A MOBILITY service in Clydebank has been helping housebound residents access essential shopping, medication and food during the pandemic.

Clyde Shopmobility has received funding from various organisations, including the Big Lottery Fund, Corra Foundation and Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), to offer a delivery service for food and prescriptions as well as providing free food parcels to people who are unable to get to the shops or are experiencing financial difficulty.

Many of the service’s users have been stuck in isolation after being instructed to stay at home by “shielding” themselves, while others have seen non-essential care cut back.

The Shopmobility scheme’s staff have supported residents of Clydebank, Dumbarton and Helensburgh by delivering goods and also offering a check-in service to support their mental health and wellbeing.

Chivas, a Dumbarton-based whisky company, donated hand sanitiser which staff have been using and distributing to customers they have visited, as well as following the government’s strict PPE guidelines to ensure the safety of their customers.

Read more: West Dunbartonshire's population decline down to lack of job opportunities

Amanda Drennan, project coordinator at Clyde Shopmobility, said: “This service has been a real lifeline for some people, especially those who under the government guidance cannot leave their home.

“We normally run our sighted guide service for individuals with a visual impairment on a daily basis but at the moment due to social distancing this is not in place, so they have benefited greatly from our delivery service.

“We have heard nothing but nice comments from the individuals we are assisting at the moment.

“They cannot thank us enough for the service we provide and say they wouldn’t know what to do without the service.”

Shopmobility’s knitting group has also made the most of their time in lockdown, keeping in contact with one another on Facebook and knitting love hearts for NHS workers and Covid-19 patients.

The shop’s Facebook page is kept up to date with any changes to services, as well as posting about financial support for disabled individuals and also offering fun at-home activities to keep those in lockdown busy.

Anyone who needs help with deliveries of essential items can contact Shopmobility on a dedicated number set up for the delivery service – 07946 185488.