Lockdown survival kit: 11 Scottish firms delivering home comforts and advice right to your doorstep

Essential goods, meat, fish and nutritious pre-prepared meals can all be safely and easily delivered straight to your home — or even to the homes of those you can't spend time with at the moment as a gesture or gift.

These “contact-free” delivery companies are already well positioned to offer their services to self-isolators while safeguarding their own staff.

Feast your eyes on this hand-picked selection of the very best 'emergency survival kit' delivery services operating in Scotland at the moment. 

FRESH FISH DAILY

Fresh Fish Daily is a website that sells premium fish and seafood throughout the UK mainland, delivering four days a week.

Stock includes whole fish such as lemon sole, sea bass and rainbow trout besides fillets ranging from everyday favourites haddock, salmon and tuna to gourmet choices like halibut and monkfish.

Since the nationwide lockdown was announced the number of orders has soared and the team have been working round the clock to fulfil orders from customers across the UK, with significant demand from the London area.

Salmon fillets cost £12.05 per 500g. Photograph: Damian Shields

Now that many local fishmongers are closed and supermarket supplies limited, fish lovers are turning to Fresh Fish Daily to meet their needs.

As the name suggests, the emphasis underpinning the service is on freshness. We only buy the freshest stock and all orders are delivered to customers within 24 hours of leaving our premises. “Fish has to be fresh,” says managing director George Baxter. “Freshness is everything.”

Few fish delivery services have a contacts book to rival George’s. Starting out on boats in the North Sea in the late 1970s, he now spearheads a family business alongside his son Gareth that spans high-street fishmongers in Edinburgh’s Bruntsfield and Kilsyth’s main shopping area, a fish processing and storage factory in Bathgate and a wholesale arm that supplies fish and chip shops as well as wholesalers who supply hotels and restaurants throughout Scotland.

Whole sea bass cost £8.63 per fish. Photograph: Damian Shields

When it comes to fresh fish and seafood, Fresh Fish Daily is at the heart of the action.

To ensure our fish and seafood reach you in peak condition we vacuum-pack whole fish and fillets separately and package them in a highly insulated polystyrene box with frozen chill packs containing non-toxic gel.

Each packet of fillets contains one average-sized portion of fish (160g-200g), which means you can either select the exact amount you wish to cook from fresh or pop your fish in the freezer and only defrost the amount you require.

And while some recommend freezing fish for up to three months, the Fresh Fish Daily team suggest a maximum of two months for flavour and texture. 

Equally as important as freshness is our approach to customer service. We treat customers as individuals, which means we deal with phone calls and emails in house.

Weekday delivery (Wed-Fri) is free for orders over £60 and Saturday delivery is free for orders over £100.

Our promise is simple. Exceptional fish and seafood – every time.

See

freshfishdaily.co.uk

facebook.com/freshfishdailyuk

twitter.com/ShopFFD

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GLENCREST

These are very challenging times for us all so hope you’re all safe, well and following the Government advice to stay home, only venturing out when absolutely necessary!

Some of you may already know Glencrest but for those who don’t, we’re a family run business,  established over 25 years ago supplying businesses all over the country with a wide range of MUCH LOVED BRANDS at great prices, including

Groceries

Biscuits

Household Items

Cleaning products

Confectionery all your favourites

Soft drinks

Crisps & Snacks

Part of our business is HOME DELIVERY of those products at WHOLESALE PRICES direct to the public (or your business).

In these difficult times where we’re all reluctant to leave home and it’s a challenge to get a delivery slot from the supermarkets, you can order all your favourites from our easy to use online shop.

We’ll deliver your order quickly using one of our own amazing delivery drivers who are working flat out to keep us all supplied with these essentials.

We deliver to pretty much ALL AREAS, you don’t need a membership and there’s NO MINIMUM ORDER so wherever you are we’ll get your delivery to you.

ORDER ONLINE NOW www.glencrest.co.uk

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JACOBITE SPIRITS CO

Survive the lockdown with The 45 Spiced Rum and a Big Willie

Jacobite Spirits Co asked our customers to tell us what they needed most to get them through lockdown and the answer was clear: The 45 Spiced Rum and a Big Willie!

