Pulling Record Data Into Block?

[meso]

We have been struggling with this for a while now and I'm hoping someone may have done something similar at this point.

I am looking to create a sidebar block, which pulls through fields from the record database (in this case contact information). However, using record tags such as

{$record->customFieldDisplayByKey('content')}

Doesn't return the value.

I assume this is because there is no Dispatcher being run on the blocks? And while we're able to use the dispatcher in this sense on other areas of the site, as soon as we try put the dispatcher into a block - it doesn't work.

Is there a way to pull through a record's data to a sidebar block? Surely this must be something that is possible?

Thanks