TWO good causes have teamed up to deliver soap to people in former mining communities.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) is helping Govan-based charity Glasgow the Caring City get bars of soap to the people that need them in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

The trust said that while health experts are advising folks that one of the most important things in preventing the spread of Covid-19 is to wash hands thoroughly and regularly with soap, it is hard to come by due to unprecedented demand.

Glasgow the Caring City was set up two decades ago to help communities across the globe in the wake of natural disasters or civil conflict with one of its initiatives, SoapAid, focusing on hygiene.

The charity has rolled out this service across Scotland in the wake of the crisis and contacted CRT to see if it could help distribute soap in smaller towns and villages.

Groups in former mining communities have been receiving deliveries of soap free of charge, dropped off by volunteers.

This included Kincardine Community Association (KCA), which runs the town's community centre.

Mike Trevett, social enterprise manager at KCA, said: "KCA are currently delivering food provisions to those most in need in the village and we would like to thank CRT for organising this delivery of soap, it is very much appreciated."

Gary Porter, development manager for regeneration at the trust, added: "We were really keen to help when Ross from Glasgow the Caring City got in touch to say that while they were getting SoapAid packages to urban areas in central Scotland, they realised there was a demand in former mining communities in other parts of the country, such as Fife and Ayrshire.

"He asked if we could assist in getting packages to those areas, so we got in touch with the community groups we work with and they in-turn contacted Ross."

In total about 90,000 pack have been distributed across Scotland so far, around 8,000 going to coalfields areas with the numbers growing each day.

Gary added: "It's great to see so many SoapAid packages going to people who really need it.

"We want to do everything we can to support former mining communities during such challenging times as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and this is one example of how we can help by collaborating with a great charity."

Ross Galbraith, of Glasgow the Caring City, said he "never thought" the charity, which usually delivers packages in disaster hit areas and war zones, would be sending out SoapAid in Scotland.

"But coronavirus has changed everything and, as the government has said, washing hands with soap and water is the way to try to break the chain of viral transmission", he added.

"Soap is the greatest tool we have in the fight against this virus."