Community groups and volunteers have come together across Tayside and Fife to help vulnerable people who are self-isolating.
A number of initiatives have been set up over the past few days to organise food deliveries to the elderly and those with health conditions.
It comes as a host of organisations are being forced to suspend services.
Friends and neighbours who are able are being urged to plug gaps by looking out for members of the community.
Established charities such as Dundee Food Train, a shopping and befriending service for pensioners, are appealing for volunteers to help meet unprecedented demand on their services.
Emma Black, fundraising and marketing manager of DFT, said: “We’ve been operating for 25 years and with recent coronavirus developments we’ve been getting a lot more referrals than normal. That, combined with the fact that many of our volunteers are over 70 themselves and having to self-isolate, means there will be an impact on our services.
“What we do is collect shopping lists from elderly people, then volunteers go to the shops and deliver the supplies to people’s homes.
“We also offer a befriending service but that will have to be done over the phone for the time being.”
A similar initiative, called Covid19 Dundee Support, has been set up by community art engagement group Imagine Scotland and Re:Connected – an organisation helping care-experienced young people into employment.
It is working with food banks, third sector and faith organisations to deliver essentials to vulnerable people and is looking for donations of hand sanitiser, soap, toilet roll, tinned and dried food, baby milk and nappies.
People experiencing difficulties or those willing to offer help should can call the helpline on 01382 413076 between 10am and 10pm.
Meanwhile, medical students from Dundee University have organised a community response group aiming to link student volunteers with charities who need extra help.
Ben Porter, one of the organisers, said: “Lectures have been cancelled so there are lots of students sitting at home who want to make themselves useful.”
For more information, email uodcommunityvolunteers@outlook.com and donate at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/covid19supportdundee
Elsewhere, a city choir is helping spread musical cheer through difficult times.
Dundee Got Soul Choir has cancelled its face-to-face workshops but will sing together online through social apps such as Zoom and Skype.
A centre that supports families and children in Kirkcaldy is putting together packages to help vulnerable people who have to self-isolate.
The Cottage Family Centre said it was determined youngsters and their parents should not have to go without if they were forced to stay at home for two weeks or more to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Manager Pauline Buchan said: “We know that many of our children and families will be anxious about food, nappies, milk etc and we are doing our very best to put together packages in the event they need to self isolate as we know that many do not have other means of support.
“It is our intention to carry on providing the care and support needed for as long as it is safe for us to do so.
“No-one needs to worry that they are going to be left alone during this time.”
The Cottage is also offering emotional support to those who need it but Pauline emphasised that anyone who feels unwell should not attend the centre but contact them by phone.
She urged the public to continue donating food and other essentials to help the service continue.
“If we don’t look after the most vulnerable, it makes everybody else vulnerable,” she said.
“I don’t think folk have thought about that when they’re going crazy in the supermarket aisles.”
Elsewhere, the official opening of the Cottage’s new centre in Kirkcaldy east has been postponed.
Single parent organisation Fife Gingerbread has cancelled all its groups in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Glenrothes-based organisation, which supports families across Fife, said it would continue to provide support through phone calls, text, social media and emails.
A charity which supports more than 1,280 families in Fife and beyond who are affected by autism has had to close its drop-in centre for a minimum of two weeks.
Autism Rocks (Fife) confirmed its Kaleidoscope facility in Buckhaven’s Randolph Street will have to shut for at least the next fortnight in response to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
The centre is normally open on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 2pm.
The Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Perth & Kinross (RASACPK) has made the decision to suspend all face-to- face support for a period of time but will continue to offer support using alternative methods such as telephone and email.
The Food Warehouse in Perth has introduced special shopping hours for the elderly and most vulnerable groups.
The store will prioritise these people from 8am until 9am every day until further notice.
The Tower Bakery in Perth is offering to deliver to residents’ doors, as is the Spar in Inchture.
Thousands of Angus carers have been urged not to worry alone after the suspension of face-to-face support through a local centre.
Angus Carers said it was cancelling activities at its Arbroath base until further notice.
The move includes all support groups, activities and events, including external bookings for rooms at the Grant Road premises.
The organisation currently supports almost 2,000 registered adult carers and more than 200 young carers through 23 staff and in excess of 80 volunteers.
The centre has said its befriending service will continue, but is moving to phone-support instead of face-to-face home visits.
It told carers: “Our way of working may change over the next few months, but we will still be here for you.
“Do not worry at home on your own.”
molindsay@thecourier.co.uk
