Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Resilience Group

That this House celebrates the work of the Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Resilience Group in responding to difficulties for those shielding and for the most vulnerable resulting from the covid-19 pandemic; commends the Group for their quick response to the covid-19 lockdown measures by setting up a call centre and dispatch system to ensure that those who are shielding or self-isolating received support; notes the achievement of the Group in delivering over 2,300 leaflets so that every household in the community was aware of the available support; praises the Group’s three strategic aims of providing an emergency response for those who are shielding or isolating, offering mental health and well-being support by setting up various outreach projects to keep spirits high alongside creating a recovery for that community by working in partnership with other community groups; further commends the Group for other projects such as the messages of hope box, creating a pen pal system for those who are shielding, a cake and coffee service where those who are shielding can talk to someone in the community, a popular Facebook family bingo group and an environmental project which has involved over 100 children within that community; acknowledges the importance of using outreach prizes and competitions to aid the economic recovery of that community, such as tokens and vouchers for local shops that have been affected by covid-19; and thanks Lesley Speedie, Katrina Buckley, Vicky Grove, Stephanie Aitken, Joanna McGuigan, Allan Miller, Andrew Rooney and the many volunteers who have helped provide fantastic support for the community within Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill.