FOUR THOUSAND bunches of flowers among gifts showered on KGH staff

Some staff have been in tears because of the thoughtful donations.

Kettering General Hospital and its staff have been showered with gifts and donations to say thank you for their herculean efforts during the coronavirus emergency.

A staggering four thousand flowers have been donated to the hospital this week as well as food donations from supermarkets and big name retailers who are all keen to help out and show their appreciation to the staff who are fighting the daily battle to help patients with coronavirus as well as treating ill patients.

Local ice cream seller Gallones is also now delivering in food packages twice a weekly for busy staff who do not have time to get to the supermarket. The boxes are filled with practical items such as loo roll, milk, bread and toiletries and the ice cream freezers are also stocked with things such as frozen pizza for those in need of a meal.

The Government has ordered everyone to social distance.

The hospital has set up a wellbeing task force to make sure the donations get to the right place and also to make sure its staff mental health and wellbeing is made a priority at what will be for most the hardest time of their professional career.

Team member Alice Powers said: “The wellbeing task force has just been set up this week and is dedicated to our staff. We are trying to put things in place to help them with what is happening now and what may happen in the future.

The flowers were donated by three supermarkets and have been well received and made a few people cry.

“We have also had 7,000 biscuits from Greggs as well as donations of chocolate and food from supermarkets.

“We have been making it into packs for each department to use.

“Gallones have also been amazing. They have thought of everything and even frozen some items so they are ready to use for when our staff go home.”

The hospital has 4,000 staff at its site on Rothwell Road in Kettering. The hospital has this week doubled its number of intensive care beds from 15 to 30 as it prepares for an influx of covid 19 positive patients.

There are currently 64 recorded cases in Northamptonshire, however the real number is thought to be much higher as many are only being tested once admitted to a hospital.

It was revealed today Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both contracted the disease.

To contact the KGH wellbeing task force that is coordinating donations call 01536 491076.