Ethnic minority groups across Perthshire have been supporting elderly residents across the region throughout lockdown through a hot food initiative.
The Covid-19 Hot Meals project is being lead by the Perth Chinese Association and supported by the Perthshire Welfare Society.
The scheme has been running since this pandemic started in late March and focuses on making sure vulnerable residents, particularly focusing on BAME communities, have access to nutritious meals every day.
The Perth Chinese Association has been providing a monthly lunch club for community members at Jeanfield Swifts Football Club for over a decade with the support of Perth and Kinross Council.
Due to the unprecedented situation and the government advice, the organisation had to suspended its lunch clubs and social services.
However, the group have been preparing hot meals for delivery, along with some essential use items, which are being sent to people’s homes, focusing on elderly and vulnerable residents and especially those of ethnic minorities.
All the food has been prepared, cooked and delivered by Chan’s Chinese takeaway in Craigie and Must Eat takeaway in the city centre, with volunteers and furloughed staff assisting in this project.
Volunteers have been keeping in touch with service users every day to check on their physical and mental wellbeing.
Perth Chinese Association have also worked with the Chinese government to help secure a donation of more than 35,000 PPE masks for Perth and Kinross Council key workers.
Andy Chan, Perth Chinese Association chairman, said: “This is a fantastic initiative we have here which is supported by Scottish Government and Trust Housing Association.
“It is at times of crisis that we value and support our friends the most.
“Our partnership working shows that we can really achieve so much more when we work together in cooperation sharing our resources and our good will.”
Aziz Rehman, vice-chairman of Perthshire Welfare Society, added: “We are very grateful to the Perth Chinese Association for this initiative and this is a fine example of community partnership working.
“We have been working with ethnic minority older people in Perth and Perthshire for many years and have established trusted relationships.
“Statistics released in England have shown a disproportionate number of people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds have died from Covid-19. This project is an invaluable lifeline to these communities.”
