Coronavirus: RCH Group volunteers to help vulnerable and elderly

Staff lend a much needed helping hand

Robert Doolan

3 April 2020

Volunteers from across the RCH Group have been out on the frontline helping society’s most vulnerable this week as the number of confirmed Coronavirus cases continue to rise.

Staff from across the organisation have been working closely with Inverclyde Council to deliver essential food and medical supplies to those who are self-isolating.

Yesterday the volunteers delivered meals to over 25 customers, with more due to be delivered today.

To ensure that our clients and volunteers are kept safe, staff have been following social distancing guidelines and the deliveries have remained contact free.

The combined effort from groups across Inverclyde has been widely received by grateful community members who were quick to share their praise for the services being provided.

One person wrote: ‘It’s been invaluable’. Another said: 'It’s amazing how a crisis can bring out the best in people. Thank you,' said another.

Robert Doolan, a grounds operative from Home Fix Scotland, has been one of the volunteers on the frontline, donating his time in between work. He said: “I think it’s always important to support one and other and to give something back to our community.]

We’ve never been faced with a situation like this and I think it’s important that we pull together to help those in our community.

I’d already been helping people on my street so thought I should extend my help and offer it where I can to those who need it.”

Stevie McLachlan, Head of Customer Services at River Clyde Homes said: “Since being approached by Inverclyde Health & Social Care Partnership to help deliver meals to some of our most vulnerable customers, I have been overwhelmed by the response from staff across the group.

Each day, four trade operatives have been liaising closely with the wardens in our sheltered housing complexes to deliver hot meals contact free and we would expect this service to grow as the situation worsens.

These are difficult times and so it’s brilliant to see staff from across the group go above and beyond to support each other.”

For those wanting to volunteer to support communities across Inverclyde can do so by visiting www.volunteerinverclyde.com.