A Tayside community group which was launched last year to provide support to struggling and isolated households has been remobilised for lockdown 2021.
Volunteers assembled to offer services such as prescription pick-ups and deliveries for vulnerable and elderly people stuck indoors during the first wave of Covid restrictions.
Now teams are restarting as Scotland enters its second national lockdown.
Among the first out the traps is the Carse Community Volunteers, an army of around 200 helpers who are ready to offer their services to people in the Carse of Gowrie area.
Labour councillor Alasdair Bailey, who helped coordinate the revived service, said volunteers were on stand-by for shopping, prescriptions and lifts to medical or vaccine appointments.
The team was re-assembled just hours after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement in the Scottish Parliament.
Mr Bailey said: “The volunteers here in 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 today.
“Happily, everyone who can help is happy and ready to help again.”
He said: “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.
“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.”
Leaflets have been printed out with contact details for six key volunteers in the Invergowrie, Longforgan, Inchture, Grange, Errol and St Madoes/Glencarse areas.
Mr Bailey said: “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.”
Elsewhere, Perth-based crisis prevention charity the Lighthouse has said services will continue to be delivered despite new restrictions, with most appointments to be carried out via video call or over the phone.
