Unsung hero: NI shop worker talks about working through Covid-19 pandemic
Downtown Radio and Cool FM is shining a light on those unsung heroes who have worked throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.
Last updated 30th Dec 2020
Over the last year Northern Ireland has seen various numbers of lockdowns and different levels of restrictions. It has been a constant cycle of closures and reopening, but throughout all this supermarkets and local grocery shops remained steadfast and ensured shelves remained stocked and people could access food and other products.
Various sectors and different workforce have kept the country going and have been deemed the unsung heroes of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Downtown Radio and Cool FM has been speaking to Wendy Smith, a Customer Service Advisor at the EUROSPAR in Ballyhackamore.
She has been working throughout the whole of the crisis and has even helped the store reach out to the local community, she said:
“Right from the first day, you know we didn’t have months to go and work this out and decide what we were going to do.
“Literally from the next day there was arrows on the floor, and we’ve had to learn very fast and change very fast.
“I think the toughest thing has been not seeing all our wee regulars, because we could have all out wee pensioners who’ve come in here day in day out for years and years.
“We know them by name they come in to get their pension and get their wee groceries and we didn’t see them for months and you couldn’t help being concerned about them and worried about them because they were shielding.
“Our top priority is to keep people safe, make sure they can get their groceries get home without putting themselves or anyone else at risk.”
When asked how she felt about being branded an unsung hero she said she isn’t in the job for praise or recognition, but to help the local community.
She added: “I think it’s lovely if people think of us as a hero, we don’t think of ourselves as heroes we’re just here to do a job.
“We’re here to serve people, with or without a pandemic, we are here to do a job.
“I think is feels more like you’re serving your community and giving something back to your community.
“We raised money for Action Mental Health, we helped Woman’s Aid, we bought five laptops for the local nursing home so that the elderly people could see their loved ones at home when no one could go in and out.
“So, all of that stays in the community and that’s what we’re all about here a community store for community.
“I think anybody, any key worker whether it’s a bin man, whether it’s a postman, a teacher, retail worker, nurse, whatever.
“Anybody who has worked through out this pandemic deserves so much respect, so much respect.”