Community spirit comes to the fore in the face of coronavirus crisis

The Orkney community has, and will continue to, rally in the face of the biggest public health crisis for a generation.

Social media is awash with offers to help those most at risk of the coronavirus, with individuals and local businesses going above and beyond the call of duty.

Six people who tested positive for COVID-19 have now died in Scotland.

We report in today’s newspaper on the founding of The Orkney CV Mutual Aid Group.

Founded last Saturday by Sarah MacGregor, from Stromness, since its formation, the group has been inundated by offers of help, with around 2,000 people signing up.

Co-ordinators are now organising teams of volunteers in each local area as folk come to the aid of some of Orkney’s most vulnerable members of the community.

Ms MacGregor said: “We are also looking at different ways to identify those in need, by working with other local groups in areas, possibly using postcards that people can fill in to say they are self-isolating and need help — this is, as you can imagine, still a work in progress; it’s very new territory for all of us.”

Hampers, consisting of everday essentials, are also being made up by businesses and individuals, and donated to vulnerable members of commuity, including those in Orkney’s care homes.

Orkney Rugby Football Club says, on their Facebook page, after being “so well supported by our community, it is now our turn to give back.”

The club’s players and committee members have offered a helping hand to those in need or self-isolating.

The club say: “Please do not hesitate to ask, even if you need a prescription collected or the dog walked.”

Orkney businesses have played a huge part in the local response to the pandemic.

Many are providing free home delivery services, while two distilleries have announced that they are to begin developing hand sanitiser.

Deerness Distillery and The Orkney Distillery are switching production from gin to sanitising gel to combat the spread of Covid-19.

At a time of unprecedented anxiety and fears for the future of businesses and jobs, the goodwill and quality of customer service from Orkney’s shops has been a shining light of positivity amid the gloom.

These are just a few examples of Orkney’s immense community spirit coming to the fore; there is no doubt countless more as Orkney fights back in the face of the most arduous and challenging periods in years.