February 13, 2025

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Purley charity employee wins award for ‘exceptional’ operate supporting Pink Cross

Submitted for publication in the Croydon Advertiser

A charity employee  from Purley, has been named ‘Charity Retail Worker of the Year’ by the Charity Retail Association.

Sarah Patterson, 37, was nominated for her “exceptional” get the job done supporting the British Purple Cross chain of 320 stores via the pandemic this calendar year – all even though homeschooling, researching and nursing an injured ankle.

Sarah was “equally shocked and in excess of the moon” to acquire the award, she mentioned: “I truly was not expecting this, but it’s been a big highlight immediately after such a challenging calendar year.”

As head of top quality and advancement Sarah discounts with possibility administration, so when Covid-19 commenced to creep into the headlines in early 2020, she grew to become Pink Cross retail’s pandemic lead.

Sarah reported: “We had to make speedy selections, so that when the doorways opened the next morning, our people and our prospects could be as safe and sound as attainable.”

Sarah and the crew rapidly created steerage for much more than 300 store supervisors about new governing administration guidelines and what to do if they confirmed symptoms of the virus. But she soon realised that she required to concentrate on the personnel and volunteers’ wellbeing.

Sarah extra: “People commenced to get genuinely nervous about vulnerable kinfolk and interacting with the general public each individual working day.

“Eventually, forward of the national lockdown, we determined to close all our shops.

“The cash flow we raise is vitally crucial, but the welfare of our people experienced to appear 1st.”

Whilst the retail personnel have been furloughed, Sarah was redeployed. But like a lot of moms and dads, she had a rough time balancing perform with homeschooling and caring for her two kids, aged nine and five.

Then damage struck. Through a spouse and children physical exercise session in the yard, Sarah harm her ankle leaving her motionless for 6 weeks.

And then came what she describes as an “emergency within an emergency” – the Black Life Make a difference movement. People and organisations had been referred to as on to just take a challenging seem at race inequalities and Sarah was decided to rise to the obstacle.

Sara reported: “I took what I understood about range to the team and asked what we could do about it.”

She ran workshops the place colleagues could converse truthfully and share their sights and encounters of race issues. And when the stores organized to re-open up, she produced absolutely sure that range was at the coronary heart of the method.

Sarah extra: “We needed our BAME colleagues and consumers to come to feel risk-free and supported.

“We’ve worked tricky to make positive that no one is left behind and that equality stays central. It wasn’t quick but I’m glad we’ve got to this place – it’s a massive accomplishment and we will preserve heading.”

Pink Cross director of retail and local community fundraising, Paul Thompson, said: “Sarah stepped up in response to the pandemic. She labored tirelessly throughout so several assignments, usually with a smile and a cheery disposition to hold up the team’s spirits. She is extremely tricky functioning, embodies all Purple Cross values, and definitely justifies this recognition.”

Red Cross retailers across Surrey, including Mitcham, Redhill, Godalming and South East London are on the lookout for volunteers to enable them in the operate up to Xmas.

Distancing and hygiene measures are in place and all volunteers are well-supported by shop professionals. If you have some spare time and would like to assistance serve the neighborhood whilst increasing money for the British Purple Cross, you should see https://volunteer.redcross.org.uk/opportunities or e mail RetailVolunteering@redcross.org.uk.

The Croydon Advertiser addresses spots which includes but not restricted to Coulsdon, Purley, Selsdon, Shirley, Thornton Heath and Croydon in the London Borough of Croydon.


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