THERE’S STILL SOME HANDY HELP OUT THERE
Even with Covid 19 restrictions around social distancing and isolating, elderly charity LEAP is still managing to help people with emergency handyperson work.
Peter McLafferty from Rutherglen phoned LEAP after his new washing machine had been delivered but not plumbed in.
Father and son Stuart and Calum McGregor were soon at Ian’s home to carry out the work.
Stuart, LEAP’s executive director, and Calum had both been working and living at home so were able to work together - taking the appropriate safety measures – when two people were needed for any of LEAP’s handyperson emergency work.
Stuart and Calum soon made light work of removing the broken, old washing machine and plumbing in the new one.
THE HANDY TEAM ... Father and son Stuart (r) and Calum McGregor
And when that sprung a leak, LEAP’s handyperson co-ordinator
Kevin Key was quickly able to fix the problem and let Peter deal with
his pile of dirty washing.
Peter said: “I hadn’t heard about LEAP but one of the wardens where I live gave me their number.
“I phoned and told LEAP the company supplying my new machine couldn’t plumb it in because of the social restrictions, and a courier had just delivered the machine and left it.
“Stuart and Calum soon had the new machine plumbed in, and Kevin quickly fixed the leak.
“Everyone was great, and I’ll be using LEAP again. I have a new TV stand and Kevin has said he can get that built once they are taking on non-emergency work again.
“It’s a great service.”
However, there are some jobs the LEAP team can’t take on – and that’s where its professional contacts come in handy.
Zandra Hamilton, of Springhall, called LEAP when she had no electricity and talked to Kevin, who said: “I was sitting in my van when I was talking to Zandra. She was really upset, and it took a long time for me to get enough information to figure out what might be wrong.
“We got there though, and I passed the job onto Danny McGeever, one of the electricians we use in cases such as this. I then phoned Zandra back after Danny told me he had restored her electricity.
“She was delighted.”
Zandra said: “I was really quite upset by the time I spoke to Kevin as I wasn’t getting any help from anyone else, although the council had given me LEAP’s number.
“Kevin was great though, and Danny was brilliant – he had things working again quickly.
“I can’t thank everyone enough – I don’t know what I would have done without you all.”
Zandra’s daughter Elaina Connell was so grateful she took to Facebook to post her appreciation.
Elaina posted: "I just want to thank LEAP for helping my mum today. Her electrics went off and she was in a hell of a state. Isolation is hard enough but when you've no electricity would be impossible.
The kind girl who answered the phone put her onto someone and an electrician appeared within the hour, fixed the problem and charged pennies.
“You guys are lifesavers. Thanks so much.”