THE SANDPIPER BAG

The compact kit of vital, life saving medical equipment for GP's and nurses who are called out to accidents and emergencies in remote and rural areas.

The Sandpiper Trust has produced this bag with the help of the British Association of Immediate Care (BASICS).  It contains 30 essential items such as; sophisticated breathing apparatus, portable oxygen cylinders, surgical splints, neck collars, protective clothing etc and will also be useful for the management of heart attacks.  Convenient to use and easily portable it will be invaluable to doctors and paramedics in performing life saving procedures in the immediate aftermath of an accident far from hospital and awaiting an ambulance.

Last year Highland Cross responded to the appeal by donating £22,000 for the purchase of these bags for our rural community and the aim this year is to equip the remaining GP's with Sandpiper bags and defibrillators throughout the whole of the Highlands.

The cost of providing a rapid, trained and equipped local response in such a huge area is considerable but we are confident Highland Cross teams will meet this challenge of saving lives during the "golden hour" for many victims in the future.

INVERNESS NEW START

Inverness New Start is a voluntary organisation, with charitable status, aiming to provide a comprehensive service to homeless people, many of whom are disadvantaged by ill-health and disability as well as poverty.

The main project is to assist homeless people move into their own accommodation and provide them with "starter packs" - the basics for cooking, eating, sleeping and cleaning.

Highland Cross have been asked to donate a transit van for collection and distribution of both donations and furniture to facilitate and expand the service.

TOUCH WOOD

Touch Wood the first truly rural social firm in the UK was set up by the Skye and Lochalsh Social Firm Development Group to employ a significant number of people with disabilities or health problems and the long term unemployed.  In phase 1 of this supported work scheme Touch Wood have an imaginative project in recycling waste wood to meet an identified specialised market for furniture in homes and commercial property.

To help develop this embryonic scheme to its full potential in such an extensive area a Highland Cross donation of a customised van would be an invaluable asset to a group of disabled people doing a useful job and earning a living.