THERE'S no one more deserving of our Lockdown Heroes award than the selfless team of staff and volunteers at KEMP Hospice.
KEMP had to adapt its services overnight when Covid hit last March.
When the Kidderminster hospice building was forced to close to protect patients, staff took to the phones, introduced home visits, and recently launched a virtual day hospice, while the family support team moved to Zoom calls to ensure the counselling support service continued.
The charity’s advanced care practitioners have been a constant support to the 44 care homes across Wyre Forest and at the beginning of the pandemic, KEMP introduced a meal delivery service for its most vulnerable and isolated patients.
To date, more than 2,500 meals have been delivered with the support of dedicated volunteers.
KEMP’s retail staff also deserve recognition. When the charity shops reopened, they came back with a single mission of maximising income and making up the losses and have shown incredible resilience despite periods of furlough and repeated lockdowns.
On receiving our Lockdown Heroes award, KEMP CEO Heidi Hawkins said: “We are humbled to receive this award. Our priority has always been our patients and those we support across the Wyre Forest.
"We didn’t nor would we allow the pandemic to change this, and across the hospice, we adapted to ensure our care and support continued despite the challenges. I am proud of every member of our KEMP Hospice team.”
Bewdley Rotarian Elaine James, who presented staff with the certificate, said: "I was extremely proud and humbled to present the Lockdown Heroes award to Kemp Hospice today.
"Their inspirational work and dedication have continued relentlessly through these difficult times to help people that rely so much on their services.
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"I was so impressed by their achievements, forward thinking and future planning. I myself received a very warm welcome by all members of the staff. Well done everyone, a very well-deserved award!"
Since November, The Shuttle and Wyre Forest Rotary have been searching for the heroic individuals, community groups, charities and businesses that have kept people safe and well throughout the lockdowns. Nominations have now closed but we're still publishing stories about our winners in the paper each week.
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