GLASGOW'S homeless population has been supported during lockdown by kind-hearted staff from Scotland's cycling charity. 

Food and essential supplies have been delivered to people on the city's streets and asylum seekers housed in hotels by workers from Cycling Scotland. 

Every weekday for the past three months, two members of the charity's team have cycled around Glasgow dropping off food, personal protective equipment (PPE), clothing, soap and hand sanitiser at hotels and B+Bs.

Glasgow Times: Clare Skelton-Morris, left, and Karlene Doherty from Cycling Scotland Clare Skelton-Morris, left, and Karlene Doherty from Cycling Scotland

Using standard and e-cargo bikes, staff have made drops at locations in Blythswood, Garnethill, Govan, Hillhead and Dennistoun.

The wheels got turning when Clare Skelton-Morris, who works for Cycling Scotland, spotted an opportunity to use the team’s skills to volunteer during lockdown.

They quickly reached out to homeless support network Simon Community Scotland and offered to do their bit. 

Ms Skelton-Morris said: “Cycling Scotland has been supportive of us helping others right from the start of lockdown and I knew the Simon Community was looking for volunteers.

“The team at Simon Community could only make deliveries in their van, which wasn’t ideal during lockdown. Driving and parking in Glasgow city centre is time-consuming, costly and bad for the environment, and, due to physical distancing requirements, only one member of the team could do the deliveries.

“We offered to help make deliveries using cargo bikes, allowing the Simon Community to get on with the important work that they do: supporting some of our most vulnerable people. It’s been a really positive experience cycling around the city while the roads are quiet, and being able to help people who need support in a small way.”

She added: “If there can be any silver linings to the current situation, I hope that how we support vulnerable members of our society and how we move around our cities are two lessons we can learn from the lockdown and take with us into the new normal.”

Simon Community Scotland works with people so they can resolve their homelessness as quickly as possible. 

Glasgow Times: The group has been delivering food to Glasgow's homeless during lockdown The group has been delivering food to Glasgow's homeless during lockdown

It maintains contact with people – in diverse circumstances – so they can help them address the underlying reasons for their homelessness and get the support they need.

Simon Community Scotland director of services, Hugh Hill, said: “These have been challenging and terrible times, yet in the midst of this lockdown we’ve also seen incredible generosity, compassion, resilience and optimism.

“The Cycling Scotland team have epitomised all the positives in their personal and collective efforts to support some of the country’s most vulnerable."