Mid Sussex Times readers say thank you to coronavirus heroes

From bin men and supermarket staff to bus drivers and of course carers and NHS workers, we asked people to share a photo of people they wanted to thank – and we had a great response.

Kayleigh Robus thanked her mum, Barbara Funnell, and said: “Not only is she a teaching assistant at Warden Park Primary Academy, but she is also a carer for Caremark Mid Sussex. She’s an amazing lady and I am proud to call her my mum.”

Claire Houghton Wheeler thanked her partner, Ed Wheeler, for ‘working very hard to support their family’ while working at Tesco Express near The Orchards in Haywards Heath.

Sam Miller said she wanted to say a huge heartfelt thanks to her daughter, Ella, and all her amazing colleagues at Waitrose in Haywards Heath who have worked through the pandemic.

She added: “None of them were prepared mentally or physically for what has happened these past few months.

“They worked with calmness and kindness through all the panic buying and when new measures were introduced to keep people safe they also had to put up with verbal abuse from the small amount of people that thought it’s acceptable to treat another human like it.

“To all shop workers everywhere I just think you are amazing, to me you are all heroes.”

Melanie Jeffries said a massive thank you to her partner, Tim James. Tim works for Sainsbury’s as a delivery driver.

Melanie saaid: “He has been picking up shopping from 3am and has been delivering it since the start of lockdown. He only had three days off in the first seven weeks.

“Even when he’s done long days, often weeks in a row of shifts, he’s come home and been a wonderful father, finding time and the energy to play. He’s an unsung hero.”

Sarah Baker-kelly thanked all her co-workers at Mencap in Burgess Hill ‘for doing an excellent job during Covid-19 and keeping all our residents safe’.

Other readers who shared thank you messages included Kelly Hartfield. She thanked all the carers at Right at Home Mid Sussex and Everycare Mid Sussex who ‘go above and beyond and work very hard’, adding that they supported her when her father died from the virus in April.

Mary Emeny thanked all the carers of All Care West Sussex North for their ‘continued dedication to all of their customers throughout these hard times’.

Karin Alton said she would like to say thank you to all the staff at The Burnside Centre in Burgess Hill.

“They have been totally amazing and inspiring to all the disabled people who normally attend the day centre,” she said.

“They deserve our utmost gratitude and respect.”

Stephanie Bannon thanked Sarah Howland of The Stone Quarry Crew. She said: “Sarah and her crew came every day with hot meals for the elderly. An outstanding person and so worthy.”

Ken Berreen thanked Right at Home Mid Sussex: “Their carers have worked so hard throughout these difficult times and always with smiles on their faces.

“Supporting their clients, client families and each other so that they can provide top class care.”

Charity Mitchell thanked the ‘amazing’ plumbers and heating engineers that have worked throughout keeping us all with hot water and heating.

Louise Skelhorn thanked Shelley Ann and the team at Burgess Hill Rugby Club and said: “Shelley is an NHS worker but despite having her hands full at work she also organised care packages for the vulnerable in the community using donations that the rugby club collected.”

Karen Simmons thanked everyone at Compton House Nursing Home in Lindfield.

And Simone Hustwayte Angel thanked Right at Home Mid Sussex: “They have been continually working through Covid-19 and supporting people in their homes.”

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.