TEAMS of volunteers are in place across East Lothian doing everything they can to help vulnerable members of their communities.
From collecting shopping and vital prescriptions to dog walking and simply being there for people, the volunteers are there for residents throughout the coronavirus crisis.
Here, we look at five of the groups who are giving up their own time to help out.
Musselburgh
ACTIVITY packs are to be delivered to families as part of Resilient Musselburgh’s work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Iain Clark, chairman of Musselburgh Area Partnership, said: “Whilst food is an important element of supporting the community during this crisis, we have been looking at alternative activities to support children.”
He said staff from East Lothian Council’s Connected Communities, who are working with the Resilient Musselburgh team, have been putting together activity packs to provide alternative learning and fun in the home.
They include books, audio books and large print books. Mr Clark added that Resilient Musselburgh, from its base at the Musselburgh East Community Learning Centre on Haddington Road, was continuing to support the communities of Musselburgh, Wallyford, Whitecraig and Old Craighall during the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: “Supporting the community via the provision of food through a referral and targeted basis has seen the provision of 1,044 soup and sandwich deliveries, 877 meals, 120 emergency food packs and the distribution of 32 prescriptions.”
They have also provided 2,230 lunches for pre-school children.
Contact details
The Resilient Musselburgh initiative, led by the area partnership and Musselburgh & Inveresk Community Council, has a dedicated phone number on 07871 729037.
About 100 volunteers are currently helping to deliver food and other goods to vulnerable people in the area.
Cockenzie and Port Seton
THE resilience team in Cockenzie and Port Seton are continuing to help residents in need during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The effort is being led by the local community council.
Those who require assistance can call the emergency number on 07783 643105.
On Tuesday, the group received food donations from two GulfMark cruise ships to the FareShare hub, which operates out of the Port Seton Centre and has been running for about three weeks.
The donations included items such as chips, meat and vegetables.
They were sent out via property maintenance colleagues to the Fresh Chicken Dinner Boxes initiative and the Prestoungrange Gothenberg pub, as well as to volunteers in Musselburgh’s resilience group.
The food distribution effort from the Port Seton Centre is still going strong and continues to produce about 1,000 food parcels each week.
Volunteers have also been donated visors by Preston Lodge High School.
A pantry at the Port Seton Centre is open 2pm-3pm Monday-Friday for those needing support with food, toiletries or pet food.
Those who wish to attend are asked to social distance and wait for a member of staff to assist them.
Delivery enquiries can also be made by calling 01875 818181.
For VE Day last Friday, afternoon tea boxes consisting of cakes, sandwiches and tea were sent out to residents in the area.
Some volunteers are making blankets for premature babies in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Those who would like to donate wool can contact Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council.
Contact details
Anyone who needs assistance can call the resilience emergency number on 07783 643105.
Prestonpans
SPIRITS were lifted in Prestonpans last Friday as residents found ways to mark the VE Day 75th anniversary with flags and bunting in their gardens.
Community council chairperson Brian Weddell said local people and the resilience volunteers, who are working hard to keep the community’s vulnerable members safe, all commented on how the decorations had “lifted their spirits during this trying time.”
Lots of positive work continues, with the Prestonpans resilience volunteers delivering essential food supplies and meals, walking dogs for those people shielding and responding to the many calls to the resilience hotline.
Community councillors were also contacted by East Lothian Council last week, informing them that a Covid-19 testing facility is to be set up at the former power station on Preston Links.
Brian welcomed the initiative but stressed that, in the first instance, the facility is to provide tests for key workers who are self-isolating due to their, or household members, displaying virus symptoms, and all key workers and their family members would be eligible for testing.
Key workers who are, or have a family member who is, symptomatic can sign up via the website self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk.
The Pennypit Trust continue to provide vital shopping and daily meals to local people and last week delivered nearly 800 meals over the four days from Monday to Thursday.
The Pantry is indebted to the many local people, businesses and convenience stores that make regular food donations and, if anyone would like to donate non-perishables, tins, toiletries, etc, they should call 01875 815221 or email lornabellany@gmail.com
Prestonpans Community Council has also established a hardship fund for people finding it difficult the longer the lockdown continues, and anyone needing support should call the resilience hotline on 07517 715085 or email prestonpansresilience@gmail.com
Contact details
If anyone needs help, they should telephone 07517 715085 or email prestonpansresilience@gmail.com
Tranent and Elphinstone
THE resilience effort in Tranent and Elphinstone has received a huge donation of food from the Fred. Olsen cruise ships that are sitting in the Firth of Forth.
The items will help the local meal provision and food deliveries currently being provided to those in need.
Local community council member Mike Falconer, who is overseeing the resilience effort, said he was “very chuffed” at the donation.
Meanwhile it is business as usual and the resilience team have still been very busy answering calls and dealing with queries as they come in.
Mike said the type of requests are now “repeat business”, such as picking up prescriptions.
He said: “It is unusual at this stage for anyone new to come onto the books.
“However, we have had about two people in the last week to 10 days get in touch for the first time.”
Mike said he is starting to think about how efforts will continue once lockdown restrictions start to be relaxed.
He said: “I’m trying to get a better handle on how many volunteers are available and if any have seen their circumstances change.
“I will be contacting people who have registered to get clarity on that.
“We’ve got to think about how we can sustain and maintain this for as long as possible until it is no longer needed.”
The resilience team also helps Fundamental Foods and the Pennypit Trust with meal deliveries, as well as the school hub and its meal and lunch deliveries.
Both efforts have so far been completed in separate locations but will be combined and now operate out of St Martin’s Church, so volunteers will now work from one location rather than two.
Mike added: “I’ve always said that if you are not being called on to volunteer, then be a good neighbour.
“This crisis has given us all the opportunity to connect and reconnect with our community.”
Contact details
Those who need assistance can call 07483 453878 or email tranentemergencyresponse@gmail.com
Humbie, East and West Saltoun, and Bolton
AN IMPRESSIVE response time is helping people in need in several rural county villages. Contacts have been established in Humbie, East and West Saltoun, and Bolton to help vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic.
Buffy Neilson, the point of contact in East Saltoun, was delighted with the response from village residents.
She said it was already quite a close community, with neighbours offering assistance.
She added: “We have 20 volunteers who help us, whereby somebody phones up and says they need something from the chemist or some shopping done.
“What happens is we put it out to our WhatsApp group and somebody will then come and say ‘no bother’.
“We have a fantastic success rate and we have a response rate of three-and-ahalf minutes.
“From somebody phoning to somebody saying they can help is three-and-a-half minutes.
“It is absolutely incredible and everybody is just helping everybody else and bringing the village closer together than it already was.”
The village’s shop is also offering a delivery service to vulnerable people in the village.
Contact details
People in Bolton should contact Shena Jamieson on 01620 810239 or by email at shenajamieson@aol.com.
East Saltoun residents can contact Buffy Neilson on 07798 738372 or buffyneilson@yahoo.co.uk.
In West Saltoun, Derek Smith is the point of contact on 01875 340722 or by emailing coruisk27@gmail.com.
In Humbie, people are encouraged to call Margo Hodge on 01875 833638 or email humbiehelp20@gmail.com
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