CORONAVIRUS: Boston-area Avon rep helping to heal the healing hands at Pilgrim Hospital

Jackie Hudson-Hay, 59, of Kirton Holme, launched the appeal after hearing how additional hand washing and sanitising amid the Covid-19 outbreak was leaving staff with painfully dry and chapped hands.

In an online post, she asked for donations of £1 to provide the hospital with a tube of hand cream. She added that for every £4 donated, she would use the commission she would have received on the items to buy a fifth, meaning she would take no money from the appeal and more people could be helped.

The response left her ‘absolutely, totally gobsmacked’, she said, and to date, more than £600 has been donated.

The items have been distributed among staff by Rachel Spicer, a customer of Jackie’s and nurse at the hospital.

Jackie has also ordered face treatment masks for the staff to ease any soreness they may be experiencing from Personal Protective Equipment, plus lip balm.

In addition, she has supplied the SOS Pilgrim Hospital Group with £300 worth of shower gels and deodorants for care packages it is distributing among staff (again, doing so without commission).

Jackie says she has received ‘a lot of lovely messages’ about the appeal. She describes the feedback as ‘very humbling’, but stresses she is ‘not the hero here’.

“It’s the NHS staff that are the heroes, and the key workers that are the heroes,” she said. “We need them fit and healthy and whatever little I can do I will do to help them.”

She thanked all those who have supported the appeal, as well as Avon for finding a way to stay in operation amid the outbreak.

To donate, make a PayPal payment to [email protected] or contact Jackie on 07730 434341 or via her www.jackiesbeautybox.co.uk