YOUNG people have delivered cakes to Knutsford care home staff and written to residents to help keep spirits up during the coronavirus lockdown.

Student Brigid Keighran, 17, who in normal times comes to Sharston House to paint with the residents, delivered cupcakes for the staff, and with a few of her friends has written to some of the residents.

Nishi Gottlieb, manager of the Kingsley Healthcare-run home in Manor Park South, said: “It’s been a difficult time as we have had to stop visits by relatives and friends, as well as visiting entertainers, to protect residents from the virus.

“However heart-warming support from local people has really helped to keep everyone’s spirits up.

Knutsford Guardian:

“Besides numerous phone messages, emails and gifts from the community, local children have painted pictures and written letters.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed reading the letters and messages to the residents.”

Activities co-ordinator Chris Hughes said: “Residents were delighted to receive the letters and catch up with the local news.

“Now we are hoping to set up a pen pal scheme, and would love to hear from more people who would like to take part.

“This is a very difficult time for everybody, and we all appreciate the community for thinking of us all.

Knutsford Guardian:

“We need to work together and help each other get through these unusual times and your support has been uplifting.”

A company spokesman said Kingsley Healthcare had gone to exhaustive lengths to keep staff at all its homes, including Sharston House and four other homes in the north west, supplied with essential PPE equipment such as masks and face shields, procuring it from suppliers across the world as well as from local businesses.

This had involved keeping its head office running seven days a week.

Knutsford Guardian:

Daya Thayan, CEO of Kingsley Healthcare, last week wrote to the Government calling for immediate engagement with social care leaders over providing more support for the social care sector.

He called on the Government to provide or subsidise the cost of PPE equipment for care homes, to provide or subsidise the cost of temporary accommodation for staff having to move between homes to cover for colleagues ‘shielding’ from the virus, and to provide a tax break in relation to bonuses and additional employment-related remuneration being paid to support front-line staff during the crisis.

He demanded proper recognition of the adult social care sector with staff being designated as key workers to make available benefits being seen in the NHS.