Fraser Graham, a 28-year-old architect living in Edinburgh, volunteers with the British Red Cross to provide a back-up ambulance service and delivers essential supplies to people forced to self-isolate.
Fraser, who recently qualified as an architect in February, was furloughed as lockdown began and decided to dedicate his free time to helping others.
During the current pandemic, he now volunteers twice a week and spends long days driving for the Red Cross.
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Fraser is needed to deliver essential foods and medicines across the Lothians and Glasgow, provide first aid training to his fellow volunteers and support the struggling UK ambulance service by transporting patients with Covid-19 to and from hospital.
Fraser began volunteering for the Red Cross almost ten years ago, subsequently receiving regular first aid and safety training.
His mother, Gill Graham, 56, said: “He has always been helpful, and now he just wants to help people having a hard time during the coronavirus outbreak.
“He has rolled up his sleeves and decided to help others despite being furloughed himself.
“He’s getting through a difficult time by focusing his energy on volunteering, even if his days are long and hard.”
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She added: “I’m so proud of him because I know I couldn’t do it.”
But Gill, who lives in Kirkaldy, is also responding to these challenging times by doing what she can to help.
As well as being a carer for her own mother, she volunteers three times a week for Kirkaldy foodbank at Linton Lane Community Centre, where she’s noticed a spike in demand since the pandemic hit in March.
Not only that, but Gill also spends a further two days packing freshly cooked dinners for the charity Greener Kirkaldy, which aims to provide two meals per week to people in Kirkaldy struggling to prepare and cook food at home.
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