BIG hearted Benarty residents are pulling together to help the community through the Coronvirus crisis.

The Benarty Emergency Response Team (BERT) is currently ensuring anyone in isolation can get provisions as well as making sure that local key workers do not go without.

A squad of around 11 volunteers are taking calls from householders and acting on their calls for assistance.

Local councillor Lea McLelland said the response had been "phenomenal."

"BERT was set up by volunteers and is supported by the Fife Voluntary Action group who we have taken a lot of advice from them to keep everything above board and also to keep the volunteers as well as the users of the service that we are providing safe," she said.

"So what we have done is we have call handlers who are self isolating. They want to volunteer so we are using them as call handlers. We have a team of drivers who the call handlers will contact and tell them what the client needs. It could be prescriptions, the butchers, the Coop, Nisa, anything that people are needing. They give a note of what is required."

The volunteers, armed with survival packs including hand sanitiser, antiseptic wipes, change are able to collect money for shopping before returning with the messages and are operating a password system to ensure it runs like clockwork.

The drivers are also helping with deliveries for the stretched local butchers store as demand rises.

"The effort is absolutely phenomenal," added Cllr McLelland. "We are conscious that noone can get hand sanitiser any where so I have purchased 99.9 per cent alcohol and aloe vera and I am making hand sanitiser and providing that to the volunteers and also if any of the shops who cannot get it now.

"The important thing for me is to keep every single person in this village safe as well as keeping myself and the volunteers safe.

"BERT has also decided we will also cover any front line workers in the Bernarty area who require our services while they help keep the country safe and moving.

"This means doctors, nurses, carers, police officers, fire fighters, paramedics and anyone who falls into that category so they don't have to worry. We can drop it off at their door so we can make sure it is waiting for them coming home."

Anyone wanting to find out more should visit the Benarty Emergency Response Group's Facebook page.

Fellow local councillor Mary Lockhart, who helped set the Benarty Emergency Response Group up, welcomed the outstanding efforts being carried out.

She added: "This community is a particularly vibrant community and always comes up trumps when volunteers are needed."