Gingers A to B

Air Ambulance (Thames Valley):  - we can probably all think of a time when they have arrived in response to a 999 call.  I know of two instances in our villages in the last 12 months - they are completely reliant on donations, with no Government funding at all.  As with the NHS Ambulance crews they have put themselves in danger of catching COVID19 with each call they have answered, and with all charities their fundraising events have been cut, but they have still attended every time they have been called out!  Thank you!

Ambulance Crew: Ambulance Crews of all sorts were in huge danger of infection from paramedics answering 999 calls to transport drivers taking patients to and from hospital.  Thank you all!

Amazon (and other) Delivery Drivers: We knew it wasn't safe to go to the shops, but that didn't stop us shopping from home - I had to buy felt and thread and ribbons for the gingers!!  The shopping delivery companies stepped up their game to cope with the increased demand and worked out non-contact deliveries and kept supplies coming to our doors!  Thank you!

Armed Forces: They have been called in to deliver food to the vulnerable and to administer COVID19 testing - not at all what they expected when they signed up, but they've done a great job!  Thank you!

Ben: This ginger is seen from behind - on 16th may we sadly lost a young dad well known in the villages and very involved.  He was one of our flood wardens in 2014 and this Ginger was based on a photo of him from then.  Goodbye Ben: the village wont be the same

Baker: From the staff at the big bread factories to the bakers in small artisan bakeries and village pubs bread never ran out, and our local pub baker even kept us supplied with flour when that threatened to run out (not the flour itself but the bags it gets distributed in!) Thank you!

Blood & Transplant Staff (NHS): Husband and I were giving blood on a Thursday night during lockdown.  I can't tell you how emotional it was to be there clapping with all  the other donors!  The need for blood didn't stop, so the donation events didn't stop even though there were all sorts of new procedures in place!  If you haven't donated and you can why not give it a go! https://www.blood.co.uk/

Builder: So many builders and construction crews kept working: we still need the Hospices and homes and schools they were working on so they kept building!  Thank you!

Bus Driver: We don't have a frequent bus service, but the driver we have (Horton only has the one bus) carried on all through lockdown - checking up on his regulars if they weren't at their usual place at the usual time, stopping to pick up anyone running to get to the bus stop, letting bus obsessed littlies sit in his seat, waving to anyone who waved at him.  Thank you Jason!

Gingers M to P

Midwives: This Ginger is to thanks all the Midwives and others working in Maternity Hospitals. Three young ladies in my extended family have had a baby in lockdown - giving birth at any time can be scary but in lockdown it must be so much worse!  Thank you to the awesome midwives who made their experiences as positive as possible (and welcome to the world to baby girls Aoife, Landry and Theia) 

Milkie: Where would we be without our Milkie?  I not only remember one from childhood, but we've had one for the 34 years we have lived here.  Most of the time it's a convenience but for the COVID months it's been an absolute essential for so many people.  The delivery organisations have stepped up to the mark and arranged contactless payments and online ordering, and have added many more groceries and essentials to their lists.  Thank you to all the Milkies

Mrs Mop: This Ginger might be a bit of a caricature, but she is to thank all the cleaners who are working in hospitals, care homes, hospices and other care facilities where their skills are so necessary to protect everyone

Nurses: Along with the other NHS Gingers, Nurses have been amazing - they have worked long hours coping with the usual diseases and injuries as well as the COVID19 patients at risk to themselves and their loved ones.  They have been asking for scrub bags so they can strip off all their uniform to wash it at high temperature without the risk of shaking any virus off in the family home!  We have asked so much of them and the have delivered - thank you all!

Pilots - air crews have in many cases been furloughed, but living under the flight path we know that planes are still flying.  They have gone to bring back residents who needed repatriation, or to return others to their home countries, to bring essential supplies that could come quicker by air: all with the risk that they can be infected.  Thank you to everyone involved in the air travel industry  

Police:  Along with the other members of the emergency services the Police have never stopped working.  From dealing with the increase in domestic violence and aggravated robbery, to the traffic jams caused by day trippers who thought it would be OK to go to the seaside during lockdown as well as the usual incidents that causes us to call 999 - they have been amazing!  Thank you

Posties - Where would we be without them?  I've been sending cards and small gifts to friends who have been having a tough time, and have received stuff back - its so lovely to know that when you drop an envelope through the red post box it will be collected, sorted, transported and delivered through the friends' letter box within just a few days -who knows how much infected stuff has ended up in the post but all the post office staff have done their magic day after day!  Thank you

Prison Officers and other similar employees have had to carry on working irrespective of COVID19: Prisoners have had to be monitored, cared for, fed and have access to the facilities such as laundry and exercise irrespective of what has been happening 'outside'.  Thank you!