of these items will make someone’s life better.