A band of volunteers have received a huge vote of thanks after stepping in to run the village shop in Braithwaite when owner Daphne Eddington had to self-isolate due to the coronavirus restrictions.
People living in the village near Keswick have praised the work the 13-strong group of volunteers who have run Daphne’s shop for the last 12 weeks and children in the village have made a card to thank them for their hard work and commitment during that time.
Daphne, who has run the shop for more than 15 years, has asthma and her son Jonathan, 18, also has a medical condition, so they had to ‘shield’ to keep safe until the restrictions applying to vulnerable people were lifted at the beginning of this week.
She said: “I became quite poorly with my asthma at the end of February and people from the village immediately said you must go home now. This group of wonderful volunteers stepped up to keep things ticking over and offer a delivery service to the village from the shop.
“I felt a bit guilty but I trusted the group to do all they could to run the shop and help people in the village with their shopping. They also provided home deliveries for others who couldn’t get out to help keep them safe too.”
Now with the lockdown easing Daphne has been able to bring in staff to keep the shop running for half a day daily and the volunteers have returned to run their own businesses or to continue their lives in retirement. But not before a giant thank you card, made by local children, had been signed by all they have helped.
Daphne said: “I am going to take all the volunteers for a slap-up afternoon tea once the restrictions allow and to deliver the children’s card and say thank you in person. It is just fantastic to live in such a great village The volunteers have done such extraordinary work in re-organising, manning the shop, ordering and delivering. I want to add my own special thankyou to them all for their help.”
