This week Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns has given special recognition to the Howling family who run the Synsonby Knoll Hotel in Melton Mowbray and the team at Rutland Sewing for their robust response to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Every week, Alicia celebrates at least one winner of the ‘Unsung Hero’ award, raising awareness of people doing extraordinary things locally, available support and bolstering community spirit amidst the pandemic. All those recognised will receive a certificate of recognition, a badge and be invited to a celebratory event once the pandemic is over as a small way to say thank you.
The Howling family, who usually run a hotel in Melton, have made hundreds of pieces of protective equipment to bolster the UK’s fight against COVID-19 and their PPE has already been sent to various local pharmacies and care homes.
Lucy Stevenson, Jo Stanton, John Wolloff, Liz Clarke, Kerrie Lambert and the team at Rutland Sewing, a sewing school and supplies service, have closed their doors to the public and focused all their efforts on producing almost 1,000 head bands for NHS staff to make PPE less painful to wear. They have also created scrubs for local hospitals.
Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns, said:
“The Howling family and everyone at Rutland Sewing show how our communities can play a huge role in the national fight against coronavirus. I am incredibly grateful for their altruism and hard work.
“Thank you to the Howling family and the Rutland Sewing team for simply outstanding national spirit – I look forward to thanking you all in person when our country has healed”.
Other organisations who have already been recognised as heroes are Rutland Plastics, who adapted their plastic injection moulding firm to produce medical equipment for the ExCel Nightingale Ward Hospital in London, Oakham School’s Design and Technology Department, which has been creating thousands of face shields for frontline staff, and Leicestershire and Rutland 4 x 4 drivers who have been delivering essentials and transporting vulnerable community members. The Larder in Oakham, Jim Bluck from Hallaton and Melton Mowbray’s Joe Orson were recognised last week.
Oakham School is looking for donations of PVC or PET rolls of clear plastic that can be used as the shield - please contact Alicia directly if you can donate. The Larder also has a Just Giving page, which can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/free-food-for-rutland
Alicia Kearns MP is encouraging Rutland and Melton residents to email her if they know of a person or organisation working to help the community who deserves recognition and continues to focus on supporting constituents throughout the outbreak.
