Two north-east charities have thanked frontline workers for going “above and beyond” as they donate part of their Covid bonus to support individuals experiencing hardship.
The Scottish Government awarded a one-off bonus to Scotland’s lifesavers and caregivers for their hard work on the frontline throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Stephen Roberts NHS care worker at at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Intensive Care Unit has now launched a charity fundraising campaign to help support individuals badly hit by the pandemic.
He reached out to fellow colleagues to rally their support, encouraging them to donate part of their bonus to service providers Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE) and AberNecessities.
Mr Roberts is now aiming to raise £2000 to help share some “cash and good wishes.”
He said: “We feel grateful to have the means to support ourselves and wanted to share with others not in this position.
“We’re lucky to be able to go out to work, to see people and to be useful. We’ve been shown a lot of support and gratitude from the public and we greatly appreciate it.”
Lending a helping hand
CFINE supports people facing challenges with emergency food parcels, benefits and budgeting advice, food growing packs and employability skills training.
During the course of the pandemic, demand for their support grew three-fold.
Lisa Duthie, Chief Executive of CFINE thanked the region’s frontline workers for helping them continue providing support to those in need.
He said: “This fantastic gesture from our local frontline workers is truly exceptional, and we cannot thank you enough for keeping us safe and helping us offer a hand to people who were hit the hardest by the pandemic.
“Your donations will help us continue delivering emergency food aid to many individuals and families experiencing food insecurity and maintain our broad range of holistic support services.”
Providing necessities to north-east families
Fellow charity AberNecessities provides disadvantaged families with the essential and basic necessities to ensure that no child goes without.
Since launching in March 2019 the charity have helped over 4,000 children and families across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
From maternity bundles for mother and baby to equipment for children aged 0-18 years, AberNecessities recognises the importance of meeting the basic needs of a child in order to give them the best start possible.
Danielle Flecher-Horn, founder of AberNecessities aded: “We can’t thank these lifesavers and caregivers enough. This bonus is the very least our key workers in the NHS deserve and for them to donate part of this goes above and beyond.
“We would like to take this opportunity to not only recognise but to sincerely thank the truly remarkable NHS staff and volunteers across the north-east for their amazing work and kindness, for which we are eternally grateful.”
