Mutual respect
NHS staff at Berwick Infirmary, a community hospital in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, were treated to an extra special ‘clap for carers’ when colleagues from Berwick-Upon-Tweed Delivery Office pulled up outside to lead the applause.
When a friend of Berwick postman, Graeme Jerdan, saw a video on Facebook of a Royal Mail van convoy, he contacted Graeme, saying: “How do you like the look of this?“ Graeme answered saying he wanted to organise a similar convoy to thank NHS staff on the last day of the nationwide Clap for Carers campaign.
‘My manager said it was a great idea and so we put the word out asking who would be interested,’ said Graeme. ‘We asked for drivers for 17 vans, and immediately got the numbers we needed. We ensured all the vans were clean and sparkling, and then told staff at Berwick Infirmary of our plan – they were really excited by the idea. We also told the police of our intentions and publicized the plan on Facebook. The response was brilliant.
‘On the night, we drove up in front of the hospital and were joined by the Fire Brigade, the ambulance service and even a crane! It was really impressive. At 8pm, we did the applause, then out of the blue, the NHS staff started applauding us. It was so unexpected and moving.’
Press play to watch the convoy in action. After the team left Berwick Infirmary, they then visited a number of care homes around the town, including, Albury House, La Cura Care Home, King James Court, Tweedmouth House, Garden House, Hillside Lodge and Turret Villa.
‘As we drove around the town passing care homes, it was amazing to see how many people came out of their houses to clap and cheer us, holding up their banners and signs to show us their support,’ said Graeme.
‘When we got back to the depot, everyone was on a high with how well it had gone and how much support the public had shown us. It was a great morale boost for the office to see how much we were and are appreciated.’
Berwick-Upon-Tweed delivery office manager, Nicholas Smiles, said: ‘We decided on the final week of the Clap for Carers campaign that we would show our appreciation for the NHS and care workers in our own special way. We all know just how tremendously hard the NHS has been working and how many countless lives they have saved over the course of the pandemic.
‘The response to our convoy was in a word, unbelievable, with the streets we passed lined with customers cheering us on. It not only gave me, personally, a massive morale boost, but it also lifted the spirits of everyone who took part. To feel appreciated in any way, never mind like this, goes a long way.
‘The team at Berwick-Upon-Tweed Delivery Office have been stupendous from day one. They have not only done Berwick-Upon-Tweed proud, but they have also been fantastic assets to Royal Mail. I can’t thank them enough for sticking together through these unprecedented times and delivering an amazing service for our customers.’
