KIND-HEARTED Peeblesshire residents have helped hospital patients across the Borders by donating basic toiletries.

The majority of patients are admitted to the Borders General Hospital (BGH) with just the clothes they are wearing – and because family can no longer visit, many are without supplies.

But thanks to an initiative launched by Innerleithen Community Council member Jackie Couchman, hospitals and care homes have received large donations of toiletries.

She told the Peeblesshire News: “It came about following a conversation with a long-retired nursing friend, Heather Martin, who’s the Resilience Co-ordinator for Walkerburn.

"She suggested that the BGH might welcome toiletry donations and maybe we could set up a collection point at the Co-op.

“I checked it out with my nursing friends, Lizzy Robertson and Francesca Rychel, and their response was an overwhelming thumbs up.

"I learned that apart from having no visitors allowed, many patients had no toiletries with them – sometimes not even a brush or comb for their hair.”

This prompted Jackie to gather her stash of unopened hotel toiletries that she had accumulated on her travels.

“I arranged to drop these off to Lizzy and Francesca and they reinforced and emphasised the need and how much of a difference it made to both staff and patients alike,” said Jackie.

A collection box was set up in Innerleithen Co-op and was very quickly full to the brim with products from locals responding to Jackie’s appeal.

She said: “I made a box for receiving donations and signage explaining what was being looked for. I promoted it on local Facebook groups and the response was incredible and fast.”

With the help of Lizzy and Francesca, as well as fellow nursing friends Kayla Anna and Angie Keay, Jackie has now delivered more than 20 bags of toiletries to Huntleyburn in Melrose, St Ronans Care Home in Innerleithen, Peebles' Hay Lodge Hospital and the BGH's COVID and non-COVID wards.

“There is an ongoing need and folk have been responding very generously to specific ongoing requests. We intend to keep this going for as long as it’s needed,” said Jackie.

As well as sitting on Innerleithen Community Council, Jackie is also the Deputy Resilience Co-ordinator for the town.

She said: “My location half a mile out of town means I’m more involved in driving a keyboard than bustling around delivering groceries, although I have been known to make a mercy dash to the Co-op for milk for an elderly person, and post a few crossword puzzles through the door of another.

"I’ve been trying to promulgate positive information and good news or feelgood articles and titbits. This project has enabled me to make a small practical contribution to the whole effort.”