THE coronavirus outbreak has sparked acts of kindness across the globe as well as panic-buying. Here are just a few examples.

SCOTTISH social enterprise Social Bite has transformed its operations into a nationwide delivery centre and is distributing more than 3000 fresh food packs each day to the homeless and other vulnerable people. Founder Josh Littlejohn has now appealed for £100,000 worth of support to keep his scheme going for the next three months.

“It’s now not just homeless people who are in need but people who suddenly find themselves out of work or parents trying to feed their children who get free school meals,”

he said, adding that tour operators were now offering their minibuses to help distribute the packs.

“We are also in talks to supply toilet rolls and paracetamol along with the food packs,” he said.

IN Aberdeen, four charities are working together to “feed the city”.

Aberdeen Cyrenians, CFINE, Social Bite and Aberdeen Foyer have teamed up to help those in need due to the pandemic.

Baby items, toiletries and clothing as well as food will be delivered to those who are struggling. People needing help can phone 0300 300 0903 and choose option eight or apply online for a home delivery at AC2U.org.

SHOPS around Scotland are going the extra mile to serve their communities. A shop in Edinburgh’s Drylaw has been giving away free products worth thousands of pounds to the elderly, providing them with paracetamol, toilet roll and antibacterial hand wash. “We just want to set a good example at this worrying time,” said owner Zahid Iqbal.

A STORE in Stenhousemuir has also given away thousands of pounds worth of free supplies to pensioners in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. Free antibacterial hand gel, face masks and cleaning wipes have been supplied, costing the business around £2,000 according to Asiyah and Jawad Javed, who run the shop.

AT Dunbeg Stores near Oban, staff are making frequent trips to Connel Surgery to collect prescriptions for their regular customers.

When they appealed for face masks for protection, other local businesses came to the rescue and gave so many masks that spares were handed out to the elderly.

Murray Young, who has been running the shop for 20 years, said staff were delivering papers, groceries, prescriptions, bottled gas and coal.

ACROSS the world, Facebook groups have been set up to support vulnerable people during the pandemic.

The Kindness Pandemic Facebook group which began on March 14 already has nearly 100,000 members across the globe who are helping to lift each other’s mood by sharing small acts of kindness they have seen or done.

“Kindness won’t make Covid-19 go away, but it will make our lives easier and more rewarding,” said founder Dr Catherine Barrett.

A NEW Facebook group has been set up in Edinburgh to connect volunteers who want to help vulnerable people through the coronavirus crisis. Set up by Torben Hutchings, who is originally from Denmark and describes himself as an “occasional Viking”, it had 300 members within hours of its launch. The Coronavirus Volunteering Group Edinburgh aims to connect people within their communities, whether they are students or long-term residents.

IN Canada, the Kindness Pandemic Facebook group has sparked a trend called “caremongering”. More than 35 groups were set up in just 72 hours.

“Scaremongering is a big problem,” said Valentina Harper, who helped set up the first group.

“We wanted to switch that around and get people to connect on a positive level, to connect with each other.

“It’s spread the opposite of panic in people, brought out community and camaraderie and allowed us to tackle the needs of those who are at risk all the time – now more than ever.”

IN Australia, a charity called Where There’s a Will has launched an “adopt an oldie” initiative that pairs up people in their communities with vulnerable citizens to deliver medication, groceries and other necessities.

Meanwhile, Sydney florist MiriklisPavlou is giving away free bouquets of flowers to elderly people shopping at the designated seniors’ hour at the nearby supermarket.

She is also offering fruit and vegetable delivery.

MANY users of social media have shared videos of Italians who are boosting spirits with community singing from their balconies.

Elsewhere in Italy, holiday apartment owners have responded to an initiative giving the apartments rent-free to medical staff at nearby hospitals so they do not have to travel home and put their families at risk from infection.

Meanwhile, in southern Spain, a fitness instructor is leading exercise classes from a low roof in the middle of an apartment complex, with residents joining in on their balconies.

CHEFS around the world are cooking up ways to help those in need. American chef Jose Andres has converted his restaurants into community kitchens offering meals for people who are struggling, while Italian Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura has begun Kitchen Quarantine, an Instagram series teaching basic recipes to would-be cooks who are stuck at home. In England, Sikhs in Slough are supplying food to people at risk of going without and the Sikh community in New York has already sent out 30,000 meals to people in isolation.

ACROSS the water in Ireland, volunteers are using the hashtag #SelfIsolationHelp to offer help and run messages for people who are self-isolating.