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!