People across West Dunbartonshire are being offered vital help during the coronavirus pandemic by an innovative digital community project.

Volunteers and staff at the Bellsmyre project have been reaching out to its members with the aim of reducing isolation and loneliness amid the UK's measures to combat the virus.

In a wide-ranging programme of assistance, the charity is offering vital support to people needing emergency supplies of food, toiletries and medications.

Its IT technicians will offer free troubleshooting services for PCs, laptops, tablets and phones.

And in a bid to keep spirits high, the project is updating its Facebook page every day with a range of entertainment, including exercise and dance clips, reading and music.

Kathleen Smith, Bellsmyre Digital Community's project manager, told the Reporter they had been contacting members since the start of last week.

She added: "We will continue to do this over the coming weeks and months on a regular basis to reduce isolation and loneliness, especially during this time, when many of our more vulnerable members will be confined to their home."

One key aspect of the initiative will be to refer people in need of emergency supplies to the appropriate organisation and contacts.

Kathleen said: "We would like to reach out to any organisations, groups or local businesses who are able to deliver food, toiletries, meds etc.

"It is particularly important in these challenging times to keep households and individuals digitally connected.

"Our IT technician will offer basic troubleshooting services for PCs, laptops, tablets, phones at no cost."

Kathleen said the Bellsmyre Digital Community Facebook page would host entertainments for the whole community of West Dunbartonshire.

She added: "We’re posting ideas and asking the community to join in and let us know how they’re keeping occupied at home.

"We can share ideas, laugh and stay connected with each other."

The page will be updated daily with fun and entertaining exercise and dance clips for all ages and families, and Kathleen is inviting everyone to try some of it out and post comments.

She added: "This will provide a digital forum for sharing a multitude of interests, for example actual reading and online reading, music, astronomy, knitting and handicraft projects, poetry,TV, films, Netflix, Amazon prime, games, and quizzes.

The project, which has been operating out of the recently refurbished PC suite in the Concord Centre has suspended its calendar of events for the foreseeable future, with staff working from home as and when is most practicable.