Celebrating Our Local NHS, Key Worker & Volunteer Heroes!

Earlier this month, our MD Doron Krips launched a Facebook competition to celebrate our local Dorset NHS, key worker and volunteer heroes risking their lives to protect us. As a token of our appreciation for keeping us safe, we asked members of the general public to nominate their local hero by telling us a little bit about them. We selected two winners, who each won our Family Meat Hamper worth £55, with each of nominators also winning one of our BBQ Packs worth £20.

We were overwhelmed by the incredible response and touched by everyone’s experiences. From NHS workers, care staff, teachers, delivery drivers, supermarket staff and more, we were in awe of the dedication and commitment displayed by the people going above and beyond to keep our local community safe.

Irene’s daughter and nominator, Samantha, collecting her order

We’re proud to reveal our winners, Irene Murphy – an NHS worker in Bournemouth Hospital, and Jan Tapley – a nurse working in a local care home.

Irene has worked at Royal Bournemouth Hospital for the last 24 years in various departments, from Sterile Services to working in the Orthopaedic Theatre as a health care assistant, assisting surgeons with instruments and sitting with patients whilst they have their procedures awake. In light of the COVID-19 crisis, she has been redeployed to the ICU department, working with both covid and non-covid patients. She works as a corridor person, assisting ICU nurses, collecting whatever they request which enables them to carry on with their work without having to constantly change     PPE. She continues to work long hours despite her own health issues, including fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease in her back.

Jan’s daughter and nominator, Jodie, collecting her order

Jan is a care home nurse working on the frontline to protect her extremely vulnerable residents. Trained in Winchester, she specialises in strokes and neurological conditions. She moved to Dorset 12 years ago and has been working in the management sector for local nursing homes since. She currently works as a nurse in a local care home, caring for 27 elderly patients, despite being unwell herself and being under a lot of pressure. She hasn’t seen her children for nearly 8 weeks because she wants to protect her vulnerable clients, putting them first.

It was a very difficult decision, but we want to thank everyone that participated. We appreciate everyone that has been working hard on the frontline during these challenging times.