IT was one of the heartwarming aspects of lockdown. As the country faced weeks of restrictions, a wave of community spirit took hold and brought out the best in people.
One group started out just days after lockdown by chance. When the Fountain Bar in Aberfeldy was among thousands of pubs and restaurants having to close their doors, they found themselves with surplus food.
Bar owner and Elgin City FC manager Gavin Price, now MBE, and his team decided to cook up some meals for people in Aberfeldy who were either vulnerable or being told to shield.
However, more than 40,000 meals and nine months later they are still working hard for their community and have ended the year with a Christmas toy appeal.
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Volunteers were not hard to find as they received offers of help to prepare and deliver meals and the whole town got behind the project which became known as Feldy-Roo. One volunteer couple even got engaged. Jenni Ross, 25, and Johnny Penfold, 31, had already been a couple for more than three years when they started volunteering from week one through the Watermill Bookshop. During lockdown they grew even stronger and Mr Penfold decided to pop the question on Ms Ross’s birthday in July.
And when the delayed Queen's Birthday Honours were revealed in October, Mr Price was awarded an MBE for his services to the community during the coronavirus crisis - an honour which he immediately dedicated to the entire Feldy-Roo team and the town.
The community group mobilsed and secured funding to ensure they could run the meal delivery until the end of July when shielding came to and end.
They made special trips to wish pensioners happy birthday and with the help of the local Co-Op were able to drop off packs with essential items such as bread and milk and even delivered editions of the Herald on Sunday. Local businesses took turn cooking up dishes including The Watermill Bookshop, Cafe & Gallery, Aberfeldy, Chillies Aberfeldy, Three Lemons, The Tay, The Old Filling Station and Thyme to Eat.
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At the beginning of December Feldy-Roo linked up with the Breadalbane Community Library with the aim of trying to get Christmas presents for families who might be struggling after a challenging year.
As was the response during early lockdown, the community has once again rallied with dozens of toys being donated.
The Aberfeldy Scout Group were then on hand to get all the presents wrapped.
A Feldy-Roo spokesman said: "Aberfeldy at it's best yet again this year. The generosity of our community and groups working together to make a difference this Christmas.
"The response, has quite simply been phenomenal. We have had literally hundreds of presents handed in throughout the weekend. Aberfeldy, and our fantastic community have once again come up trumps."
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