TWO Ardrossan women have launched an Amazon wishlist to help NHS staff, carers, key workers and people who are currently shielding.

‘Amazon Wishlist Gifting & Receiving Ayrshire’ is a Facebook group which was started just two weeks ago but has already attracted over 1,000 members from across Ayrshire who wish to gift vulnerable locals with something that will brighten their day.

Members set up a wish list on Amazon for items ranging from £1-£25 which is then posted in the group. Others view the items and who they will be going to – key workers, NHS staff, children, those shielding or carers – and decide if they want to send a small gift to those individuals.

Donna McGregor, a café worker, and Lorraine Findlay, a medical secretary at Crosshouse Hospital who is herself shielding, started the group.

Lorraine said: “Someone could post and say, my next door neighbour is caring for everyone in the street and gets my shopping for me twice a week. Someone would then say that’s fine, I’ll make the purchase for you.

“It could be a £2 face mask, a box of chocolates or bubble bath for kids, just the simplest of things that could make someone’s day when the Amazon man knocks at the door.

“It’s such a wee community now. We are getting people requesting from other places but we want to keep it Ayrshire-based.”

The women are helped by seven admin staff, from florists to hairdressers, and have arranged 185 deliveries so far. Lorraine is juggling the group with home-schooling her son who is in p3.

Lorraine said: “My wee boy got bath bombs and a set of fake tattoos as a gift so it’s nothing too expensive. People have been furloughed and everyone has different circumstances but it’s trying to push random acts of kindness, to gift a stranger and make someone’s day.

“I gifted a set of rainbow window stickers to a woman stuck in isolation and got a huge thank you from her.

“We also had our first baby born in the group! There was a girl in the group who was due to give birth so we all gifted her a little something. I think it got her through her last few days of pregnancy. It must be scary having a baby in the hospital right now.

“We want to congratulate Blair Bentley and her family on the birth of Baby Kennedy. It really is a support network.”