And that’s exactly what we had in mind when we designed our “Spirit of Rebellion” survival packs.

Our signature product, The 45 Spiced Rum, is perfect neat on the rocks - but any survival pack worth its salt has more than just one item in it.

Lucky, then, that The 45 is just as delicious in cocktails. Even luckier that we’re offering survival packs, containing a bottle of The 45 and four cans of Big Willie ginger beer, for £37, with free delivery from Glasgow straight to your doorstep*.

Big Willie is a new craft ginger beer with distinctive ingredients to complement the spice of The 45.

Using our survival pack is simple: Take your bottle of The 45 Scottish Spiced Rum and your four cans of Scotland’s most interesting new ginger beer - Big Willie - and mix them. It’s easy to get right, and no cocktail shaking is required. For best results, add ice to a glass, a slice of orange or lime, a solid shot of The 45 and top it up with Big Willie.

Just remember, we’re delivering the whole lot for a bargain price of £37 during lockdown, with free delivery included.

Jacobite Spirits’ Master Distiller Tony Stapleton explained: “We know there is an insatiable appetite for new cocktails. We’ve experimented with everything and while the classics of a craft coke or a splash of fruit juice taste great with our rum, we think we have the strength to stand up to a Big Willie!

“It’s great that people are being smart - staying home, staying safe and keeping the NHS top of all of our minds. Our Spirit of Rebellion pack is the perfect accessory to help you make the best of your time in your own surroundings - whether you have 45 seconds or 45 minutes to enjoy it!”

*Jacobite Spirits will deliver for free within a 20-mile radius of our distillery. Survival pack priced £37 inc 4 x Big Willies (limited supply!).

About Jacobite Spirits

Jacobite Spirits is a new, small-batch distillery. Our mantra “Rum is on the Rise!” is no exaggeration. As far as we’re concerned, rum is the new gin - and industry stats bear this out.

We’ve been perfecting our first brand, The 45 Spiced Rum, since 2018, with the first batch selling out in late 2019.

The 45’s strong taste balances international botanicals with robust Scottish spices for a delicious, smooth rum packed with substance.

jacobitespirits.com 

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A1 TOYS

A1 Toys is a Scottish independent collectibles and specialised gaming company. We are based in and around Glasgow with four stores in total, two located in the City Centre.

One of these City based stores Static Games is our dedicated specialist gaming store that stocks a wealth of gaming products and supplies such as Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, historical military games, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic The Gathering alongside traditional games such as Scrabble and Monopoly.

Our City Centre A1 Toys location focuses on U.S. import comics and collectibles. Here we stock a mix of UK and U.S. sourced action figures and collectibles that are sure to interest the avid collector.

If you’re not happy with the wealth of Marvel, D.C. and independent comic books we stock and you simply want the latest release from Transformers, Star Wars or an imported Japanese release Dragonball S.H.Figuarts figure then this is the place to go.

Our out of town A1 Toys locations bend the knee slightly to tradition, being 80% traditional toy store and having 10% across U.S. import comics plus some of the same collectibles as the City Centre and 10% gaming products. At these locations you can pick up L.O.L. Dolls, Ben 10, Barbie, Play-Doh, Hot Wheels, Power Rangers, Transformers, Star Wars, Fisher Price, Lamaze, alongside Warhammer, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and many other ranges!

Almost everything we have in our stores is available to order securely 24/7 via our website www.a1toys.com and we are adding new products from our ranges daily.

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CREME DU LOCH

Crème Du Loch is a luxury, family run, British Skincare brand, dedicated to producing the finest products using high-grade skin nourishing ingredients, which are responsibly sourced, cruelty free and vegan friendly.

Featured in The Herald recently, Crème Du Loch’s vision is to deliver an innovative age-defying moisturiser which is not only packed full of high quality ingredients but also truly delivers on its promises.

This age-defying daily moisturiser has really hit the nail on the head and will definitely make waves within the skincare industry.

Each of the specifically chosen ingredients have been chosen for their age-defying properties and positive contribution to skin health.  

Kelp is a natural superfood. There is a reason why the Japanese who eat kelp daily live for so long. Kelp is packed full of minerals and anti-oxidants, which soften dry skin and help retain moisture. These abundance of minerals penetrate the skin and remove toxins.

