AN appeal has been launched giving thank you gift bags to Exeter’s incredible NHS staff.

Since launching the Thank You Exeter NHS appeal a month ago Sharon Pavey and her family have already co-ordinated the delivery of hundreds of bags, containing luxury pamper gifts and a thank you poem to grateful NHS staff. This includes the Nightingale Hospital and the covid wards at the RD and E.

“When the idea of bringing back the Clap for Carers was all over the news I started thinking about how I could reach the staff individually to say thank you to them,” said Sharon (47), a mum of three, who lives in Exeter.

“I felt really strongly that we needed to do something practical to say thank you to the NHS staff working so hard in our city and I realised that if I’m thinking this, there must be other people sat wanting to do something. We launched the appeal on Facebook (you can follow the ’Thank you Exeter NHS’ Facebook page) and Go Fund Me and it took off, with £1,450 raised already.

“This is a time when we all need to pull together as a community. We hope these small gifts will make a difference to our very own NHS heroes at the end of a long shift and show them just how much we appreciate everything they do for us. We are so grateful to everyone who has helped so far.”

GRATEFUL THANKS FROM STAFF

Sharon shared a message from a grateful nurse. “I’ve been nursing since 1985 and have never felt so exhausted, sad, low and emotional as I do right now. I cannot begin to tell you how it feels knowing that local people have our backs. I want you to know how very much it’s appreciated and how very grateful I personally am. It truly lifts the soul in very, very sad times."

Another message of thanks came from Susie Robert, who said: “My son came home from the Nightingale last night after a long and stressful shift and was so lifted by the goody bag. Lovely useful toiletries and delicious chocolates. He was aching all over but he said it was so good to feel appreciated.”

The Thank you Exeter NHS appeal is trying to reach as many of the thousands of NHS staff in Exeter as possible. “We can’t promise that we will reach every member of staff but the more support we get the more staff we can say thank you to,” said Sharon who was previously a fundraiser for St Margaret’s Hospice in Taunton.

HELPING IS EASY

It’s really easy to help, you can either order items direct and have them sent to Sharon’s home, addressing it to: Thank you Exeter NHS, 12 Celia Crescent, EX4 9DR. Or you can donate on the Go Fund Me Thank You Exeter NHS page, so Sharon can buy pamper items for the gift bags.

“We’ve heard from the nurses that they particularly need hand cream and lip balms,” said Sharon. “We also need gifts for men, they make up 30 per cent of the staff, but most of our gifts so far are for women. Male toiletries including things like shave balms, body sprays and moisturisers would be really helpful.”

Other key items for the gift bags are chocolates and sweets, cereal bars, shower gels, shampoos, luxury items like beauty face masks, bath salts, body sprays, bath bombs, bubble bath. Children have been making thank you cards to go in the bags, plus local crafters are making lavender hearts and other beautiful small handmade gifts. 

The appeal is keen to encourage people to support local businesses if possible. Many businesses offering these types of goods are still running and can deliver. Also, the appeal is being helped by the official RD and E Charity and wants donors to give in a Covid-secure way and urges people not to make extra journeys delivering goods. Please stay home and stay safe, which will help the NHS.