Lucky children in Keswick received some very welcome Easter joy in the shape of free chocolate eggs delivered to their homes over the bank holiday weekend.
Street warden volunteers dressed up as Easter Bunnies to distribute the eggs to the front doors of local youngsters who have been in lockdown for the last three weeks.
The sweet treats were to have been used on the National Trust’s annual Keswick Easter egg hunt in the woods near Derwentwater which was cancelled this year because of coronavirus. Easter eggs were also donated for distribution to children by Keswick Lions and Booths supermarket.
The chocolate was instead donated to Keswick Community Emergency Recovery Partnership (KCERP), whose street wardens left them outside children’s houses on their patch during the hastily organised Easter egg drop on Saturday and Sunday.
“All the kids were really excited. They had been colouring in pictures of eggs and putting them in their windows when word got round about the Easter egg drop,” said Steph Bradshaw, part of the local street warden team serving Windebrowe Avenue.
“We had a lovely response from the community, waving from windows as we bounced about with our bunny ears on! We’ve had some nice messages come through too, saying how chuffed the kids were with their delivery. It definitely put a smile on all the volunteers’ faces too! It’s nice to be able to add a bit of fun and light to the Easter weekend, knowing so many people are having to spend it away from family or in a different way than usual,” added Steph, 26, who used to live in Windebrowe Avenue.
Fellow volunteer Anne Tremble was part of the Easter egg drop and she too has also been involved in providing a free service via KCERP’s network of street wardens delivering food and medicines to self-isolating adults in Keswick. Anne said: “I think it is reassuring that someone is there if people need us.
“I got a call yesterday to ask if I could go to Boots to pick up a prescription as the couple are in their late 70s and are isolating, He was very appreciative and likewise when I have called on the ones I know are a bit more vulnerable. If you can help someone along the way, it’s what life is all about.”