Below are just some of the positive stories that came out of the early days of the pandemic, when local people and businesses supported those in need.

Local effort supports national ‘For The Love of Scrubs’ movement

Kate Collet-Fenson, Director at Aston Hearing, set up a local group to support a national effort started by nurse Ashleigh Linsdell to make scrubs and accessories for the NHS frontline.

The ‘For The Love of Scrubs’ movement was created by Ashleigh Linsdell after identifying a shortage in supply for scrubs to frontline NHS staff during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Kate got to work in creating a local Loosley Row group near Princes Risborough, complete with neighbours, friends (and friends of friends) Aston Hearing’s team members and clients. They are supporting local care workers, GP surgeries and NHS departments, including the Fremantle Trust care home. At the time of writing, they have donated approximately 150 scrub bags and 100-plus headbands.

They have also been supported by other small businesses in the community, including:

• Vicki Scoble from Pot-tastic, who has made hundreds of beautiful ceramic ‘thank you’ hangers for frontline staff
• Alpa Boll of Simply Alpa, who normally makes wedding cakes, but is now making special iced ‘thank you’ cookies to go out with the care packages

Anyone interested in finding out more about the local group can visit the Just Giving page.

You can find out more about the national ‘For The Love of Scrubs’ movement on the Facebook page.

Kate says: “The most humbling experience is talking to those calling with requests. They are desperate, emotional, grateful and overwhelmed by offers of support. Our homemade makes are wonky and not perfect but love and care oozes from every seam.

“This virus is not the only thing running rife and infecting our communities - it is being overcome by the epidemic of love, compassion and care that is way more powerful and doubly infectious.”

Live-in carer hosts Zoom birthday tea and bingo party for her client’s 94th birthday!

Ashridge Home Care has shared the below story about how one of their live-in carers has helped a 94-year-old client adapt to social distancing.

By Ashridge Home Care

35-year-old live-in carer Vikki came to work with Ashridge Home Care 15 months ago when a friend recommended her. “You’re a carer at heart, come and join me”, said her friend who was already working with Ashridge. For over a year now, Vikki has been living with the same client she was matched with in the first week. Vikki has a great relationship with her client and they have a lot of fun together.

They have not let the current situation dampen their spirits, not even when it was time to celebrate her client’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. She was turning 94, but due to the coronavirus was unable to see her lovely friends and family for a traditional birthday celebration. So instead, Vikki sent out invitations for a virtual Zoom party. On a Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 PM, friends and family logged on and had a traditional afternoon tea together followed by a fun round of bingo. People from all over the country joined in - from Buckinghamshire, Oxford and Cumbria - including her children and grandchildren. Vikki ensured her client still had the best day possible.

Vikki was matched with her client who had lost her husband a couple of years previously and had since had a terrible time with other caregivers. They both now thrive on their relationship and Vikki ensures her client still lives an intellectually challenging life. In the current climate, they are still able to go for their once-daily exercise for a good dose of Vitamin D, they love to do the crossword in the Telegraph together, and have been taking advantage of the free museum tours that are currently available as well as streaming live musical theatre and playing stimulating games such as Rummikub and Scrabble.  

Feedback from the family on Vikki’s role as a live-in carer has been very positive: “She is by a country mile the best carer we’ve had for mum. We’ve discussed this and come up with the following points about Vikki: cheerful, enthusiastic, proactive and energetic, has high standards, provides stimulating conversation and is a good judge of how much to encourage mum to do things.”

Vikki has a strong background in the care industry having worked at various levels in residential children’s care homes since she was 19. She also worked in a special educational needs school alongside her mother, managed the children’s activity provision at hotel chains in Greece and then moved across into the elderly care sector for Age UK for many years. 

Vikki says: “The vulnerability aspect of children is similar to the needs of the elderly and I fancied a change into a different sector, which is why I moved to Age UK.

“Being a carer who is entrusted to helping enrich someone’s life is such an honour! For me, caring without caring just isn’t possible; it’s all about putting my knowledge, experience and passion into getting the little things right for each and every one of my clients. Knowing that the care, compassion and simple smile on my face can bring joy and happiness to someone else is priceless. The moments when I reflect back and see how I’ve positively impacted their lives are what caregiving is all about.

“Although my current client doesn’t suffer from a debilitating disease such as Dementia or Parkinsons, she gets just as much out of having a live-in carer as someone very ill would. We have a daily routine and I manage the daily routine, cooking for us and managing household chores as well as her medical needs and medication.

“Ashridge are a fantastic company to work with. Even though most of my certificates were up to date, I undertook a rigorous training schedule and they even arranged some specific online training for certain conditions my client was dealing with so I could help her better. Her family interviewed me by telephone before I met my client and they generally ensured we were a good match.”

New app launched to connect communities

Local entrepreneur Peter Gandy, Managing Director of digital marketing agency Reason, have created a free app to connect communities to help people support each other. Individuals can volunteer or request help from their neighbourhood heroes.

Read more about the app here.

Buckinghamshire businesses stepping up to COVID-19 fight

Good Fabrications leapt into action to help provide crucial connectors which join ventilators to hospitals’ oxygen supplies, ensuring Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust could start using their ventilators sooner than expected.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust had managed to source ventilators for Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury. However the connectors to link them to the hospital's oxygen supply were not expected to arrive for several weeks.

The Trust’s head of Clinical Engineering, Stephen Squire, said: “Within 12 hours, Good Fabs had designed a prototype connector ready to go into production. At this point, Cavey Laboratories, a Formula 1 partner based in Guildford, were called on to take over the manufacture of the part.”

The two companies worked flat out for four days to make the critical valves which were delivered to Stoke Mandeville on Good Friday, meaning the new ventilators were being used in intensive care wards in time for Easter weekend. Read the full story on Good Fabrication’s website.

Sabeti Wain transform production to make PPE for NHS workers

Sabeti Wain Aerospace Ltd, an airline seat cover company, has adapted its output to make personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS workers.

The High Wycombe-based company is manufacturing thousands of surgical scrubs for doctors and nurses battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company wanted to offer support for medics and this offer was passed to the local health authority by their MP. At the company's four factories around the country, 500 Sabeti Wain employees leapt into action and, despite an offer to stay off work on full pay, they kept working to make the vital PPE for frontline staff.

Read more about this story on Sabeti Wain's website.

Stay informed of the latest business support

Remember to visit our COVID-19 business support hub for the latest support and information.