A retreat for kids and their families with life altering illnesses has handed over its base to the NHS.
Whiteleys, on the outskirts of Ayr, is being used as a temporary support for frontline health workers.
Staff, many of them parachuted into Ayrshire to battle the ongoing coronavirus crisis, are making use of the respite centre’s cottages.
Whiteleys CEO, Maxine Allan, said: “We’re doing what we can to support those on the front line.
“We had to take the decision to pause our own respite services here in order to protect visiting families, staff and volunteers.
“Families with vulnerable high-risk children must and have been advised to self-isolate at home.
“But rather than have cottages sitting empty during the critical period, we quickly contacted NHS Ayrshire & Arran to see how we could help.”
And a string of a medics have already used Whiteleys to bunk down.
Maxine added: “We are hugely conscious of the extremely heavy burden on our NHS staff and their medical services during this pandemic and we needed to help.
“I have been liaising with Crosshouse Paediatric Department, Rainbow House, Irvine and Ayr Hospital.
“The NHS team will be using the accommodation for their staff needs during this critical period.
“Whiteleys was created through community spirit – we must continue to work together as a community to get through this crisis and do whatever we can to help our NHS.
“I am confident that our supporters and donors over the past years will be behind us in this decision.”
