AN ARMY of some 70 volunteers are doing everything they can to get help to people who need it across the Musselburgh area as the coronavirus lockdown continues.

The emergency efforts are being co-ordinated by Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council and Musselburgh Area Partnership as they do what they can to support the communities of Musselburgh, Wallyford, Whitecraig and Old Craighall, which have a combined population of about 24,000.

They are working from the Resilient Musselburgh Hub, which is based at Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School.

Iain Clark, area partnership chairman, said: “The support to Resilient Musselburgh from community volunteers has been fantastic and has allowed us to deliver much-needed support to those who need it most.

“Our volunteers have been deployed every day and are providing a much-needed and crucial service.

“We now have 71 amazing volunteers registered and they have been deployed on a daily basis to assist in delivering lunches to the vulnerable, emergency food supplies, prescriptions and leafleting targeted areas of the community.

“Volunteers are contacted as available and attend at the hub, where their delivery is brought out to them."

“They have also been attending various chemists to uplift and deliver prescriptions.

“They must be on the Resilient Musselburgh register to be deployed as this provides public liability insurance cover.

“We have funded the emergency food provision through the purchase of supplies which have been made into emergency packs which include food and items for personal hygiene. We also maintain a stock of sanitary products and hearing aid batteries.

“During the weekend period, when the hub is not open, a quantity of emergency food provision is relocated to allow provision over the weekend if urgently required.”

The team has delivered 155 five-day lunch packs to families in the community, and volunteers in Whitecraig have also distributed 88 meals, supplied by local restaurant the Mercat Grill.

Mr Clark said: “Musselburgh Area Partnership has been allocated £25,000 by East Lothian Council from the Scottish Government’s Food Fund.

“We are working with Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council to focus these new funds to provide the most positive impact we can to those who need our support. We are also supporting Wallyford and Whitecraig Community Councils as we look towards a co-ordinated effort during these very difficult times for many.”

Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council has allocated £2,000 and a further £500 has been donated by Wallyford Community Council to help fund the initiative.

Mr Clark said: “We are currently managing all the calls that come via our dedicated number, co-ordinating the registration and deployment of all volunteers and maintaining an action database of all requirements to ensure a log of what needs done and when it has been completed.

“In addition, we are dealing with all the elements of the referral forms from the East Lothian Council Contact Centre that require action from Resilient Musselburgh. Given the current social distancing requirements, the co-ordination is being undertaken remotely via shared online access.

“We are still looking to build on our pool of volunteers to ensure sustainability, so if you know of anyone who would be interested in supporting us then they can register using the following link and scrolling down to Resilient Musselburgh Covid-19: eastlothian.gov.uk/musselburghap”

Alister Hadden, chair of Wallyford Community Council, and Shona Bennett, chair of Whitecraig Community Council, highlighted the team’s “amazing volunteers”, saying they had nothing but “admiration and praise” for them.

The hub has priority access to Tesco Musselburgh to buy emergency food supplies when necessary.

Tesco has donated £130 in vouchers and provides a free weekly supply of fresh fruit to support lunch provision for vulnerable people.

Resilient Musselburgh has been nominated by the Pinkie Farm Shop for a £500 grant from its charity MADL (Making A Difference Locally).

For help contact the Community Resilience phone line: 07871 729037.