The British Red Cross in Ayrshire has benefited from support from electricity distributor SP Energy Networks to help 140 elderly people and asylum seekers with food and medicine.

It is among nine charities across the UK receiving funding to boost support for vulnerable people on the Priority Services Register.

Funding from SP Energy Networks will help the charities deliver key services such as remote emotional wellbeing support, financial advice and medicine deliveries.

The British Red Cross received £5,000 to help 140 elderly people with food parcels, medicine delivery and welfare checks across Ayrshire.

People who have received a letter from the NHS advising them that they are ‘at risk’ and should take additional measures to protect themselves from Covid-19 are being advised to sign up for SP Energy Networks’ Priority Services Register. This provides free additional services to customers in vulnerable circumstances if there is an unexpected power cut. They should sign up at spenergynetworks.co.uk or text PSR to 61999.

More information about how SP Energy Networks is responding to Covid-19 is available at www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/covid