Ardentinny and COVID-19

Like many other communities country-wide, Ardentinny has risen to the challenge of this crisis with speed and alacrity. An online community forum was established mid-March with the intention of informing and supporting.

The Community Council called for volunteers to help with shopping, prescription delivery, dog walking, telephone support etc. for the vulnerable and self isolating and then circulated a list of same to every household. Both the forum and the volunteer effort are testimony to the spirit and generosity of the community.

The Walled Garden is closed indefinitely. The public toilets have been closed in accordance with an Argyll and Bute Council Directive.

After camper vans and visitors descended at the weekend, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, of which Ardentinny is a part, closed to visitors. Local Park representative, Bob Darracott, was active in liaising with The National Park and Forestry Land Scotland to ensure that this happened on the ground.

With confirmed cases of the virus now in Cowal it is imperative that everyone maintains the recommended precautionary measures.

Scottish Government Coronavirus Information

March 22, 2020February 28, 2026

Please see Ardentinny Residents’ Forum for updates

During the current COVID-19 crisis please visit the Ardentinny Residents’ Forum for the latest local updates. If you need help or advice or simply want to start a chat, you can do so on the page. We are sharing from other local sources as much information as possible updated throughout the day.

We’re also sharing posts to our Ardentinny Facebook page. You don’t need a facebook account to view the posts.

Stay safe out there and please remember social distancing – that’s keeping at least 2 metres (6 feet) from others. It’s not rude to keep your distance.. it’s common sense!

March 20, 2020February 28, 2026

Community Council emergency action plan & general advice

The following has been received from Ardentinny Community Council:

Ardentinny Community Council Emergency Action Plan and General Advice

As you are no doubt aware the coronavirus outbreak will affect everyone at some point within the village, the current advice as per the NHS Scotland website https://www.nhsinform.scot/ is as follows:

If you’ve developed a continuous cough or fever/high temperature in the last 7 days, stay at home for 7 days from the day your symptoms started.

If your symptoms are severe and you experience breathlessness or the condition it worsens.

Then phone your GP or if your GP is closed NHS 24 (111)

If you must stay at home for 7- or 14-day period you shouldn’t go to work, school or public areas.

Please note the information noted above is changing on a daily basis and therefore everyone should pay close attention to the news and were possible look on https://www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus

The village emergency plan

The village have a list of volunteers within the community these volunteers are there to help some of them are themselves self-isolating however the contact listed delivered (to homes) contains details of what each volunteer can do.

If you are self-isolating or are within an at-risk group then please make contact with both the coordinator and any of the volunteers, and provide them with your details.

What to do if you are self-isolating or in an at-risk category

The very first step which everyone should be considering now is setting up a buddy system with your closest neighbours, make a point of speaking on a daily basis either by phone or over the fence, this may not be possible in some areas but in a lot of areas where there are houses close together this will also ensure no one is left on their own.

Secondly, if you are isolating contact myself (Neil Robinson), the coordinator to ensure I know you are in isolation for whatever reason, likewise if you do come out of isolation please let me know so I can up date the village list.

Everyone in the village should keep the coordinator updated regarding coming in and out of isolation.

Finally if you are in isolation for any reason after letting the coordinator know, have a read through the contacts list that will be hand delivered to each household in the Ardentinny area. We are a small community, it is unlikely there is no one on the list you know, simply find someone you are comfortable speaking with and make direct contact.

If there is no one on the list you know then please ring me the coordinator my contact details are at the very top of the list.

What can the volunteers do?

The volunteers can do quite a lot, they should contact those at risk daily this may be just a phone call, a chat or a visit but ensure we all remain fit and well and have enough supplies to last however long the virus remains.

Some of the volunteers can collect shopping some will assist with gardening, IT issues Just ask

Please use the group and do not think you are putting anyone out, we are all in this together so even if its just a chat please use the numbers (in the list) and give someone a call.

Please remember anyone who is either in an at-risk group or self-isolating should contact the coordinator so that the villages current standing with regards the virus can be managed.

Please do not publish the (hand delivered) contact details on social media everyone will receive a hard copy through their door containing contact details.

If your struggling to cope or just need to chat please ring.

