Weekly meeting
Tue, Apr 28th 2020 at 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Virtual meeting on the internet
Largest turnout (75%) to date from the club on this medium. Participating were:
Cathy Adamson
Don Allan
John Bonington
Sandy Davis
Libby Elliot
John Ewan (no camera: observing only)
Roddy Greig
Andre Hawryliw
David Jack
Andrew Kennedy
John Kerr
Willie Lang
Paul Northway
Duncan Pickard
James Storrar
Feedback from local care homes indicates that many are struggling with Coronavirus cases, both confirmed and suspected. These care homes have not fitted easily under the NHS umbrella, and whilst most have disposable aprons, PPE masks and gowns are in short supply. Present experience may reverse previous privatisation trends and result in more council/state control over the care sector. Meanwhile there is a significant need for PPE in care homes.
It was confirmed that the NHS cannot use donated money for primary care (following earlier scandals with money being repurposed). However they can use donations in kind, like PPE equipment and apparatus. Generally the NHS in Fife seems to be coping much better with Coronavirus than the reported performance in England, but this does not mean there are not areas of need.
Checking with Stag Laser Craft, it was confirmed that they had today delivered 800 face shields to NHS Fife, and a further 80 into care homes. Generally Scotland seems to be coping better than England supplying PPE to points of need, and Fife seems to be doing better than most parts of Scotland. The Scottish government is encouraging local supply (a parallel venture with a ladies dress company tooling up for the manufacture of PPE gowns was described).
After this long discussion it was unanimously agreed to immediately donate £500 to Stag Laser Craft to purchase materials for the manufacture of face masks (they are manufactured and delivered free of charge). It was requested that these be delivered with a preference for hospitals and care homes in the central, east and north Fife (i.e. the area covered by our Rotary club).
Discussion then moved to other organisations in need, with particular emphasis to utilising District funds no longer required at District level. This is the result of social isolation policy, lockdown, and other legislation described in our District’s new “Lockdown News”, circulated to all members.
It was noted that our club has to date collected £155 in lieu of dinners not taken by members in response to social isolation legislation.
All local charities are struggling, especially smaller ones that find it harder to access government support. The Sunshine Café was described as a particular example, having basically ground to a halt. Various other organisations were discussed, and whilst we have had a close relationship with the Deer Farm, their affiliation with the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, its tax exile status, and the despicable way it has treated its employees, made it an impossible candidate for support. In normal circumstances, churches would be a good source for identifying need, but social isolation means that they are not functioning normally.
Eventually the following organisations were considered as being potential recipients:
1) Cupar Foodbank, but money for fuel cards rather than food stuffs (as these are being donated on short dates by various local supermarkets).
2) Fife Animal Park for their animal feed (a small quality zoo being built up by new owners and clearly impacted by the prohibitions on paying visitors).
3) Samaritans in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Dundee (as people come under pressure from a combination of lockdown and financial stress).
4) Fife Women’s Aid (a very inspiring local organisation, and again as families come under lockdown and financial pressures).
This is not an exhaustive list but a good start. It was agreed that we should make all efforts to obtain all monies available from District, and then decide to allocate it on the basis of need.
That discussion and an exchange of pleasantries and personal news concluded this “virtual Rotary meeting”.
Please submit any other topics for discussion at next week’s virtual meeting which is scheduled for the same time (7pm) next Tuesday, 5th May. The Zoom log in details were sent by email.
Cathy Adamson
Don Allan
John Bonington
Sandy Davis
Libby Elliot
John Ewan (no camera: observing only)
Roddy Greig
Andre Hawryliw
David Jack
Andrew Kennedy
John Kerr
Willie Lang
Paul Northway
Duncan Pickard
James Storrar
Feedback from local care homes indicates that many are struggling with Coronavirus cases, both confirmed and suspected. These care homes have not fitted easily under the NHS umbrella, and whilst most have disposable aprons, PPE masks and gowns are in short supply. Present experience may reverse previous privatisation trends and result in more council/state control over the care sector. Meanwhile there is a significant need for PPE in care homes.
It was confirmed that the NHS cannot use donated money for primary care (following earlier scandals with money being repurposed). However they can use donations in kind, like PPE equipment and apparatus. Generally the NHS in Fife seems to be coping much better with Coronavirus than the reported performance in England, but this does not mean there are not areas of need.
Checking with Stag Laser Craft, it was confirmed that they had today delivered 800 face shields to NHS Fife, and a further 80 into care homes. Generally Scotland seems to be coping better than England supplying PPE to points of need, and Fife seems to be doing better than most parts of Scotland. The Scottish government is encouraging local supply (a parallel venture with a ladies dress company tooling up for the manufacture of PPE gowns was described).
After this long discussion it was unanimously agreed to immediately donate £500 to Stag Laser Craft to purchase materials for the manufacture of face masks (they are manufactured and delivered free of charge). It was requested that these be delivered with a preference for hospitals and care homes in the central, east and north Fife (i.e. the area covered by our Rotary club).
Discussion then moved to other organisations in need, with particular emphasis to utilising District funds no longer required at District level. This is the result of social isolation policy, lockdown, and other legislation described in our District’s new “Lockdown News”, circulated to all members.
It was noted that our club has to date collected £155 in lieu of dinners not taken by members in response to social isolation legislation.
All local charities are struggling, especially smaller ones that find it harder to access government support. The Sunshine Café was described as a particular example, having basically ground to a halt. Various other organisations were discussed, and whilst we have had a close relationship with the Deer Farm, their affiliation with the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, its tax exile status, and the despicable way it has treated its employees, made it an impossible candidate for support. In normal circumstances, churches would be a good source for identifying need, but social isolation means that they are not functioning normally.
Eventually the following organisations were considered as being potential recipients:
1) Cupar Foodbank, but money for fuel cards rather than food stuffs (as these are being donated on short dates by various local supermarkets).
2) Fife Animal Park for their animal feed (a small quality zoo being built up by new owners and clearly impacted by the prohibitions on paying visitors).
3) Samaritans in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Dundee (as people come under pressure from a combination of lockdown and financial stress).
4) Fife Women’s Aid (a very inspiring local organisation, and again as families come under lockdown and financial pressures).
This is not an exhaustive list but a good start. It was agreed that we should make all efforts to obtain all monies available from District, and then decide to allocate it on the basis of need.
That discussion and an exchange of pleasantries and personal news concluded this “virtual Rotary meeting”.
Please submit any other topics for discussion at next week’s virtual meeting which is scheduled for the same time (7pm) next Tuesday, 5th May. The Zoom log in details were sent by email.
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