Coronavirus: Milton Keynes rallies to 'pamper' NHS staff

A mother-of-two says she has been "overwhelmed with kindness" after an appeal to help local NHS staff led to a flood of community donations.

Hazel Scanlon received enough goods to fill more than 200 "pamper bags".

The handmade bags will be delivered to doctors and nurses at the Milton Keynes and Luton and Dunstable hospitals in the coming days.

"They put their lives on the line," said Mrs Scanlon, who is from Little Brickhill in Buckinghamshire.

"This is our little thank you."

Mrs Scanlon, a cleaning firm director, said she was inspired to act after one of her customers described how tired his wife was after a busy hospital shift as an intensive care nurse.

"Her routine seemed to be work, dinner, bath, bed - with little real time to herself," she said.

"We all appreciate what they do and they need to know that."

Mrs Scanlon originally posted the idea on social media to a Milton Keynes community forum, expecting to "maybe fill a few dozen bags".

But the post led to hundreds of donations of chocolates, beauty essentials, razors and toothbrushes, as well as discount vouchers from local businesses.

The bags also contain hand sanitiser, moisturiser and spare gloves.

Mrs Scanlon said locals offered to sew together the bags themselves with donated fabric, and a competition began to choose a poem to include inside them.

"Everyone wants to help, to give something back and say thank you," she said.

A spokesman for Milton Keynes Hospital Charity thanked the group for their "exceptional kindness".

"We really are overwhelmed by the fantastic support from the local community - thank you for all you have done for your local hospital," he said.

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