MSP HIGHLIGHTS WORK OF LOCAL GROUPS DURING VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK

Published date : 05 Jun 2020

Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP, Jenny Gilruth, is paying tribute to the work being done by volunteers across Fife in recognition of Volunteers’ Week 2020.

Approximately 2,300 Fife Voluntary Action volunteers are helping to co-ordinate the Kingdom’s community response to Covid-19 through the ‘Helping Hand’ scheme, whilst an additional 760 have signed up to volunteer with ‘Team Fife’.

The volunteer-run Collydean Community Centre’s Covid-19 response has benefited from £60,000 of Scottish Government funding, which has helped to implement several initiatives, including preparing and delivering emergency food parcels; collecting prescriptions and medical supplies; and offering free smartphones and iPads to those with no internet access.

Local initiatives, such as Levenmouth Food Bank, which has distributed approximately 650 meals throughout the area since March, and the People’s Pantry who are operating out of the Centre in Leven, have been relying heavily on volunteers during the pandemic outbreak.

Nationwide, volunteers have signed up to help in record numbers through the Scottish Government’s Scotland Cares initiative – over 53,000 in one month – joining the thousands of people who were already helping in one of Scotland’s many voluntary and community sector groups or informally with neighbours.

Volunteers’ Week takes place from 1 – 7 June every year and is organised by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

Commenting on the voluntary efforts around Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Jenny Gilruth MSP said:

“Volunteers’ Week gives us a chance to celebrate the contributions of volunteers who have made such a huge difference to their local areas.

“As our nation faces up to the biggest challenge of our lifetime, the response from so many people across the Kingdom to step forward and help their communities has shown the strength of our humanity.

“From individuals delivering PPE in their spare time to community councils offering emergency assistance; from food banks working to adapt to the huge influx of new referrals to the Collydean Community Centre making sure no one is left behind; I am indebted to the volunteers who are doing such vital work locally.

“Volunteers will be continue to be critical to our community efforts as we move through and out of this crisis. I am sure I speak for everyone in Mid Fife and Glenrothes when I say thank you to everyone who is giving their time to support our public services and look out for our most vulnerable citizens.”

Rose Duncan, the Centre Manager at Collydean Community Centre, said:

“The volunteers helping out at the Centre have been amazing since lockdown commenced in March.

“Volunteers have assisted with shopping for those who are shielding and self-isolating, picking up prescriptions and medical supplies, preparing and delivering emergency food parcels, befriending and delivering basket treats, fruit baskets, baskets of toiletries, pamper baskets and baskets of home baking.

“Volunteers have also been helping with getting the elderly or vulnerable connected to the internet and I simply could not have been able to provide all these services without my team of volunteers working tirelessly beside myself and Centre staff.”

Levenmouth Food Bank volunteer, Stewart English, added:

“Many of our regular volunteers have been either self-isolating or shielding during this time. We are grateful to all our permanent volunteers and to the temporary volunteers who have stepped in to allow us to continue supplying food to those in crisis.”

ENDS

Notes: https://www.volunteersweek.scot/

Local Reporters