PICTURES: Success of We Are Evanton group a silver lining in coronavirus Covid-19 cloud
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A COMMUNITY group set up in response to the Covid-19 threat looks set to become a lasting legacy of a year most would rather forget.
We Are Evanton sprouted in response to the national lockdown back in March as locals realised some within the Easter Ross community could quickly become isolated and other vulnerable folk would need help.
A leaflet drop with phone numbers of folk willing to help out produced an immediate response with appeals for assistance doing everything from getting in the shopping to picking up prescriptions – invaluable to those shielding because of pre-existing health conditions.
The group also recognised the inpact of months of learning from home for schoolchildren as schools shut down. Some of them struggled with the enormous change of routine and the absence of opportunity to socialise with their own peer group. Stationery and art packs were handed out to all Kiltearn nursery and primary children in the summer as a lockdown boost.
This week, the group gave out Christmas gift parcels to every child in Evanton, from baby to school age teenagers – 311 in all. They also delivered a selection of gifts to some of the older folk in Evanton as a community gesture and to boost morale.
Group organiser Annelie Graham said: "It was a lovely surprise and there were a few tears!"
She paid warm tribute to volunteers Tracy Bauer, Suzanne Donaldson, Susan Crookes, Liz Waugh and Sarah McNair.
The group, which has 303 members, gained a grant of £900 from Kiltearn Community Council, £500 from the Highland Council Resilience Covid-19 scheme and £7000 from the Supporting Communities Fund to be spent towards helping those in the community during this difficult time.
During lockdown, the funds that were secured were used to provide regular weekly free food parcels and other essentials to those in desperate need.
Ms Graham said: "The group has been so successful and the local people of Evanton have been so eager to help in any way hey can, that the group will probably continue and be a way of bringing together the community not just during times of crisis but in happier times too."
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