CARE home residents and vulnerable members of the community were given a helping hand to stay in touch with loved ones over the festive period.

Haddington and District Community Council stepped in to buy more than a dozen tablet computers after concerns about people feeling isolated over Christmas.

Ahead of Christmas, six tablets were handed over to Our Community Kitchen, with a further four delivered to Haddington Care Home and two to Hilton Lodge Nursing Home, on the town’s Court Street.

Pat Lemmon, vice-chairwoman of the town’s community council, stressed the importance of making sure people could keep in touch with one another during a challenging festive period.

She said: “When it was announced that people could no longer visit people in hospital and when care homes started to close down again to visitors, we realised that sometimes a friendly face is just as important as being able to talk to someone on the phone.”

More than £2,000 was given to the community council by Haddington and Lammermuir Area Partnership, which allowed the purchase of 12 Samsung tablets.

Since then, further donations to the community council have allowed members to go out and buy another five of the electronic devices.

Mrs Lemmon stressed that the tablets were not simply a short-term fix over the festive period.

She told the Courier: “They have them for as long as they need one. It is not just for Christmas and New Year.

“If this is going on for months then people get the chance to see and speak to loved ones.

“When we used all the area partnership funding, we had some cash left from other donations and decided that we would purchase another five tablets and have them on stand by.

“We are so glad we did given the announcement [of tighter restrictions].”

All anyone looking to borrow a tablet needs is an internet connection via WiFi.

Mrs Lemmon was pleased to say the care homes and Our Community Kitchen, which is based in Haddington Bowling Club and was set up to try to tackle social isolation by getting people around the dinner table, were delighted with the generous gesture.

Councillor Tom Trotter, who represents the Haddington and Lammermuir ward and is a former member of the town’s community council, praised the scheme.

He said: “I think it is a fantastic idea and all credit to the community council for coming up with the idea.

“It is very worthwhile and fair play to them.”

To find out more, visit haddingtoncc.org.uk/contact_us