TMF LOCKDOWN HEROES: "Unsung hero" supported others during lockdown

Thursday 11 June 2020

After nominations flooded in for Guernsey’s lockdown heroes, the panel have whittled down all the stories of “ordinary people doing extraordinary things” to a shortlist of just four entries.

The TMF Lockdown Hero Awards - launched by TMF Group in partnership with Bailiwick Express - aim to say thank you to the heroes of the health crisis and celebrate the many local acts of kindness that have kept the islands going at a difficult time.

Now it’s up to the public to decide which of the four shortlisted heroes should win the £500 cash prize.

Today's shortlisted nominee is Debbie Clarke, who has been described as an "unsung hero" by her daughter, after supporting visually impaired people during the lockdown while also caring for her own family and friends. 

Pictured: Debbie Clarke helps the Guernsey Blind Association, but she also has her own challenges in life said her daughter, Chantelle Tucker.

Debbie was nominated by Chantelle Tucker, who told Express how her mum has continued supporting the Guernsey Blind Association even though she herself had to isolate during the lockdown.

"I would like to nominate Debbie Clarke as a Lockdown Hero. She is the vision support advisor at the Guernsey Blind Association and despite being at home in self-isolation herself due to underlying health issues, she spends many hours every day calling visually impaired islanders to see how they are doing, as often they have little or no family or friends around them which at times like this can be even more isolating.

"As well as the phone calls, she has been facilitating ordering and direct delivery of equipments to assist them in their daily struggles."

Chantelle said that her mum always puts others first, and is always thinking of how to brighten the lives of those who need support.

"She has also been sending ‘thinking of you’ cards to our elderly visually impaired clients to help brighten their day knowing someone is thinking of them. As a trained Nurse, she knows the importance of metal health and well-being.

"On top of all of this, she is a great mum and nana sending ‘care packages’ to family and always being on call via FaceTime for a chat or to help with homework - she always puts others first!

"She really is an unsung Hero!"

Pictured: Debbie Clarke, with her daughter Chantelle Tucker and granddaughter Macie Pebbles Clarke.

Express spoke to Debbie earlier this week and she said while she is delighted to be short listed, she doesn't feel like a Lockdown Hero. 

"I was only doing what many others were doing in this time of uncertainty," she said.

"I was working from home because I have a hereditary heart condition and have had pneumonia in the past, at first I think we all felt isolated and frightened of this invisible enemy ( Covid 19) and I thought we needed to maintain some sort of normality and continuity of our daily lives as much as possible.

"At the Guernsey Blind we telephone our Thursday group every week to see if they are attending our social group, I decided to continue these calls during lockdown and it ended up with lengthy chats varying with memories from the occupation, to just chatting about everyday things and their concerns. I was making approx. 25-32 calls each week, spreading them out through the week, then I thought we all like receiving a card in the post so I began sending cards, just a few words to say hi and thinking of you.

"We have a group of 8 friends called the 'Cake Ladies' and I thought it would be nice if we all made up a goodie box/bag and deliver it to our group of visually impaired service users, one of the ladies made hand made cards to go with the goodies. This was fun and we all loved putting together the bags.

"I have tried to keep the availability of specialised equipment available to people because this is very important, Monomouse magnification, lights and audio books were vital to maintain their feeling of independence and feeling less  isolated during these times when we all felt lonely and vulnerable.

"Myself and the cake ladies all did our small part in making these weeks go by a little easier, along with family and friends we are all coming through this together and can see light at the end of the tunnel, I shall continue making telephone calls and saying ‘hi’ till we can all meet up together and say we got through this together!"

Pictured: Damien Fitzgerald, Head of Funds, TMF Group - Guernsey.

Debbie's nomination was welcomed by Damien Fitzgerald, Head of Funds for TMF Group in Guernsey. He said: "As a company with more than 100 offices in over 80 jurisdictions, we know that working together can be very powerful.

"These Lockdown Heroes have been at the heart of our communities, carrying out activities that have enabled people - many of which are vulnerable and shielding - to get through this pandemic. It's important that we celebrate these acts of kindness, as well as the passion and community spirit of our islanders."

If you think Debbie should be crowned the TMF Lockdown Hero, look out for an Express poll in the next few days.  

Pictured top: Debbie Clark.