RADIO Saltire presenter, DJ and avid fundraiser Davie Martin has helped donate hundreds of items to local hospitals and healthcare facilities as part of an appeal to help care workers during the coronavirus crisis.

The initiative started after a nurse from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh approached Davie, asking for help.

He posted a request on Facebook, asking if local residents and friends were able to donate any items.

Adam Cook, manager at the Asda store in Tranent, contacted Davie and suggested people could use the store as a drop-off point.

While Adam and the Asda store collected items for the Royal Infirmary, Davie invited people to drop off donations for other local healthcare facilities at his home in Tranent.

These items have been donated to East Lothian Community Hospital and Haddington Care Home.

Davie and Adam were also involved in a collection at the Asda store in Leith for the Western General Hospital.

Davie was overwhelmed with the number of donations he received and also the number of people offering support.

He said: “The number of people needing help with things is such a shame.

“The amount of stuff I got was amazing. The community was great and Asda was great.

“I thought I was finished one day and then when I came back from dropping some things off there were 15 or 16 bags at the door.

“People were offering cash and putting money in envelopes for petrol but I used the money to buy more stuff.”

Davie thanked the community for their kindness and support during the initiative.

He added a thanks to Radio Saltire, which donated toiletries, a gesture he called “very kind”, and Weber Packing Solutions in Macmerry, which also made a donation.

Davie said: “The response from the community was incredible.

“Anyone considering something similar for charity or a group, please make sure you get permission first or contact your local resilience team, who have the contacts and the experience.”

Davie was also collecting disposable car seat covers, hand sanitiser and hand wash for St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh.

Friend and former Tranent resident Dot Baillie, who now lives in Pencaitland, knitted hundreds of small chickens, inserting an Easter egg in each. She gave Davie two bags for the community hospital.

Alongside family, friends, neighbours and Weber Packing Solutions in Macmerry, she raised more than £330.

Davie was able to divide Dot’s funds: £231 to St Columba’s Hospice, £50 to Mike Girdwood’s face shields project and £50 to the Fresh Chicken Dinner Boxes initiative.