Shop worker knits rainbow badges to treat fellow key workers

A shop worker in Castle Donington, Leicestershire has indulged fellow key workers with treats by knitting colourful badges.

Mandy Elks, a customer service assistant at Central England Co-op store on Station Road, initially knitted the special rainbow badges for her colleagues to show their appreciation to frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the badges got admiring glances from customers, Elks decided to knit more badges and sell them to raise money to give some treats for workers in three local causes as a thank you gesture.

“It is the kind of person she is, and it was all done on her time. We put the hampers together in store and I hope everyone who received one enjoyed it,” commented Oliver Buxton, the store manager.

The hampers were delivered to Royal Derby Hospital, nearby Footsteps Nursery in the village and Castle Donington Community Centre.

“Doing things like this, and particularly working with the Volunteer Centre to support over 1,000 deliveries to vulnerable residents in their community, has really boosted morale,” Buxton added.