Burntisland Emergency Action Team move into new hub - ready to help those in need

Yvonne Crombie knows better than anyone what kind of issues are affecting those in need.

She, along with Brendan Burns, spent months co-ordinating Burntisland’s Emergency Action Team (BEAT) volunteers to offer help during lockdown to people who had nowhere else to turn.

But it was only when Yvonne and Brendan began working from their base at Burntisland’s Toll Centre, that lockdown revealed the full extent of what people are facing.

And that’s why BEAT has moved to a more centrally-located base on the town’s High Street – aiming to carry on the volunteers’ momentum.

With many local residents self-isolating and unable to get out for food, medicine, or vital supplies, BEAT sprung into action at the start of lockdown.

“We’re a bit quieter now,” says Yvonne, “because many people weren’t working and many were shielding and couldn’t get out to the shops.

“We were really busy, constantly, and giving out around 40 food parcels a week.But there is still a need for some of that service, and looks like that will continue to be the case.”

Yvonne says that despite the hardship of lockdown, the community really stepped up their efforts.

“What’s been really heart-warming is the way our town came together.

“The fact that we had 80 volunteers that signed up in a heartbeat.

“We were dependent on donations from the community and everybody rallied round.

“We had certain regulars who would come to us saying they were about to go to a supermarket and asking what we needed.

“I was crying all the time because it was so touching that people were helping.

“If we needed anything at the drop of a hat our volunteers were there for us. Nothing was too much trouble.”

BEAT’s work during lockdown has opened doors to partner up with other agencies – something the hub will play a part in going forward.

Yvonne says: “People phone us if they need a food parcel, because some people are finding that they’re now out of work and on benefits.

“We know now through our experiences over the past few months where to go and get help. People know of us now - we’ve built up all these relationships with different agencies and services.

“Part of the idea of the hub is that the meeting room can be used by organisations.

“We’re hoping to reach out to people like SAMH, and addiction services, so they can meet their clients in their own town here instead of people having to try and travel elsewhere.

“We eventually want to get Citizens Advice and Rights Fife (CARF) and money advice people. I’m looking forward to bringing services and agencies in here to engage with the community and supporting people.”

During lockdown the Toll Centre had a ‘swap shop’ where locals could drop-off and pick-up toys, books, and other items. That has now inspired a regular pop-up shop which is coming to the hub on Friday, September 11.

“The pop-up shop came out of the whole swap shop, because people were still offering us things.

“I think we’ll have different themes, like in winter time I want every child to have a warm coat, boots, scarves, and gloves.”

Looking ahead, Brendan has no doubt about the need for the BEAT hub.

He says: “The hub will bring people in get conversations started, and also get donations because things have dropped off since lockdown eased.

“Obviously we’ve offered support all the way through lockdown, but from now we’ll be able to offer a different type of support and I’m looking forward to seeing people get back on their feet.”

‘I was astonished how many people were living in poverty’

The problems BEAT has tackled so far have been eye-opening for the volunteers.
Few could have imagined what others nearby were going through, but the group has continually risen to the challenges before it.

“We came up against things like language barriers”, says Brendan.
“We had multiple enquiries and requests, like taking someone’s cat to the vet for someone who was shielding.”
Yvonne added: “Sometimes it was quite sad because the school gave us a lot of referals, not just about food parcels but toy parcels, because there were so many families out there, stuck in a flat, no garden, and a child with no toys to play with. What do you do?
“We had kids with no shoes so we were able to help there.

“We had a man with no electricity, so we were able to work with Cosy Kingdom to get it sorted - it turned out the supplier was acting illegally.
“Stories like that - you don’t think that would happen in our town.

“People have this perception of Burntisland - I thought I had a handle on the town before through work with the Toll Centre and the Community Council, so I was astonished by how many people are living in poverty.

“There were things identified because people were all at home, so neighbours were able to identify issues near them, and were able to get in touch to say their neighbour needed help.”