‘Amazing spirit in devastating times’
Tourism organisation’s praise for local firms
A volunteer network in Aberfeldy believes it had done 500 jobs for people homebound through coronavirus and plans to do even more as time goes on.
What began a few weeks ago as an effort from three helping organisations - Tay Valley Timebank, The Birks Cinema Trust and Upper Tay Transport Group - has developed into COVID-19 Feldy Support .
When the lockdown hit local activists Emma Burtles, Fiona MacEwan, Liz Richards and Alison Stewart got together and organized a phone hub helpline for folk who are quarantined or self-isolating, utilising resources from Tay Valley Timebank and The Birks Cinema Trust.
Last week it got a new name, COVID-19 Feldy Support, to reflect its bigger role.
There are now over 70 volunteers, in and around Aberfeldy, upper Loch Tay and Glen Lyon, ready to get what people need when they need it.
The services range from shopping, prescription collection, grass cutting, pet walking, or just a blether.
For people living in Glen Lyon, who ordinarily face a 40-minute drive to the Aberfeldy Co-op, A Wednesday delivery service is now coming to them in an effort to cut down on road travel.
Recently the volunteers got issued with hand sanitiser made by Deanston whisky distillery.
Fiona MacEwan explained:“We’re making a clean sweep because we’ve just had a donation of eight dozen bottles of hand sanitiser from Deanston distillery, so our volunteers are squeaky clean.
“We started off just getting things for people, but we’re branching out all the time in response to what folk need.
“We’ve made masks for our volunteers and others who need them.
“How does COVID-19 Feldy Support work? You phone 07507479555 any day from 9am to 5pm (or later to leave an answerphone message) and say what you need.
“A volunteer will phone to confirm where you live and what you want.
“If it’s shopping or a purchase they’ll buy it for you.
“They’ll phone you to tell you how much it costs. People can pay by cash, by cheque, or by bank transfer.
“Then the volunteer safely delivers it to the caller, wearing a yellow vest, rubber gloves, maybe a mask and they’ll have an identity card.
“We’ve completed over 500 jobs since we started five weeks ago and we’re ready for plenty more.”
VisitScotland has described the effect of COVID-19 on the hospitality and tourism industry in Perth and Kinross as “completely devastating”.
However, the umbrella organisation has picked out some local businesses that have made the best of a terrible situation.
Caroline Warburton, regional leadership director for Perth and Kinross at VisitScotland, said: “Like the rest of Scotland, the tourism industry in Perthshire has been completely devastated by the coronavirus, with the lockdown coming just weeks before businesses were preparing to open their doors for the Easter break.
“We know that this is an extremely difficult time for local businesses and individuals - impacting on jobs, people’s wellbeing and future investment - and we continue to offer advice and support to those affected.”
Ms Warburton looked to green shots of local activity in the face of troubling financial returns.
She said: “What I have been hugely impressed by is the number of businesses that have shown amazing spirit during this incredibly challenging time to help their customers and communities, including the Scottish Crannog Centre, offering virtual tours in April; The Fountain Bar in Aberfeldy, who have set up #Feldyroo, to deliver free lunches, newspapers and evening meals to isolated members of the community during lockdown; and Wee Adventures also in Aberfeldy, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Culture Perth and
Kinross, who are all posting videos and activities to keep children entertained.”
Her comments come after the first minister Nicola Sturgeon gave the nation some idea of how Scotland might exit the current lockdown measures and provided some timescales on Friday at a major briefing.
Ms Sturgeon gave no promise of a return to how life was pre-COVID-19, saying “a return to normal as we knew it is not on the cards in the near future.”
She stated that people would need to get used to a “new normal,.
The first minister warned that coronavirus restrictions were expected to last until 2021 and some may stretch on for years.
Businesses will have to adapt so that customers and staff are able to stay two metres away from one another, however in future Scotland may allow small gatherings of up to 10 people at a time.
This is an agonising time for all in the tourism industry and VisitScotland has been collecting data since March, which revealed the “severe impact” lockdown was having.
Ms Warburton added: “Results from our second survey, which ran from March 20-30, show that more than half of respondents that have employees stated they have had to reduce staff numbers to date (March 30) with a likelihood of further losses in the future.
“The majority of total respondents to our survey claim to have lost up to £50,000, with some claiming losses of substantially more than this.
“Our respondents also believe that the average length for survival of business without support is three months.
“These results show the severe financial impact on tourism across the regions and business sectors.
“We do not know how long this unprecedented situation will last and it is too early to say what the sector will look like in the coming months, but we have a resilient industry here, sustaining many communities, and we believe tourism will be a key part of the economic recovery.”