Dame Esther Rantzen DBE and local businesses say thank you to COVID care heroes!

Staff at local charity The Rose Road Association have worked tirelessly this year in order to remain open and care for hundreds of local disabled children and young people throughout both waves of the COVID-19 crisis. Now as a thank you for all of their hard work patron, Dame Esther Rantzen DBE has written a letter to staff thanking them for all of their tremendous efforts, and local businesses have stepped forward to donate items for a thank you Hamper being presented to staff on the run up to Christmas.

Charity CEO Juno Hollyhock said “I am so very proud of every single member of staff here at Rose Road, they have continued to put our families first throughout COVID -19, often sacrificing their own wellbeing. Without their determination we would not have been able to remain open and serve our families as we have.”

Dame Esther Rantzen DBE, patron of Rose Road told staff “Juno has told me about your extraordinary efforts to ensure that Rose Road families receive the support that they so badly need at this time. You are real frontline champions for these families, I know how much they depend on you.”

The hampers have been made possible by many local businesses who have stepped forward and donated items to be presented to staff. Rose Road is very grateful to Paul Murray MBE and the team at Murray’s Health and Beauty, Irwin Mitchell LLP, The Daisy Chain Group, Abbotswood Pre-School & Day Nursery, Belinda Clarke Gourmet Marshmallows, Love your Selfie and Ribbons and Hythe and Dibden sewing groups.

The hampers include beauty products, Christmas food and drink, hand sewn face masks and much more.

Head of Care at the Charity Tina Fullbrook said “We really wanted to thank staff for going above and beyond at this time, and we are really grateful to all of the wonderful businesses who have donated. The current health crisis has really shown the whole community how vital frontline health and social care professionals are. It has been a real challenge to maintain our services at a time when our income has been vulnerable and with constantly changing guidance and rules, our staff have been true COVID-19 heroes!”