Community group is set for lockdown two
A Perthshire community group which helped hundreds of isolated and vulnerable residents in need during the height of the first lockdown has been reassembled.
Over 200 volunteers from the Carse Community Volunteers group stepped back into the fold on Tuesday, just hours after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced another national lockdown.
The kind-hearted collective helped Carse of Gowrie residents through the first COVID lockdown by delivering shopping to their doorsteps, dropping off prescriptions, offering lifts to medical appointments, or simply setting up chats over the phone to keep the company of those most isolated.
Volunteers will now also offer to drive residents to vaccine appointments as well.
The group’s 2021 ‘COVID flyer’ contains contact information of head volunteers in Invergowrie, Longforgan, Inchture, Grange, Errol and the St Madoes and Glencarse areas.
Spearheading the Carse Community Volunteer group’s revival is Carse of Gowrie councillor Alasdair
Bailey, who said its return has been organised “with a heavy heart”.
He told the Perthshire Advertiser: “The volunteers here in the Carse did such a great job in the original March lockdown and it was with a heavy heart that I called on them to step forward again today.
“Happily everyone who can help is happy and ready to help again.
“I’d hate for anyone to miss out on their food shopping or worse their COVID jag appointment if the buses go back to a skeleton timetable.
“Therefore, we’re ready here in the Carse to help anyone who needs it.
“Last time around some people just wanted a friendly phone call once or twice a week to help them battle the loneliness and that’s something we can still arrange too.
“Nothing is too big or too small, we’re here to ensure everyone does as well as they can through this terribly difficult time.
“To borrow the first minister’s words, we’re in a race between the virus and the vaccine.
“If we can even help just a hundred people to cope within these restrictions in the Carse then that will set the virus back and the vaccine ahead.”