Staffin Helpers

We wanted to remind you that the kindness container is open and well stocked with a variety of tinned foods, pasta, cereals and other goodies. There is also a sack of potatoes and some household products that we hope will be useful.

Just a wee update to say that the container will be open throughout the festivities - we’ve had some amazing donations and there’s plenty to share. Don’t be stuck, or go short. There’s staples and treats galore. Be kind to yourself and we hope that everyone has a peaceful Christmas. 🎄

📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺
Our outstanding, hardworking and all round fabulous Fiona Cruickshank took part in a Gaelic TV programme a few weeks back talking about Staffin Helpers and the work that has taken place to support the community of Staffin.
Give it a watch. 📺📺📺📺📺
Its called Eorpa and its on BBC Alba tomorrow (Tuesday 30th March) at 9pm.

It's a whole year since the formation of Staffin Helpers today.😍 We continue to strive to help Trotternish Peninsula communities. Huge, huge thanks to our band of amazing volunteer helpers. We are forever grateful for your time and dedication. Thank you to all our funders and local businesses for helping us out with meals,organisation and General help. A massive shout out to Fi Cruickshank, Mairi MacDonald and Sophie Issacson.❤️

This morning was spent spreading some surprise Christmas cheer around our wee Community! Over 100, 3 course Christmas dinners are out for delivery along with cards, newsletters, mince pies, crackers and gifts for everyone! Thanks to all those who have helped to make this happen, from the soup makers to the meal makers, the packers to the deliverers! You are all legends!
Many many thank you’s, we really couldn’t have pulled of this feat without you all!
We hope that this surprise wee community delivery has made folk smile today, it’s been a difficult year so really ho ho ho-ping 😉that we’ve made a few folks Christmas 🎄

Don’t forget the container IS open over the festivities - only closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day - but we are only a message away if you do need help, even on these 2 days!

The Apothecary’s Garden
Hand made soaps
Find them on Facebook or pop them an email
[email protected]

This Christmas, if you can, please support our local makers and sellers ❤️ I’ll be posting a few places over the coming days but if anyone else wants to post or comment with other local small businesses please do ❤️
SKYELIGHT CANDLES
www.skyelight.co.uk
📧 [email protected]

ONLINE ORDERS WELCOME BUT YOU CAN ALSO GET IN TOUCH IN ADVANCE OF PAYING A VISIT - Usual Covid rules apply 😉

The kindness container is closed today due to the weather conditions. All being well it should reopen tomorrow.

A huge, massive thank you to Fi Cruickshank, our wonderful co-ordinator for organising the first Staffin Drive thru movie night.
The weather played ball and the screen stayed put which was a small miracle.
All donations were given to Staffin Helpers to provide some Christmas cheer via meal deliveries etc.
Fi you're such a star and Staffin is so lucky to have you and your family living here and providing such huge community support. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

As a local community run organisation we are acutely aware that many people and families are going to be going through some tough times in the next few months.
With furlough ending and the tourist season also starting to quieten down some families will start to find finances stretched or extremely limited. If you, someone in your family, a neighbour or friend is struggling please, please don't suffer in silence. STAFFIN HELPERS IS HERE TO HELP AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
If you are struggling to feed yourself or your family then please use our Trotternish kindness container located behind the Staffin Community shop, in there you will find a plentiful supply of tinned and boxed food items along with some fresh and frozen produce. We also provide bathroom, kitchen and baby items where possible. It is there to be taken and used as a facility for anyone that needs it. It is open everyday between 8am and 7pm.
If you are struggling to pay for fuel to heat your home we may also be able to help,please email [email protected] with some contact details and we will try and help wherever we can. Please also look at previous posts on this page to find info about help available from Highland council and other sources.
We also have information on this page about the numbers to call if you are struggling to cope with your situation and feel that talking to someone may help.

Please use our services, they are here to help, we don't want anyone suffering as a consequence of the ongoing pandemic or the loss of income due to the end of furlough.

Many thanks

Please find the attached information regarding Highland Council available support plus other info about help available as the covid 19 pandemic continues.

Coronavirus Information on the current Covid 19 (coronavirus) 2020 outbreak

The Staffin Container will be shutting at 9pm Saturday night. It will be reopening at 10am on Thursday morning in its new location at the hall.

Please note the changes to prescription deliveries.

