Inverness neighbours glam up for weekly Clap for Carers during Covid-10 coronavirus lockdown
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A group of Inverness neighbours have found a reason to get dressed up even if there is nowhere to go.
With pubs and clubs closed nationwide and most people confined to their homes for most of the time, there aren’t many reasons to get dolled up at the moment.
The lockdown has curtailed everyone’s social life but a group of Inverness friends and neighbours are using the Thursday night Clap for Carers as an excuse to get their best togs on – and raise money for the NHS at the same time.
Gail Reid and her next-door neighbour Cat MacLeod came up with the idea after the latter appeared on her doorstep for the weekly round of applause wearing a glamorous flowing dress.
Now the pair, in Woodgrove Place, are encouraging anyone else who is missing dressing up at the weekend to follow their lead every Thursday.
Ms Reid, a beauty therapy lecturer at the University of the Highlands and Islands, said: “My neighbour from across the cul-de-sac came out to clap in a long dress with a glass of gin in hand.
“She said ‘this is my new Saturday night, the only time I get out’. I told her if she’d sent me the memo, I’d have dressed up as well!
“I was thinking about it afterwards and felt we should get all the girls in the cul-de-sac to dress up the following week. Thursday at eight could be the new Saturday at nine.
“Then I remembered how my kids at school used to pay £1 for dress down days. I thought we could all pay a £1 for dress-up night.
“I messaged my friend Cat that night and created a private messaging group with friends to brainstorm the idea.
“The only hitch with the Go Fund Me page is the minimum payment is £5. I honestly don’t know how many people are doing it, but we go out to clap every Thursday all dressed up and then post the pictures on social media.”
Ms Reid hopes others across Inverness and beyond will do the same and maybe chip in to the fundraiser.
She added: “It’s just a bit of fun. We’ve no reason just now to dress up, not that I go out so much now at my age.
“It is nice to go into your wardrobe, look for a nice dress and pair of shoes, do your hair and make up for 10 minutes.
“We’re all pretty close as neighbours in the cul-de-sac and, while we do our social distancing, we all gravitate together with a bit of music. One neighbour has been out with the drum and another has an acoustic guitar.
“We’ve had a few wee sing-songs and we’ve also had my 84-year-old neighbour getting dressed up.
“The wee get-together, even for a short time, has been great for everyone.”
Donate here
Click here for more coronavirus news
