Pink Saltire and Perth and Kinross Council teamed up during months of lockdown to help provide essentials for members of the LGBT+ community in the region.

Figures announced today show that 187 individuals or families were supported between December 2020 and March 2021 with just over £17,000 of funding for the charity.

By working together, the charity provided food vouchers, mobile top-ups, laptop devices and care packs to people who were struggling with the impacts of lockdown.

Councillor Peter Barret, Perth & Kinross Council’s equalities lead, said:

“The Coronavirus pandemic affected everyone in the UK and is still having an impact, which is why it is important for everyone to get vaccinated.”

“We want all our residents to be safe and secure and were delighted to support Pink Saltire’s work, particularly as disadvantaged groups, including the LGBT+ community, can often face barriers accessing the help they may need.”

In response to the isolation and loneliness faced by people across the country during lockdown, Pink Saltire mobilised a significant local response for LGBT+ people and allies in Perthshire, conducting 293 welfare calls in the region, as well as coordinating Covid relief in Fife, Glasgow and Aberdeen too. In total, the charity helped more than 750 individuals or families between March 2020 and March 2021.

Stuart Duffy, Founder of the LGBT+ charity, said:

“The impact from Covid has been felt throughout every community in Scotland and LGBT+ people were, ofcourse, not immune to the effects of this global pandemic.”

“This funding provided support for almost 200 people in the Perth & Kinross region, who provided some really valuable feedback on their experience with our service. We believe this is an example of how Councils can work together with grassroots organisations to meet the needs of local people when they are really needed.”

“We are extremely grateful to Perth & Kinross Council for listening to LGBT+ people and supporting the relief effort – the comments from grateful clients really demonstrate the critical nature of the help which was offered and we’re proud to have played a small part in this national effort to help those most in need.”

“I also want to pay tribute to our temporary staff team and volunteers who supported this programme. Their dedication and commitment to supporting people in really difficult circumstances is one of our proudest achievements and I’m so thankful for everything they contributed during a time when all of us faced many dark days as the pandemic developed.”

In total, 102 mobile phone top-ups were issued to keep people connected, as well as 13 laptops and 235 supermarket vouchers over the 14 week period to 31st March 2021. The charity also conducted research with nearly 1,000 LGBT+ people in Scotland under it’s ‘Rainbow Responders’ programme, with the report available to read here.