I am delighted to announce that Sarah Merriman has been awarded the Wealden Hero Award this week.
At the beginning of lockdown, Sarah identified the need for a local support group and organised the Groombridge community response to Covid-19. She mobilised a network of volunteers, which has since grown to about 60. Volunteers were strategically organised around the village to cover every resident in need. Each street in Groombridge had a dedicated team of volunteers to help the neighbours. They have been regularly checking in with the elderly, collecting prescriptions, doing the shopping, running errands, dog walking, or just popping by to say hello from people’s front gates.
Sarah liaised with local supermarkets to ensure that volunteers were not refused buying multiple items, and worked with local church, surgery, and the Parish Council throughout the pandemic. She delivered gifts and flowers from well-meaning local businesses, distributed medication and regularly checked on the vulnerable. In addition to this and her full-time job, Sarah is the President of the Groombridge Women’s Institute and was managing communications for members throughout.
It takes exceptional effort to coordinate such a robust network of support and Sarah has done a tremendous job. From the many nominations she received, I know how valued she is by everyone in the community. Many thanks for all your work throughout the pandemic and beyond.
The Wealden Hero Awards are kindly supported by Uckfield FM, Kent and Sussex Courier, Sussex Express and Hailsham FM.
