28 April 2021

A message from the Provost of Aberdeenshire

The dedication shown by staff across the council and the Health and Social Care Partnership, particularly over the past year, never fails to astound me.

Coronavirus has been overwhelming in many regards but the way they have responded, and continue to respond, has been nothing short of incredible.

Safety has underpinned that response. We have all had to adapt to new ways of working during the different stages of the pandemic, particularly those who have continued to provide face to face support for the most vulnerable in our community.

We have all had to learn how to operate safely in the shadow of coronavirus in every aspect of our duties, from changing the way our spaces work, the social distancing and protective equipment we are now using, and by putting measures in place to allow people to access services in new and different ways.

Many of the staff have been at the forefront of activity throughout the pandemic, while others have found themselves in new roles to make the continuation of services possible.

I want to thank everyone for the care and attention they have taken in delivering services, whether at the front line with customers, or providing support to allow those services to continue to be provided.

Collectively, your efforts have helped supress the virus in Aberdeenshire and undoubtedly saved lives.

But my heart goes out to those across Aberdeenshire who have been directly affected by coronavirus, particularly if you have lost a family member or a colleague. The pandemic has had an unforgettable and long-lasting impact that we must all learn from for the future.

As we head towards a ‘new normal’ the importance of safety must never diminish and of course must continue to apply to all aspects of our work in the future.

For today, we remember those who are no longer with us. Please feel free to join us in a minute’s silence at noon, or at any point today.

Cllr Bill Howatson
Provost of Aberdeenshire