Hero police officer helps arrange donations for hospitals and hospices
A hero police officer has collected and donated toiletries and other items to vulnerable people in hospitals and hospices amid the coronavirus crisis.
Pc Claire Bond, from Staffordshire Police, has handed out books, scarves, nail polish, jigsaws, and toiletries to those most in need.
She has been helped by her police colleagues – as well as businesses and people donating – to help make a difference.
Items have been dropped off at hospitals including Walsall Manor Hospital and Stafford County Hospital – as well as at St Giles Hospice and Donna Louise Hospice.
Pc Bond said she became inspired after reading a Facebook post about elderly patients not having the supplies they need.
She said: "I saw a Facebook post which said there's a ward at Walsall Manor Hospital where elderly people are sort-of locked in.
"At the time – due to the restrictions – they had no visitors and they can't get out. Due to coming in the ambulance they didn't have any toiletries and only had a gown.
"So they were asking for donations to help out so I got a few boxes at Cannock Police Station where people could donate.
Cheer
"I thought 'let's do this county wide' and we've had boxes all over the county and the Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) got involved.
"It started at a time where people were stuck and not sure what they could do to help. When we dropped off the items the nurses said it will really cheer somebody up to receive a package."
After donating to a range of hospitals, the donations were then handed out to hospices in need – who have suffered a drop in donations.
Mrs Bond said she wanted to make a difference following her incident – having previously raised £1,500 for Royal Stoke Hospital, where she was treated.
And she said the donations – which started six weeks ago – had been gracefully accepted by the hospitals and hospices which made it very emotional.
The police officer said: "If there's something I can get from my incident is if you can use your voice to create a ripple, you never know what that ripple turns into.
"All of this is just about taking care of the NHS in a way that a lot of us haven't really thought about.
"There's no-way I could've done it without everyone – it's been quite emotional, really."
Pc Bond said she wanted to ensure people's wellbeing was helped throughout the donations amid coronavirus.
