The Scone and District Community Council (SDCC) Helpline was set up in the first week of lockdown. We received over 130 offers of help from within the community, after advertising on Facebook, resulting in two helplines being set up, manned by 25 phone holders, Mon to Sat, one for general enquiries such as shopping, the other for chemist deliveries by PVG registered helpers.

One of the CC donated a phone, and another the Sim costs and the phone is diverted to the appropriate phone holder each morning, thus avoiding contact in days of lock down. We also had a dedicated, manned email address for those not on Social Media. Each Helper was issued with a special ID allowing them to do two shops, when shops were limiting purchases. So far we have delivered over 120 shopping deliveries and helped with other items such as electricity cards etc. We have also delivered over 300 medicines through our dedicated Chemist helpline, the phone holder of this line also often picks up shopping at the same time.

In addition our Mask Making Team have made over 400 reusable masks to protect our helpers, but have also supplied these to all local residential homes in the district who required them. The aim is to make enough to give to all those shielding in Scone and District, as lockdown is relaxed for them. We have also managed to get funds to provide hand sanitiser and gloves to our Helpers, when needed.

Further our two Facebook pages have provided relevant information to the community in this difficult time, such as which local shops will deliver, Covid information from the local NHS Trust, the ‘Give or Take’ box, Helper cards from supermarkets etc (Facebook: SDCC Helpers; and Scone and District Community Council). Our Zoom meetings mean we keep in touch and keep the activities coordinated.

We have been hugely impressed by the Community spirit seen in our Village and district, and sincerely thank all our helpers. We have been rewarded by the gratitude expressed by those we have helped and continue to help. It is a pleasure to live here.

(Update provided by Scone and District Community Council)