Eastbourne family provides hundreds of care packages for key workers

Tracie Owen, from Hampden Park, said she started making the packages with her family and friend Carly Warnett about a month ago, and now the project has ‘exploded’ and she has provided more than 100 of the boxes for workers.

Tracie’s family who are helping her from home includes children Courtney, Ashleigh, Ethan and Adan, husband Martin and her daughter’s boyfriend Colton.

She said, “There are a lot of people who are maybe not getting as much recognition as NHS workers, and a lot of people who aren’t seeing their family.

“Keyworkers are not just the NHS workers, there are a lot of forgotten heroes that need to know we appreciate them too.

“We may not know them personally, but we owe them so much. These packages are something to say ‘this is for you’.

“It’s just exploded and grew, really. It’s gone absolutely mad. It has been absolutely amazing. We want as many people to get these as we can.

“We have had so many lovely messages. Everybody has embraced it. We’re also doing behaviour certificates for children, and have had some delivered as far as Oxfordshire! We’ve got 265 boxes due out at the moment.”

Tracie said the boxes - which are filled with chocolates, biscuits, ear protectors, coffee, hand creams and more - are there for when workers ‘get five minutes where they can have a little bit of pampering’.

The mother-of-four said she is thankful for the ‘army of people’ who have been helping her organise and distribute the packages and is hoping for more support to be able to keep up with demand.

She said, “It’s running quicker than we can keep up with it. At first we were funding it ourselves but we have recently had donations, which has been brilliant. I don’t think people quite realised the interest we would get.

“I want to say a massive thank you for all the support we have already had, but we need more.

“There are so many ways you can help. If you can’t donate money, maybe you have some items you could spare or a few hours of your time.

“I cannot stress enough how much these packs mean to people, and we really want to get them out to as many as possible. What might seem insignificant to somebody can make a huge difference to someone else.”

“Thank you to anyone who can donate, even the smallest amount really will make a difference.”

So far, as of April 30, Tracie has raised £644 of her £1,500 target.

To get in touch with Tracie, visit her donations Facebook page www.facebook.com/donate/616295149099615/10157642431104877/ or email her on email [email protected].

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