Elderly Bield residents band together to support the local community

Published on January 20, 2021

Retirees from a housing estate in West Lothian have come together to serve members of the local community affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alison Lowe and two Bield customers at Dean Court

Dean Court Bo’ness Retirement Employees and customers have collected groceries, toiletries and personal care products to donate to those who have faced problems during the pandemic.

The initiative in the development, operated by Bield housing and care, has been running since March after one of the customers turned to the staff with an idea on how the Bo’ness community could be supported.

The Old Kirk Church in Bo’ness established itself as an emergency COVID-19 food bank called the Bo’ness Community Pantry with the Bo’ness & Blackness Community Response Team. One of Dean Court’s customers delivered the content donated to Old Kirk every week.

Alison Lowe, Dean Court Development Director, said: “The amount of the donation exceeded our expectations and was breathtaking, which shows how much our small town holds together in difficult times. We wanted to implement the idea as quickly as possible and it has grown from strength to strength since its inception.

“It was a difficult month for many. So if we can help as development – even to a small extent – it could make the life of someone around the corner a little easier.

“The collection for Old Kirk was an important way to empower Dean Court staff to come together and, as a result, to do something positive for the community to benefit from.

“It is important to come together as a community during these troubled times, and we are doing everything we can to make Dean Court a happy and safe place for many during a stressful time.”