Helping your community

Kerry McNaughton, one of Amey’s Business Support Coordinators, had a busy lockdown. As well as home schooling her two children she has been volunteering in her community in her spare time, launching the Chapelhall Resilience Project to support vulnerable families in her area. Her support included helping set up a foodbank, arranging food parcels, coordinating welfare phone calls and arranging dog walking.

Amey’s Scotland & Northern Ireland regional hub have also been donating £100 per week, allowing Kerry to purchase essential supplies for the foodbank.

When I was young girl I joined the Brownies and it was really good to feel part of a community and make friends from different schools. This is why during lockdown when I was asked to get involved setting up Chapelhall Resilience Project I jumped at the chance. My community didn’t have an independent youth group which is why I wanted to get involved with Chapehall Youth Development Group. As we already had one youth group up and running it was an easy transition to branch out and set up the Chapelhall Resilience Project. I am very passionate about bringing the community together to provide a safe space and opportunities for youth/young teens in the community. Kerry McNaughton

Karen's story

Communities need different kinds of support at different times. Often, lending a hand needs lots of planning and preparation. But sometimes, help is needed when you least expect it. Karen Davies didn’t expect that a quick trip out to her local shop would lead to her saving someone’s life. Here’s the story of how she swung into action.  

That Thursday morning, I was up and about earlier than normal as I had a busy work schedule and needed a couple of things from the local shop. I left my house just before 6.30am and saw what I thought at the time was a rubbish bag in the middle of the road ahead of me. As I drove nearer, the image became clear - it was a person lying across the road. 

I pulled over and went to their aid – it was a cyclist who had suffered horrific injuries from a collision with a vehicle (confirmed hit and run). Cars were approaching us from a bend and couldn’t see either of us in the middle of the road. I ran to the bend to stop a car, asked him to call the emergency services, and then ran down to the other side of the road to stop the vehicles approaching from the other end.

I then went back to the cyclist and checked his breathing - he was semi-conscious and in immense pain. I shouted for one of the residents to get me towels and blankets and I wrapped these around him. I lay with him in the road holding his hand and kept talking to him so that he knew was safe. 

I stayed on the phone with emergency services, who directed me on how to check his heart-beat, and stem the bleeding. I stayed with him until the paramedics arrived and then thanked the people who helped me and went home, where I continued my day of planned meetings.

My purpose in life is to be prepared and make a difference. This is something that has remained with me since my time as a Guide, and I apply it to everything I do whether at work or at home. Helping someone in need and giving them reassurance at a time of vulnerability was my purpose that day. I remembered our motto, “Be prepared". Guides are ready to cope with anything that might come their way. Karen Davies

Our friends at Amey have shown that are different ways to be kind and helpful. When you think about how to live your Promise, think about the skills that you would need to get things done and make a difference. That will help give you a focus to challenge yourself, learn new skills and help people in your community.

For more ideas about how to help the people around you, check out Adventures at Home! We have lots of activities and challenges for girls of all ages.