A squad of volunteers from an island rugby club are tackling the Covid crisis head on, writes Adrian Darbyshire.

Ramsey Rugby Club have converted their skills on the pitch to lead the charge in a remarkable community effort.

They’ve scored a big hit by providing doorstep deliveries to the elderly and vulnerable left isolated and worried by the pandemic.

The idea is the brainchild of retired players Gareth Hinge and Dave Harding, who are still heavily involved in coaching the club’s junior section.

It started out with the idea of doing the shopping and collecting prescriptions for the old folk and vulnerable of Ramsey.

But it quickly expanded to take in the whole of the north from Maughold and round to Ballaugh and Kirk Michael, and has branched out into doorstep deliveries of bread and milk.

There are about 50 volunteers but with a number being key workers or in self-isolation, there are about 40 on active duty on the road.

Dave, 53, reckons the team average about 25 calls a day from people in need of help.

He said: ’We are here to help and it’s nice to know you are helping out.

’Some of the older generation have led a hard life and they are really worried, they don’t know what’s happening. Some are on the phone for half an hour, sometimes I think it’s the only contact they have.’

The initiative started two weekends before last. Flyers were put up around Ramsey, in the old folks’ homes, sheltered housing and estates, offering to help the old and vulnerable by doing their shopping and taking their dog for a walk.

All the volunteers are involved with Ramsey Rugby Club, either as current or retired players, or mums and dads of those in the junior section.

They have split up into areas to cover the whole of the north.

’Over the last week it has started to get really busy,’ said Dave, who covers central Ramsey and is taking calls from 15 people a day.

’We’ve organised a chemists rota. With nine prescriptions to collect a day, there was no point having three people standing in three different queues. We had one person spending all day on Wednesday just doing the chemists.’

Dave is in isolation himself after his daughter tested positive for the virus.

He said: ’She was poorly for only three days. She had a cough on day one, then got a fever which lasted a day and a half. She’s 100% now.’

The volunteers have to be careful to protect themselves and stop spreading the virus to others.

They all wear gloves and try to keep their distance from those they are helping. Where possible, payment is made through online banking.

But Dave points out that the volunteers are dealing with many elderly people who don’t have access to the internet so payments can be taken in cash or by cheque.

They hope ultimately to be able to take payment by bank card over the phone but that is not yet an option.

Club members did a fundraiser among themselves and raised £2,000 to cover expenses like fuel, hi vis jackets and personal protection equipment such as gloves in support of the community initiative.

You can find Ramsey Rugby Club Doorstep Deliveries on Facebook, or call Dave on 423991.