Halesowen housing complex welcomes back self-isolating residents
Residents at a Halesowen sheltered housing complex have thanked their neighbouring food store for providing a lifeline during lockdown now they are able to return to see the team in person.
Colleagues at the Central England Co-op in Spies Lane have been going above and beyond to make sure locals have access to food and vital essentials during the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the close-knit team have also made sure they have kept in touch with those vulnerable members of their community and those regular customers who have had to self-isolate during lockdown so could not visit them in store.
That includes residents at Pegasus Court in the town, whose residents have thanked the Spies Lane Central England Co-op team after the retail heroes donated care packages, dropped off flowers and delivered shopping to the complex to give them a lockdown morale boost.
The acting store manager at Spies Lane, Jessica Head, said: “I came in to lead the team in April and the they had already set up a relationship with the ladies over at Pegasus Court. A lot of them are regular customers and had to self-isolate so the team would take over their shopping at the end f their shift.
“When we heard that the residents would get together at 11am every day for socially distanced tea and cake we thought we would put together a bit of care package as a nice treat for them with tea, coffee and treats.
“Also, when we joined in the clap for carers every Thursday the residents would pop out into their courtyard and join in, so we thought it would be nice when they did that one week to drop over some flowers for them.
“A lot of them were able to come back in store for the first time last week and they dropped off a letter thanking the team for their support during lockdown which was really lovely to receive.”
The letter from the residents at Pegasus Court thanked the Spies Lane Co-op team for their ‘thoughtfulness and kindness’ shown to them over the last few months.
It said: “We have appreciated the boys and girls who have delivered our orders. They brought fun and freshness to break up the tedium of lockdown.
“No doubt we will continue to enjoy the convenience and friendliness of ‘our’ co-op.”
Jessica said her team have really come together during these uncertain times and have been determined to show their appreciation for fellow key workers.
She said: “We are quite a new team really as I brought colleagues with me from old store at Brandhall, but we have managed to get through everything together and they have been fantastic for me and the community.
“We have supported the community wherever we can and also shown our appreciation to the NHS and our care workers by joining the weekly clap for carers and even painting a message thanking the NHS and key workers on our fence which can be seen by people driving past and it has had some really nice feedback.”