Pollock Halls: Edinburgh University students asked to pitch in to deliver food to isolating classmates as company pulls out

Students at the University of Edinburgh were asked to sign up and help out after a company that was due to distribute food to isolating students at Pollock Halls pulls out.

A call went out to all students on Friday to help deliver 900 meals to all students who were isolating.

They were asked to turn up at Pollock Halls reception, where PPE and training would be provided for them.

Two slots were assigned to willing volunteers, Saturday morning between 8am and 10.30am and Sunday with the same time.

Organisers assured students that the time would be shorter if more volunteers took part.

The University claim that the distribution issue has been sorted and new arrangements in place from next week.

A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: “This weekend the University community has rallied to help distribute food to students that are self isolating.

Students were asked to help hand out food to isolating classmates in Pollock Halls.

"Thanks to their efforts, everyone is receiving their meals on time and no one is going without.

"The distribution issue that led to the call for volunteers is being resolved and new arrangements will be in place next week.”

Pollock Halls, which houses around 1,900 students, had a coronavirus out break in mid September with several students forced to self isolate.

Since the start of October, 11 higher education institutions in Scotland have seen an outbreak of the virus among their students, with 50 institutions across the UK testing positive.

At the time there was at least 4,000 students across Britain had tested positive, with the worst outbreaks seen in the North of England.

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