MORE than 300 vulnerable people from across South Ayrshire have been supported in the first week of a new helpline service.

A team of selfless staff and volunteers have formed part of resilience centre South Ayrshire Lifeline, and since their opening on Monday, March 23 have taken calls to offer support to those most in need during the coronavirus crisis.

Essential food packages and prescriptions have been dropped off to residents self-isolating as they are at high-risk and unable to leave their home.

Concerned calls have also came from as far away as Australia, with family members on the other side of the world worried about their relatives back home.

The new helpline was up after South Ayrshire Life, a face-to-ace service by Volunteer Action South Ayrshire (VASA) had to close its Newmarket Street shop.

Marie Oliver, chief executive, said: “We kicked off on Monday and the phones started to ring before 9am. The first caller wanted a packet of Werther’s Originals because they had a tickly throat. Since then we’ve had over 300 calls. We’ve had people phoning on behalf of their family from all over the world, from Australia to the Netherlands.

“A lot of it is very emotional, there are people who are in a lot of need. We had a lady who called in, a retired nurse. She has COPD and is terminally ill. She needed stuff and didn’t think she was worthy. She thought if we had some toilet roll it should be going to someone else.”

The team consists of 20 volunteers from a range of backgrounds, some of whom work seven days a week to support the service. Of the volunteers, is a fireman who has vowed to help with deliveries on his days off.

You can call South Ayrshire Lifeline on 0800 423 0510.