Fife's unsung heroes: Faraz Iqbal

Fife has many unsung heroes who have gone the extra mile to help others during the coronavirus lockdown. They are working hard behind the scenes to make sure that our buses still run, our prescriptions dispensed, and our services all keep ticking over. They deserve their moment in the spotlight as part of our Big Thank You.

Faraz Iqbal, owner of the Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy, has been working day and night to support people in the community during lockdown.

His daily routine has also changed beyond recognition over the past three months.

He said: “I have been working alongside Lizzie and Shane Halstead, and Councillor Alistair Cameron from the Linktown Community Aid group to ensure that people in the community are supported during the pandemic.

“As the lockdown started there were people needing help – it was instant.

“We have had people needing groceries delivered because they are shielding, and we have been helping people who are struggling financially. Everyday there are more people who are in crisis – people who are down to their last pennies.”

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The Premier Linktown Local has been in Faraz’s family for over 20 years. It is not only a shop but a community hub for people in Linktown.

Faraz said: “When someone in the community needs help they come to the shop. If we can’t help them directly we can always point them in the right direction to get the support that they need.

“People come in to the shop to tell us if someone they know is in crisis and then we can get out there to see if we can help, even if it is only a bag of shopping or someone to talk to, we do what we can.

Faraz added that initially he was worried about the pandemic, but it has not stopped him providing a vital service in Kirkcaldy.

He added: “At the peak, it was very scary working on the frontline, but as we got all of our safety measures put in place we could relax a little bit.

“I think people have learned from this, from spending more time with family to supporting their local businesses. There are a lot of people now who are coming forward to help in the community as well. I hope we can progress and turn something negative into something positive.”

» To nominate someone for our Big Thank You please email [email protected]

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