Pair this with kelp's anti-inflammatory properties, it can reduce the appearance of breakouts, leaving you with clearer, healthier skin. Kelp aids in the protection, maintenance and regeneration of cells at the skin's surface, leading to an overall improvement in skin firmness and a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The copious anti-oxidants in kelp also help protect the skin against UVA rays, daily pollution and external aggressors, all of which accelerate the ageing process.

Cucumber seed oil is high in Palmitic Acid. High in anti-oxidant activity, palmitic acid is an effective anti-ager, diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This natural essential oil gives the moisturiser its heavenly scent.

Rosehip oil is loaded with fatty acids and Vitamin A to gently moisturise the skin. Rosehip promotes skin regeneration and can improve skin flexibility and permeability. Rosehip oil is known for reducing the appearance of acne scars and stretch marks.

Cranberry seed oil is the only oil that has a perfect ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, increasing skin absorption. Its high anti-oxidant properties are potent at preventing the visible signs of ageing.

Vitamin E is an important anti-oxidant and nutrient for the skin. It prevents the formation of fine lines and wrinkles by blocking free radical damage and can help lighten brown spots by lubricating cell membranes and encouraging cell regeneration.

Retinol – the holy grail in age-defying skincare. It helps fight acne by tightening pores, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, stimulates collagen and promotes cellular turnover. Retinol is also known for evening out skin tone and increasing blood flow to the skin.

If you are looking for a luxury, yet affordable age-defying moisturiser which truly delivers on its promises then look no further. At £55/50ml, this crème is highly recommended and is sure to inspire devotion.

Visit www.cremeduloch.co.uk to find our more and order.

Visit Crème Du Loch on Instagram www.instagram.com/p/BsVRH8dHOy9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Visit Crème Du Loch on Facebook

www.facebook.com/Cr%C3%A8me-Du-Loch-453547305184986/?ref=py_c

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Glasgow Distillery

Makar is a juniper-led, handcrafted small-batch Scottish gin of the highest quality.

The name derives from the ancient Scots word for a ‘poet’ — a maker of verse; which embodies the craft and attention that the Glasgow Distillery’s team of distillers devote to each and every bottle.

As the first gin ever to be distilled in Glasgow, The Glasgow Distillery are not afraid to lead the way. Nothing will ever leave the distillery that’s not just the way they want it, and, as a result, they have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

Bright, vibrant and well balanced, Makar Gin is perfect for cocktails, invigorating with tonic, and a product worthy of its Makar name.

Makar Gin is currently part of the Glasgow Distillery’s Spring Sale. Get 15% off products on their online shop, complementary mixers, a free 5cl miniature bottle and free delivery for Glasgow residents.

www.glasgowdistillery.com

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JAW BREW

Jaw Brew is a family owned, award winning Glasgow craft brewery based at Hillington since it was started 6 years ago. 

Jaw Brew opened its wee pub last December, close to Milngavie Railway Station, where it has proved popular with locals, and those using public transport who can watch the buses arriving and leaving through the pub windows!

The plan is to move the brewery to Milngavie although that has stopped due to the current pandemic since we cannot move the kit whilst maintaining social distancing.

Helpfully, beer is regarded as an essential foodstuff by the government, so we have been able to adapt our delivery service, using all the relevant guidelines; it is now geared around getting cases of bottles and our beer bag-in-boxes to local residents rather than our usual cask and keg deliveries to pubs.

For those further afield we are still able to use couriers to deliver beer. We produce a range of styles, from classic IPA, Drop, through the multi-award-winning Fathom (dark and deep), Spinnaker (craft lager), and Drift (golden ale).

We also have Wave, our weissbier, Surf, our pale ale with a twist, and Capsize, our blonde beer. Our beer comes in cases of twelve 500ml or 330ml bottles, and also bag-in-box of 5,10 or 20 litresare filled straight from the tank and will keep for a few weeks.

Mark Hazell, who started Jaw Brew with Alison, his partner, now makes Bardowie Gin as well, and is also experimenting with making hand sanitiser, after requests from local businesses (this is made from raw alcohol, not gin). Bardowie Gin is available in 5cl or 70cl bottles and can also be delivered locally.

