Page 42 - EM-Issue-90

Online Written by Tony Hales
Provincial Communications Team

A SNACK IN TIME HELPS COVID WARD FRONT LINE

ssex Freemason, David Wiles, was at the till paying for petrol, when
Ethe cashier asked if he would like to buy a snack bar for the nursing
staff who were not even getting to eat on the Covid wards at Broomfield
Hospital, near Chelmsford, just a few miles away. A paramedic in the
queue behind David confirmed this was indeed the case. So, David
bought 10 snack bars there and then.
Being the Charity Steward for Rosslyn Lodge No 1543, which meets in Braintree,
David immediately posted what had happened on his Lodge’s WhatsApp page.
The story was picked up by all the Lodge members and within a week they had
chipped-in £25 each, raised £500 and bought 240 snack bars and 120 cans of
energy drinks which David delivered to Broomfield Hospital on Friday 8th January
2021.

Received by Nurse Lauren Dicker and her colleagues on Heybridge Covid
Ward, David and his fellow Essex Freemasons from Rosslyn Lodge were
thanked by Lauren for all their efforts and support.

Just 22 years old, Nurse Lauren, who has had Covid herself and returned
to the front line, completes 12 to 14 hour shifts and had worked every day
for the last seven consecutive days. After her shifts she distributes food
and helps raise charitable donations online for PPE and other equipment
and so does not get a lot of sleep before going back onto the Ward.
“An absolute superstar” were the words used by Stewart Nardi of
Rosslyn Lodge when he told BBC Essex about Lauren and continued
“We will be doing this again very soon”. Lodge Secretary, Mike Hall, is
proud of the support of the Lodge members saying that they were all
‘chuffed to bits’ especially when Lauren said “We thought we had been
forgotten!”

NHS Donation by Orsett Lodge

The members of Orsett Lodge have raised funds to
purchase goods for the NHS nurses, who are currently
working with PPE during this pandemic. We were able to
supply energy drinks and energy bars for nurses on Covid
wards as they are suffering from fatigue due to the long
hours.

Along with hand cream, moisturizer, and lip balm due to
the cracking of hands and lips due to the constant use of
sanitizer, and the wearing of gloves and mask.

Along with a £100 donation from Costco West Thurrock
we were able to supply 280 care packages to nurses and
staff at our local hospitals, with 2 wards at Orsett, all wards
at Basildon and 2 wards at Brentwood hospital.

I have attached a couple of photos should you wish to
include them. W.Bro Chris Colbert kindly delivered them
and obviously, the other one is me collecting the items
from Costco.