Students and staff come together for Common Good during crisis

Two students have teamed up with a GCU member of staff to help support the vulnerable in their community during the coronavirus pandemic.

MSc Diagnostic Imaging programme lead Claire Currie set up the initiative to help at risk groups in her estate in Crookston, Glasgow.

She was delighted when GCU students Nicola McGlynn and Rhiannon Coats, who also live in the area, put their name forward to lend a helping hand in offering everything from shopping through to a friendly phone call.

Claire said: “I started forming the group very early on when the pandemic came to the UK. I first realised how important it would be to protect the vulnerable after reading some of the harrowing accounts of doctors in Italy.

I put a call out on our community Facebook page and 20 people came forward. I was so impressed that the two students who came forward to help out were from GCU - this shows how the Common Good aspect of the University is instilled in them.”

Nicola, who’s completing her Doctorate of Physiotherapy (Pre-registration), explained why she wanted to get involved.

She said: “We’re quite close as a community and often have Christmas celebrations and garden parties in the summer together, so I didn’t really think twice about putting my name down.

If I’m still able to get out then I’d much rather help someone who can’t manage - whether that be with shopping or dog walking.

She added: “There’s a lot of people up here that work in the NHS, so we could start to see more self-isolating soon - any help we can offer will hopefully benefit them.”

First Year Nursing Studies (Learning Disability) student Rhiannon spoke of the importance in doing her bit for the local community.

She explained: “I wanted to get involved as I feel like I have a duty of care as a student nurse to help those in need.

I also think it’s important at a time like this for everyone to pull together and do what they can.”

Rhiannon added: “If those who are able to help can do their part and support those that are vulnerable, they won’t then have to put themselves at risk out in the community. This will keep them safe and hopefully reduce the number of people needing to use NHS services.”

By Ross Clark
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