Our income now is wholly dependent on direct sales of beer and gin, so we really appreciate your support in keeping Jaw Brew going, and potentially stopping lots of lovely beer going down the drain.

We are also selling vouchers for beer tours and gin tastings for when things get back to normal and we can complete our brewery move. Our beer and gin are excellent gifts to send for any celebration or occasion where you can’t get together. Details available here jawbrew.co.uk/shop

We look forward to getting you some of our great beer and delicious gin to help you - and us - through this challenging time.    

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MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

Sharon McGinley is a qualified experienced Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist who works in Glasgow and is also a Counsellor Member of COSCA (Scotland’s Professional Body for Counselling and Psychotherapy), bound by their Code of Conduct and Ethics.

What can we do in this current global pandemic to look after ourselves?   What is our Mental Health Survival Tool Kit?

Accepting that we cannot change what is currently happening, but what we can do is be aware of the linkage to how our behaviours make us feel?  Be in control of the amount of time you engage in social media, watching the news and how this affects you both emotionally and physically.  Where do you feel the anxiety?  Be conscious of what your body is telling you.  Is your heart racing, stomach churning?  To help ease these symptoms, be mindful of your breathing.  Inhale through your nose for 3 slowly and exhale through your mouth again counting to 3 slowly.  Repeat this exercise four times.

Awareness

We cannot control how her life’s have changed due to this pandemic but what we can control is our thoughts to this global crisis.  To quote from the Greek philosopher Epictetus “People are not disturbed not by things, but by the views they take of them”.  Through awareness of how our thoughts make us feel, we can challenge these to more positive helpful thoughts.  Awareness is the key to unlocking our distorted thoughts and through recognising whether we are for example predicting, judging or catastrophising, this can assist us in challenging and changing these negative obtrusive thoughts to more positive helpful ones. 

Self-Care

Take this time as an opportunity to look after self.   Self-care is crucial for building up resilience to life events and there is no time more important than in the now to engage in self-care: it is a priority.  Self-care consists of several elements:

Physical self-care such as nutrition, exercise and sleep.

Mental self-care such as being aware of our thoughts and behaviours and engaging in activities such as crosswords.  

 Emotional Self-care such as being aware of our emotions for example anger and sadness and how these can be managed.  For example, through keeping a daily journal to recognise the triggers for our emotions.

Spiritual Self-care such as awareness of when our minds are racing with thoughts and to try and be still.  Engage in activities such as meditation, mindfulness and through being still in the now this will quieten the racing mind and provide strength at this challenging time. Take time to assess your self-care by implementing a self-care plan and commence small steps to change through looking after self. “An empty lantern provides no light.  Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly”.   

  

If you find yourself struggling with anxiety, low mood or lapsing into unhelpful ways of coping, then contact Sharon.  She provides a free 30-minute telephone consultation to determine if Cognitive Behavioural Therapy would be the most suitable treatment for you.

T: 07979 952920

E Mail:  mhminthenow@gmail.com

f/b: mhminthenow

w:  www.mentalhealthmattersglasgow.co.uk (under construction)

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BORDERS DISTILLERY

The Borders Distillery opened in 2018 in the Scottish Borders town of Hawick – the first distillery in the region since 1837. Situated on the banks of the River Teviot, in an award-winning conversion of the former Victorian electrical works, the distillery is laying down spirit for a future Single Malt release, makes an excellent gin, and recently released a vodka.

Kerr’s Borders Gin is genuinely Scottish Gin – wholly distilled from barley grown within 20 miles of the distillery. It is named after William Kerr – Hawick-born, and among the 19th century’s most accomplished botanists. He sent 238 plant specimens back to Kew Gardens from his Far East travels.

Kerr would likely have approved of the distillery’s Carterhead Still – one of only a handful in operation. It gently heats the botanicals rather than boiling them like most other gin stills, capturing more of the subtle flavours. Together with the barley, this gives the gin a distinctive depth. The rounded flavour works well with the bitterness of tonic water, creating a beautifully balanced G&T.

