Fife's snow angels: selfless acts to keep people safe.

From residents taking time to pop in on elderly neighbours, to people giving lifts to others in the health service struggling to get to work, there have been hundreds of mini acts of heroism.

Members of New Linktown Tenants and Residents Association went around the area checking on elderly householders, went shopping for them and ensured they were comfortable, while the local convenience store stayed open late to accommodate them.

Kyle McGlinchey (25), from Kirkcaldy, a driver with John Mitchell, messaged Victoria Hospital to see if he could pick up staff and bring them to work. He collected seven nurses from as far away as Dalgety Bay and Rosyth, bring them in to work, as well as collecting people who were stranded in Burntisland last night.

Although the number of volunteers from Pathhead Parish Church’s outreach meals on wheels service were reduced yesterday, those who could make it went above and beyond to ensure around 50 hot meals were delivered to elderly people in the area, taking the meals out to them on foot.

And Mark Durkin and Andrew Davies from Burntisland, as well as helping stranded people, also helped to tow vehicles from the snow.

Paramount Care clients still got the care they needed yesterday and today as managers and carers walked the streets in the blizzards to provide care and support to the vulnerable.

Community councillors in Kinghorn have been our clearing snow from the paths around the local health centre and care homes, while businessman Stewart Taylor took midwives from Kinghorn and Burntisland into the Victoria Hospital, including midwifery sister Sharon-Ann McIlravie who stayed overnight to ensure the night shift was covered and is planning to stay over tonight again.

Home carers Sharon Robertson and her daughter Vicky McCormick, who work for Avenue Care Services, wanted to thank farmer Ross and his friend from Kinglassie who answered a Facebook appeal to take the two of them to help around nine vulnerable clients in Kirkcaldy.

Sharon said: “Vicky wasn’t supposed to be working but she stepped in to help and Ross came down in his tractor, taking us up to Sainsbury’s to get shopping after the local shop ran out of bread and milk.

“He has also promised to come back at 7pm to ensure we get out to put them to bed again.

“They really went that extra mile to help us and we are very grateful.”

Also staying on after his shift finished was Scott Sweaton, charge nurse at the Fife Hospice who slept in the hospice overnight to look after patients.

Ten-year-old Kieran Farrell who lives in Hayfield, Kirkcaldy, cleared the paths of the sheltered housing near his home so carers could get in.

Peter Vardy in Kirkcaldy is offering the use of its 4x4 vehicles to take people to hospital appointments, while home carers were another group who went above and beyond the call of duty, many walking to the clients’ homes to ensure they were looked after.

Evelyn Bryans said her husband James’ carer Tatyana from Kenny Link had been at her door at 7am ensuring he was looked after.

Volunteers at Linton Lane Centre have been out collecting extra supplies to ensure the foodbank is stocked for tomorrow, and it will be offering free hot filled rolls and coffee to visitors.

Volunteers from Kinghorn Lifeboat are offering their first aid expertise to anyone requiring it, with one member taking a nurse to the pharmacy in Burntisland to bring back pharmaceutical supplies to Kinghorn.

Alan McIlravie, chairman of the Royal Burgh of Kinghorn Community Council, said: “Examples like these really restore your faith in human nature.

“People have been going out of their way with generous acts of kindness in all areas and it is very heartwarming.”