Please note - changes to our prescription delivery service from next week

Daily actions to help you be more resilient in challenging times ❤️

Daily actions to help you be more resilient in challenging times

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER!
Atlas Arts have popped some resources into the kindness container for kids - have a read and if your kids fancy giving this a bash please help yourself to the materials - they’ll be replenished as and when we run low. Looking forward to seeing the creations ❤️

This is the reason why the North End of Skye needs to ensure it has available food supplies to help our most vunerable families but also the families that find themselves financially vunerable overnight through no fault of their own. If you need food or assistance with heating oil, electricity or other household bills we may well be able to help. Please don't hesitate to contact us via our email [email protected].

Food poverty crisis: “huge spike” in Skye and Lochalsh foodbank need amid Covid-19 impact Davina McCluskie, who chairs the Community Foodbank Skye and Lochalsh, said there has been a “huge spike” in self-referrals across the last three months. Images by Adam Gordon. The dema…

Our wonderful Soph C Isaacson has been nominated and has won the award for Community Hero for her efforts in helping our community. As an organisation we would like to say a huge thank you to Sophie for her ongoing massive efforts in supporting and maintaining the work that Staffin Helpers does in Staffin. Congratulations Sophie, this is so thoroughly deserved. We are so happy that you are part of Staffin Helpers and forever in your debt for all your hard work and dedication. 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

📷 Life through a Lens Competition Winner | Sophie Isaacson and her son Teddy!

🌟 Category: Community Hero

🥇 Winner: Jo Ford

We asked Jo to tell us about the image and why she selected it.

"Sophie is one of the main driving forces behind community response initiatives in Skye. She has set up initiatives in the township she lives, on her island and across the Highlands.

She set up the Staffin Helpers service for local food deliveries and support. She is the operational force behind Skye Community Response Helpline and has shared her work with groups across the area and Scotland. She set up the Highland wide online access service to sanitary products for girls, which she runs from her house with her son helping to pack the parcels. She also brings together groups on a regular basis to discuss response initiatives. This photo shows the love and fun between her and Teddy in Covid-19 lockdown and behind the image is an amazing community hero!"

The Urgent Care Centre in Portree Hospital is re-opening on Monday the 22nd June. Details below 👇

Boxes of food from Brakes waiting to be unpacked to load up the freezers & fridge with meals, ready for delivering to Staffin Community on a Tuesday and Kilmuir on a Saturday 💝💝

Thursday is delivery day from Brakes of our Community meals, here we are loading up the car at the Staffin Hub!

New booking system for Portree Household Waste Recycling Centre



The Highland Council is pleased to announce that the Portree Household Waste Recycling Centre will re-open on Monday 15th June 2020 with a new online booking system.

Householders wishing to deposit waste at the site are advised that they will need to pre-book a time slot on the Council’s website www.highland.gov.uk/PortreeRecycling and receive confirmation before travelling to the site. Portree HWRC is the old site on the island. By introducing the booking system people travelling considerable distances across Skye to visit can do so with the reassurance that their journey will not be in vain.

The Portree site is open for essential waste disposal only, and householders are advised that journeys to a HWRC must only be undertaken if their waste cannot be stored at home safely. By this we mean the waste cannot be stored without causing risk of injury, or harm to health.

Only cars will be permitted access to the site and the material accepted will be restricted to bagged household waste, garden waste, electrical appliances and cardboard. The site will also be operating with revised opening hours - Monday to Friday 9:00-15:30 (closed for lunch 12:00-13:00).

The booking system has been introduced to reduce the waiting time for visitors and will also help to manage traffic flow at the facility. Booking a slot will be quick and easy; residents need to enter their name, address and car registration details, 48 hours in advance of visiting the site. Once the booking is complete, a confirmation email and text will be sent to residents which must be shown when visiting the Portree HWRC.

Councillor Allan Henderson, Chair of The Highland Council’s Communities and Places Committee, said: “Re-opening the Portree Household Waste Recycling Centre for the communities in Skye and Lochalsh has been a top priority for the Council since many of the other sites in the region were opened last week.

“Before the site could be re-opened we needed to be confident that the staffing resource was available, and that social distancing measures and traffic management could be safely and efficiently managed. The introduction of the booking system is a key part in helping to manage the number of visitors using the site to a safe standard and will save residents time as they can simply book a slot 48 hours in advance, then turn up and dispose of their waste without sitting in queues. We don’t want to see people travelling considerable distances from across the Island to visit without knowing they have a confirmed time slot.”

