Coronavirus: Cricket club in Sussex providing support to NHS staff amid Covid-19 pandemic

Hailsham Cricket Club are doing their bit to help those in the community amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Lewis Williams filling a care packageLewis Williams filling a care package
Lewis Williams filling a care package

A trio of players involved with the East Sussex club are sourcing and delivering care packages to NHS staff and those who need it most in this testing time.

Hailsham duo Harry Chatfield and Lewis Williams decided they wanted to do something to offer their support in the wake of the current epidemic.

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And after discussions with Hailsham director of cricket Rob Wilkinson, they are now delivering care packages to NHS staff at work and to their homes.

Hailsham Cricket Club chairman Pete MillsHailsham Cricket Club chairman Pete Mills
Hailsham Cricket Club chairman Pete Mills

The trio, who are basing themselves at the club pavilion, have received overwhelming support from the community with money, food and other items being offered to them to help those in need at this difficult time.

Is you club doing anything similar to help the community etc? email [email protected]

Teacher Wilkinson, who is currently off work with schools in the UK currently closed, said it's great to see the community come together.

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‘There’s three of us, Harry Chatfield, myself and Lewis Williams we all play for Hailsham Cricket Club,' he said.

‘Last week, them two - they work together - they were in the van having a chat about an idea to help in the current situation.

‘We said we’d do something small scale and just try to help out the NHS but it’s just grown and grown.

'It’s to the degree where we are picking up deliveries that Greggs had this morning, obviously they are now shut, so they gave us all their food.

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‘Local businesses have been donating food to us, we’ve had £250 from like a JustGiving page.

‘A local company donated £1,000 on Sunday that we spent on buying a load of food from a local wholesaler.

‘It’s just gone mental, it’s like a full-time job.

‘A standard package will be broccoli, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower.

‘Normally, a couple of bits of fruit, pasta, rice, teabags.

‘It depends on what we’ve had donated each day.'

After launching the Hailsham NHS Care Packages Facebook page on Friday, deliveries started the following day.

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Wilkinson revealed they've been 'flat out' ever since with NHS staff and eldery members the recipients of their parcels.

But after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a virtual national lockdown earlier this week, the trio had to seek advice to see if they could continue with the care package delivery.

Fortunately, they are still able to continue the great work - but under more stringent measures.

'It’s been brilliant the amount of people whether they can get involved through donating food, we’ve had people drop down stuff to the pavilion,' added Wilkinson.

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‘People have given us a money donation, they’ve been promoting on social media.

‘There are loads of different ways people can be involved whether it be financially or donating food.

‘We have had to change how we go about it (after the latest government guidelines).

‘We’ve had to bring in a few guidelines of what we can and can’t do.

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‘We’re lucky that we got a refrigerated van was given to us to use by a local company.

‘We’re making sure there’s only one of us in that at a time.

‘When we’re doing drops, we’re leaving it on the doorstep walking away and taking a bit of a selfie with them over our shoulder.

‘There is minimal contact.

'But we spoke to someone and they said because we’re doing care packages, helping out the needing and vulnerable we could carry on.’

Keep up to date with the great work being down by Hailsham Cricket Club at www.facebook.com/Hailsham-NHS-Care-Packages-104532784525801/