Useful Resource: Ardentinny Residents’ Forum. Click here.

March 18, 2020February 28, 2026

Ardentinny Community Council Emergency Action Plan call for volunteers

Received from Ardentinny Community Council:

As you are no doubt aware the coronavirus outbreak is starting to affect everyone in the Ardentinny community council area with this in mind the community council is in the process of creating a plan within which those most at risk or those with symptoms who are self-isolating can get hold of basic provisions, prescriptions and be contacted on a daily basis to make sure everyone stays as health as possible and has at least one person they can contact in case they do need anything.

Prior to putting the plan in place the main requirement will be to get a centralised list of volunteers and a central coordinator who can control any funds they might have which volunteers and those in need can get access to.

This announcement is asking for volunteers. As convenor and not being in the main at risk category I am more than happy to act as coordinator for the group.

If you would like to volunteer please email me at ardentinnycc@gmail.com I will need the following details so I can put the master list together.

Details required:

Name:
Address:
Home phone number:
Mobile number:
Email Address:
Are you in an at-risk category
Are you already self-isolating
Times you are available
What you are willing to do (see note 1)

Note 1: what are you willing to do?

This needs to be fairly short however just because a person is self-isolating or at risk this does not discount them from becoming a volunteer they could simply volunteer to ring people at risk and stay in contact with others self-isolating this might be the case where some people don’t know many other people in the village.

If you are willing to drive and pick up supplies, then this should be noted.

if you have it skills and are willing to get older people or personal without it know how get on line then that could be noted and could be a big help early days

Please note that your contact details will be published on the hand delivered letter but not on Facebook or other websites were I will just publish your name, this may sound bad but we do still have to think about everyone’s data protection

An online Ardentinny Residents Forum has been created here. If you are not already a member, please consider joining. This will enable everyone to be kept up to date with developments and to interact online with others in the community.

March 4, 2020February 28, 2026

Does Ardentinny want more nuclear waste on its doorstep?

The UK government intends to increase the number of nuclear submarines on the Clyde; is currently building a nuclear support hub to centralise its radioactive waste handling facilities and radiochemistry laboratories at Faslane; and plans to undertake submarine maintenance work at Coulport resulting in an increase of waste discharges of up to 50%.

Consequently the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has applied to SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) for approval to dispose of radioactive waste streams that could be generated at Faslane and Coulport. This HMNB Clyde application is now out to public consultation which can be found here and closes on 13 March 2020. Alternatively, consultation responses can be made in writing to SEPA no later than 6 March 2020.

As the design of SEPA’s online consultation form precludes sight of following questions until the current question is answered, we provide all the questions below along with information you may wish to consider before making a response.It is estimated that HMNB Clyde is currently discharging 5,000,000 litres x 1,000Bq = 5 billion Bq of tritium annually into the Gare Loch. If the number of submarines doubles, as planned, future discharge is also expected to double resulting in a tritium discharge of 10 billion Bq per year. *

Dangers of tritium.

Tritium is a low energy beta emitter – its particles are unable to penetrate the skin. However, it can be a radiation hazard if inhaled, ingested via food or water, or absorbed through the skin. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium).

Therefore the proposed increases in tritium discharge pose increased radiation risks.

The plan to make Faslane the UK base for nuclear waste disposal will not only increase the quantity and concomitant risk of nuclear waste at Faslane but also on UK’s roads over which it is transported .

It is proposed to reduce the annual rolling limit by 50%

The occasional need to transport nuclear waste by road to Faslane from Coulport increases risk to the public.

The proposal is to agree suitable routes for liquid waste disposal from Coulport to Faslane or to dispose of it as a general effluent.

The proposals see some maintenance of nuclear submarines being carried out at Coulport situated opposite Ardentinny’s sandy beach where families play in and around Loch Long. There are also visiting children and adults from Ardentinny Outdoor Centre participating in water sports on the Loch. Any additional nuclear waste in Loch Long has the potential to impact these user groups along with the loch’s flora and fauna.

Remember that the consultation closes on 13 March, 2020.

* Risk of Radiation Working Group, Scottish CND.

Click here to respond to the SEPA Consultation.

Click here to write to SEPA to oppose radioactive waste disposal from HMNB Clyde.