Communities get into the spirit to help vulnerable

Online support and entertainment initiatives have been launched to help people’s mental health during the lockdown.

In Dundee, former clinical psychologist Kari Deaf has set up live meditation sessions on Facebook.

The first 20-minute session was live-streamed on her support Facebook page Dundee Coronavirus Help.

Kari, 41, said: “I set up the Facebook page not only for information but for light relief and for support. I’ve got a background as a clinical psychologist and I have done group classes before, so I decided to do online meditation sessions to help take people’s minds off things.”

Meanwhile Luminate, an organisation that runs creative projects for elderly people, launched a programme of short online films demonstrating activities to be done at home or in a care home.

The activities, in partnership with Scottish Care, are being presented by professional artists and feature different arts forms including crafts, poetry, music and dance.

Films will be posted every Tuesday and Friday at 2pm on the Luminate website and Facebook page.

And in Mill o’ Mains, Dundee, a group of volunteers, who are being organised through the Mill o’ Mains Community Pavilion Facebook page, are making activity packs such as word searches and colouring-in packs for families and the elderly.

They are also handing out red and green cards to vulnerable people, single parents and single people – if they need help a red card in the window alerts neighbours and a green card means they need something brought in from the shops.