Parking attendants are becoming a much more welcome sight across Perth and as they take on new roles delivering food and medicine to vulnerable residents affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
They are among a range of council staff, including countryside rangers, members of the community greenspace repairs and renewals team and community wardens who are working with other volunteers to pick up and drop off donations and extra supplies to foodbanks and residents.
Parking attendants are also working with NHS Tayside to collect and deliver prescriptions and other medical equipment to patients across Perth and Kinross.
Staff from private businesses, including energy giant SSE, are also helping with the deliveries where possible.
The move comes after Perth and Kinross Council suspended parking charges on March 23 to support key workers who were not able to use public transport to travel to their work.
This has freed up attendants and other staff to assist in the local authority’s coronavirus response.
The council’s public transport unit are also working with businesses who normally take pupils to school to instead take key workers to work and back home.
The unit has enlisted 19 operators who are providing transport for 61 care home workers and one NHS staff member.
Another is providing transport for patients who have regular appointments at Perth Royal Infirmary.
Perth and Kinross Council Chief Executive Karen Reid said: “We are currently focusing on essential services and this means staff have been able to take on other roles to assist our more vulnerable residents.
“The need for social distancing and isolation means many residents cannot get out to collect vital supplies.
“Our staff and volunteers know what a difficult time this is for many people and are delighted to help where they can.”
The council is continuing to deliver essential services, such as refuse collection.
Residents in Errol have even been showing their gratitude to refuse collection staff by decorating their wheelie bins with pictures and thank-you notes.
The council is one of a number of organisations and community groups which have volunteered their help to support vulnerable people across the region in the wake of the pandemic.
