The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Sewing uniforms, delivering food and making masks... ... just some of the ways people, businesses, schools and community groups are pulling together to offer help in the coronavirus crisis
By PT reporters
Communities, businesses and people across Peterborough have been puling together to help the NHS and the city battle the coronavirus pandemic.
From restaurants opening up takeaway services to businesses delivering food and online performances to making equipment and clothing for health workers there is a huge range of acts of kindness and creativity across Peterborough.
Here are a few the PT has highlighted this week.
Chef John McGinn has • launched a new all-day and night kerbside takeaway service at his Dog in a Doublet gastro pub – and called it McDoggals.
John was one of the many business owners hit hard when the Government’s coronavirus crackdown closed pubs and restaurants last month - the same day he had just stocked up for a busy Mother’s Day weekend.
To help make ends meet he has been offering a takeaway and delivery service from the pub/restaurant at Northside, between Peterborough and Whittlesey.
But he has taken it a step further with his 24-hour kerbside self service takeaway - complete with honesty box for passing trade to pay.
John, who runs the business with wife Della, and always does well in the PT pub and restaurant of the year awards, said the closure could not have come at a worse time after he had just stocked up on meat, veg and beer. He had to cancel 320 people on Mother’s Day.
“So we are adapting and changing what we do while we have to get a few pounds in to help pay the bills,” he said.
“We have set up a little area where people can stop for a tea or coffee, or a soft drink from the fridge. We have sandwichesandpaninisandhomemade sausage rolls - plus a microwave oven with instructions for people to heat things up. We have even got desserts.”
There are, of course, social distancing and hygiene measures in place for all people taking away.
“There is an honesty box for people to pay, there is nothing that costs more than a couple of quid, and it is free for blue light badge holders,” John added.
“We have always had a lot of paramedics stopping off for takeaway carvery or a coffee because they park up at Fengate and are always up and down the North Bank.
“When McDonald’s announced they were closing I thought they would have nowhere to go for a cuppa, so we came up with McDoggals.”
Find out more at www.doginadoublet.co.uk
A Peterborough seamstress • has put her job on hold to concentrate on making urgently needed clothing for nurses and NHS staff.
Having worked as a seamstress for over 25 years on specialist wedding dresses, Kay Symonds had to put all her current jobs on hold due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
She decided to make a difference by making scrubs for nurses and doctors that are in ‘desperate need’. So far Kay has ordered 140 metres of fabric which should allow her to create 40 sets of scrubs.
She has been inundated with requests, having 58 orders placed in one day, she has created a gofundme fundraiser to help her create more scrubs for staff.
Kay said: “I’ve sourced and funded the fabric myself. I’m asking for voluntary contributions to cover fabric costs so I’m able to purchase more to make scrubs for any NHS staff.”
Her gofundme page has reached over £1,200 within a matter of days, which will allow Kay to produce hundreds of pairs of scrubs for those on the frontline.
A Peterborough family’s • live broadcasts of their versions of popular hits to keep friends entertained during the coronavirus lockdown are attracting growing audiences.
The Parson family have been entertaining friends on Facebook with their family concerts.
What started out as ‘a bit of laugh’ has spiralled with the family now inundated with requests and kind comments.
Though they normally only play as a family at Christmas, every evening durning the lockdown Dave, Jane and Millie record their performances of popular songs for all to hear.
The multi-talented family play a number of instruments between them including the flute, clarinet and the saxophone.
Having been dubbed the ‘Peterborough Von Trapps’ by one of their friends, they even broadcast when things don’t go as planned.
Dave said: “People are waiting for us to post each night. Last night we were trying and trying but we couldn’t get it quite right.
“So instead we posted some out-takes like when the dog went bananas because the cat came in. Some key workers have stayed up just to see our videos before they go to sleep.”
‘We are so grateful that we can do something positive at the difficult time.’ Peterborough Regional College
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Peterborough Regional