Acts of Kindness Inverness and Highlands offers support during coronavirus crisis
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A GROUP set up to help others in the wake of the coronavirus crisis has seen thousands of people offer their support.
The group – Acts of Kindness Inverness and Highlands – hopes to connect people in need with others who can offer support.
The Facebook group was established in response to reports of panic buying at shops leading to shortages of items such as toilet roll, baby milk and paracetamol.
Shelley and Dominic Gill, from Inverness, set up the page themselves to offer to deliver items to people’s homes after realising they had enough to share with others.
But they received such an overwhelming response from people keen to get involved that they moved to set up a more formal group. Within eight hours almost 3000 people had joined.
“The aim of the page is to point those in need in the direction of supplies and to help spread word to those who may be less fortunate,” Mr Gill said. “Some people are simply not able to compete for supplies at the shops because they cannot afford them as they are on benefits, have a low income, or cannot get there because they are elderly or disabled. Those are the people that we want to help.
“We want to also help those people who may not have access to social media. We, in short, want to connect people.”
The page has also given other groups the chance to promote their own services.
These include Morning Call which regularly contacts older people across Inverness-shire who are feeling lonely or isolated.
The group’s Nadine Morrison said: “In the current climate people might be feeling even more isolated than normal and we can help. People can call us on 07514 494053.”
City restaurant Little Italy, on Stephens Brae, is also offering to deliver meals to the elderly for free.
Owner Chaz Bevita said: “Let’s try to look after each other.”
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