The newest addition to distillery’s range is Puffing Billy Steam Vodka – unfiltered malted barley vodka, named after the special still which plays a key role in its production. The spirit is steamed through charcoal inside the still itself and never filtered as a liquid, preserving the delicious character of the barley.

It’s the only vodka in the world made this way, and drinks commentators have praised the result, suggesting it could reinvigorate vodka, a spirit somewhat overlooked during the recent gin boom. Fabulous with tonic or Ginger Beer, the vodka also tastes incredibly smooth sipped chilled and straight.

Kerr’s Borders Gin and Puffing Billy Steam Vodka are available direct from the distillery’s online shop, currently offering free delivery anywhere within the UK when you buy a bottle.

See www.thebordersdistillery.com/shop/

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The Mortgage Advice Service Scotland

Re-mortgaging During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Even though several mortgage lenders are now applying temporary restrictions on their lending criteria during the COVID-19 outbreak, many homeowners are now re-mortgaging to take advantage of low-interest rates and to protect themselves against the financial impact of the Coronavirus.

Although health concerns are their immediate priority, people are searching for ways to reduce their monthly expenditure and cutting their biggest monthly outlay makes financial sense.

Although the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a significant impact on obtaining funds for purchasing a new home, re-mortgages are still available from lenders at competitive rates and depending on the size of your mortgage, you could make substantial savings each month by simply changing lenders.

Re-mortgaging needn't be a hassle

Even if you can save hundreds of pounds by shopping around, the thought of trying to switch your current mortgage may seem like a hassle you could do without.

However, re-mortgaging isn't nearly as much hassle as you may think, because, that's where we step in and do all the work that is involved in finding you a fresh deal that can lower your monthly payments and maybe even help you to pay off your mortgage quicker.

Choosing the right mortgage can be tricky.

Next to purchasing your home, choosing the right mortgage is probably one of the most important decisions you will make when you are looking for a new deal.

Approaching your current lender or bank may not result in you obtaining the best mortgage deal because they generally only consider their own products. Making the wrong choice about your mortgage can result in you having to pay hundreds if not thousands of pounds more than you need to pay.

The Mortgage Advice Service provides a free financial review service to help identify the best solution to suit your circumstances.

If you are serious about looking for a great mortgage deal and for mortgage advice that you can trust contact us at: www.themortgageadviceservice.co.uk

Or call us on:  0141 956 7756 / 0141 956 4088 / 0800 011 2322

The Mortgage Advice Service Scotland is a trading style of The Mortgage Advice Service (Scotland) Ltd which is authorised and regulated the Financial Conduct Authority

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE

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WINE DELIVERED

Wine Delivered, does exactly what our name suggests, we deliver delicious wines to you anywhere in the UK, with next day delivery. 

Given the challenging times we are all experiencing, it makes more sense to stay home and have your shopping delivered to your door. Wine delivered has an extensive range of wines from all over the world, including New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and even British wines from Kent that we can deliver.

Our wine team has over 100 years of combined wine experience and are passionate about sourcing fabulous wines at exceptional prices. We take the hard work out of finding the wines we know you will love.

Our website www.winedelivered.co.uk is extremely easy to navigate and offers all the information you could possible want about the wines we sell. For those looking for suggestions, we have new offers every week including straight or mixed cases.

If you are looking for that special gift, our hampers and gift boxes could be perfect for you.

We are proud to be the only wine shop to have the complete range of Graham Norton Wines and the just released Graham Norton Pink Gin and London Dry Gin! 

Also within the Wine Delivered stable is Estancia Mendoza Malbec from the super premium region of the Uco Valley. This wine is sure to delight even the toughest of wine connoisseurs, having just won a gold medal at the Global Malbec Masters. Staying within Argentina, Toros Malbec from Mendoza is incredible value and quality at 12 bottles for £75.00.

From Australia, we are proud to offer exclusively the Howard Park Winery, who’s winemaker Janice McDonald recently won Australian Winemaker of the Year. Wine delivered offers both the full Howard Park Range and Mad Fish Wines which are some of Western Australia’s finest wines.

What ever your tastes or budget you will be sure to find a wine offer on www.winedelivered.co.uk  that will suit you! 

As a special offer for April, enter the DELIVER10 code and you will receive 10% off your first order.