High Life Highland boss attacks 'false rumours' that they are refusing to let their sites be used as Covid-19vaccination locations; they have also moved to quash 'nonsense' that they are charging letting fees for their use in the likes of Beauly, Aviemore, Grantown, and Kingussie
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ANGRY leisure centre bosses have slammed "false rumours" that they have been refusing to use their bases as Covid vaccination sites.
High Life Highland (HLH) moved after rumours began circulating that they had refused access to its sites, or been charging letting fees for their use.
Steve Walsh, the organisation’s chief executive said he was “disappointed” to hear such “nonsense” – especially after the roles that High Life Highland sites had played in the region’s humanitarian efforts during the pandemic’s lockdowns.
He said: “I can’t tell you how disappointing this nonsense is. From the very start of the pandemic, HLH has worked in close partnership with both NHS Highland and the Highland Council in order to support local communities across the Highlands.
“Having extensively allowed the use of our facilities as humanitarian assistance centres, HLH has, and continues to offer sites to colleagues in NHS Highland for use as vaccination centres.
“To date, this had included vaccine centres in Grantown, Aviemore, Kingussie and Beauly with other locations having been on standby but not used. There have been no charges made for the hire of these locations, although in discussions with NHS Highland, the charity has agreed to work on a basic cost recovery basis purely associated with HLH staff supporting the locations.
“Since the start of the pandemic, HLH teams have worked and volunteered tirelessly to support communities. It is therefore very disappointing to hear misinformation about HLH refusing to open locations or charging letting fees for the use of locations, which is wholly inaccurate.
Mr Walsh concluded: “I need to be clear that as ever, any of HLH’s facilities, anytime, anywhere will be made available to colleagues in NHS Highland to carry out this important work.”
Louise Bussell, NHS Highland's chief officer for community services, added: "We are proud to be working with a number of partners delivering the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, including HighLife Highland, and we appreciate their support in letting venues across north Highland."
Related news: High Life Highland provides three venues to support coronavirus vaccine roll-out during the lockdown
