A thread to show some love for the less-recognised key workers

[Dyrne]

Don’t get me wrong, I think all the recognition and praise for the NHS, Teachers, Delivery drivers and shop workers are bloody well deserved; and it’s right that they should be thanked for keeping going right now.

It’s just sometimes I get a little sad for my colleagues who do an ‘invisible’ job people don’t even really think about, but is critical to keep the country functioning.

So can we have a little love here as well to show some appreciation for:

Utility Workers (Gas, Electric, Water, Broadband)
Bin men
Those who volunteer with the vulnerable (food banks, befriending, citizens advice)
Postmen
Plumbers, electricians etc
Vets
Mechanics, roadside assistance
Police, Fire, Coastguard, Lifeboat
Early Years workers (nurseries, childminders, nannies)

Has anyone got any others to add?

My dad died this week, leaving my mum having to go into residential care as she has severe dementia.
So I've had to deal with adult social workers (who pulled off a miracle to get mum into care the same day), the coroner, funeral directors (dealing with families at a time when the rules are changing hour to hour), registrars, bank staff (thank you Nationwide who were incredible), solicitors, care home managers, and the post office staff (to get my POA forms off). Everyone was so kind, even when you can tell they are under incredible stress and unusual working conditions

Everyone in local authorities either doing their normal roles with hugely increased workload or juggling the day job with being part of the emergency response,

Paper boys and Paper girls. Ours has dropped off a letter with the papers offering to do shopping for anyone who can't get out and, with the help of his parents, he will also collect meds.

I am sure others are doing similar. These are mostly young teens and they have a really crappy job for very little money. I really appreciate them.

LastResponder socially distant hug to you. I am cemetery staff. I understand why no one wants to talk about us when they praise the nhs etc but... solidarity from me to you.

I'm sure you will do a fantastic job. I am always in awe of the way funeral workers can support families in really horrendous circumstances.

I'm so sorry about your dad CMOTDibbler, and thank you for your kind words.

Bus drivers. Bus depots are closing and bus companies are running on a fraction of their timetables, but those drivers still have jobs to do, keeping the people who need it moving..

The men and woman who collect our rubbish and recycling and who empty our litter bins and sweep our streets xxx

I cant believe I'm actually thinking this but
Bank staff
Accountants
Hmrc
Dwp
They must be literally bombarded with new info to implement by the day.

Support workers. 24 children’s support workers

People who work in international trade- keeping the boarders running!

We’ve never had a grocery delivery before. Not sure what we’d do without it now.

We were sent a text telling us that our delivery was on its way and it even told us the name of the delivery driver. So nice, because we were able to write a personal thanks to him and leave an heartfelt gratuity on the doorstep. Hope everyone’s doing the same.

Underwriters and life insurance call centre staff. There is huge demand for life insurance policies at the moment, and will be many more claims than usual. They have to keep working and often deal with very distraught and angry people who may also be in financial crisis.

Staff working in children's homes, young people don't always recognise the social distancing guidance and put staff at risk by socialising or going missing. Minimal PPE provided and service operates 24/7/365. Staff are then putting their own families at risk as well as being at work 50-60 hours a week (we're exempt from working time directives)

Call centre staff who have to sit in a room with 400 others and share facilities.

Can I add railway workers?

And can I add a shout out to everyone who is working from home in crap circumstances and trying their best to adapt to this? I think it can be seen that working from home is easy, but it's crap actually. This is a national effort, with consequences all round

Truck drivers.
A manager at sidcup council refused to let me use the toilet this week. " I don't no if you have covid 19" were his exact horrible words.

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but railway workers. Signallers, Controllers, Technicians and Track Workers, as well as drivers and guards, keeping the trains running for key worker passengers, and also keeping freight moving to get fuel and goods where they need to be.

@runningtogetskinny that is exactly what is happening at my work. I am a 24 hour children’s support worker. I have worked 92 hours this week due to the coronavirus and people having to self isolate. I work with late teens who do not care about the social distancing and despite government policy and our advice go out anyway. I am worried that I will bring it home to my family.

@lastresponder and @SushiGo I am really so very grateful to people like yourselves. I can hear the strain on the funeral directors (they are very old family friends of my dads), but yet they are still so very kind and trying to help me every step of the way even when they don't know what the rules will be by Monday.
I had to take the difficult decision to have an unattended cremation for dad in the circumstances, and they have been incredibly supportive on this

@Heidi30 I have been on leave for the last week (booked months ago) but as I'm deputy manager of the home I've been keeping in touch and responding to emails, I really don't want to go back on Tuesday, partly because I feel it will put my family at high risk, but also because I will be dealing with the frustration of my team who are stressed as worried and there's nothing I can to do reduce risks or improve things for them. Take care, hope you're okay

Adding my thanks to the people who are keeping our social care system going under increasing pressure, particularly those working, often for very little pay, in frontline jobs 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Like @runningtogetskinny above

@Heidi30