He added: “I would encourage all residents wishing to use the site in Portree to read the Frequently Asked Questions on the Council’s website to find out more about the new procedures, as anyone who turns up without a booking will unfortunately not be permitted access to the site.”

To manage the large volume of waste and high visitor numbers to HWRC, a phased approach has been adopted to re-opening the facilities across the region. The restrictions on vehicles and materials is to reduce the time spent at the sites by individuals, so that as many as people as possible can pass through the sites quickly and safely, enabling traffic to flow more freely. Only one person will be permitted to leave their vehicle to dispose of their waste. Site staff are unable to assist with handling waste, therefore householders should only bring waste they can carry and empty into the containers. To cut down on time spent at the site, householders should bring garden waste in bags and empty the contents into the containers.

All HWRC across Scotland were closed in March due to the Scottish Governments COVID-19 restrictions on non – essential movement. The re-opening of Portree HWRC, will bring the total number of sites open across the Highland Council area to 15.

To pre-book a slot to use the Portree HWRC visit: www.highland.gov.uk/PortreeRecycling

To help reduce the spread of the of Coronavirus site staff will be adopting robust hygiene standards. Householders should wash their hands before and after visiting a HWRC. Please also observe social distancing and stay 2 metres apart from staff and other site users when at a HWRC. Householders are reminded not to visit the site if they are showing symptoms of Coronavirus.

Batteries, lamps and light bulbs are not accepted at the present time so please continue to safely store these at home. Many retailers offer a household battery recycling take back service. Strictly no commercial waste or recycling will be accepted at any HWRC.

Chair of the Isle of Skye and Raasay Committee, Councillor John Gordon said: “I would like to thank all the staff who have been working hard to ensure our Skye HWRC can open safely. I want to also thank the public for their understanding and patience. For the re-opening to be successful we are relying on people to book their slots and follow all the guidance provided. I know people will be keen to drop off waste they have been storing as soon as possible but I ask everyone to be considerate to staff and other visitors to the site and only make the booking if it is really necessary.”

Further information can be found by visiting: www.highland.gov.uk/PortreeRecycling

or email [email protected]

Recycling sites - Portree Recycling Centre find recycling points (bottle banks, recycling bins)

We know that this is a tough time for everyone - but we are here to help. If you need assistance with heating oil, electric or phone top ups PLEASE get in touch. Everything will be treated with the strictest of confidence and if we can’t find a way to help you we can put you in contact with someone who can.
[email protected]
Let us find a way to help you ❤️

❤️Another Saturday community meal and treat box pack and delivery complete ❤️
❤️Very grateful for our incredible weekly bakers and deliverers- without them this wouldn’t be possible❤️
❤️ over 100 recipients love a Saturday meal and treat ❤️

Thanks so much for your support.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/trotternishkindnesscontainer

If you’d like to donate and you are able to, pop along to the link above - it’ll help us keep going with the fantastic community work we’ve been doing for the whole of lockdown ❤️❤️

Mòran Taing
Staffin Helpers

NORTH SKYE PRESCRIPTION DELIVERIES: A reminder that Skye Community Response are working with Boots Portree to get prescriptions delivered to your door. This is a free service available to all registered with Portree Medical Centre.

Order your prescription in the usual way.
Phone the helpline number on 01470 373111
We'll collect and deliver it to your door.

This service is available 6 days a week and deliveries to Raasay are on a Wednesday and Saturday. You do not have to be in the vulnerable category to make use of this service.

Staffin Helpers youth packs were delivered on Saturday 23rd of May to all school age children within the Staffin area, this included the teens and Sgoil Araich. The packs were funded by a HIE grant that was received by all the community organisations in Staffin, Staffin Youth club and Staffin Community Council. Over 60 children received a pack up to a value of £16 which consisted of good quality felt tip pens, ruler, rubber, craft items and a craft kit plus a bag of sweets and oral health items provided by Highland Oral health team. The teens were provided with a £15 amazon voucher and a bag of sweets. We included a leaflet informing families of the help available in Staffin and details of community events taking place.

Help raise £500 to support the Trotternish Kindness Container Weʼre raising money to support the Trotternish Kindness Container. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.