The past year has been challenging for so many people across all industries, but particularly so for those working within the NHS and the care sector. Earlier in the year, colleagues at Diametric Technical, with its manufacturing plant based in Newport, decided they wanted to do something special for all those working at St Mary’s Hospital, as a way of saying ‘thank you’ and to recognise their unwavering support to the community during the pandemic.
Managing Director, Graham Steele, set the wheels in motion by contacting the Isle of Wight NHS Trust to offer a gift to each member of staff and all volunteers who have supported the hospital over the past 12 months, but were advised of a plan that was already in place. This resulted in an invitation for Diametric to participate in the ‘Great Big Thank You’ gift box which was planned to be launched in March. The ‘Great Big Thank You’ is part of the Trust’s initiative to focus on the health and wellbeing of their workforce, and Diametric were keen to get involved.
It was a discussion with family members working in the NHS, who reported on the implications of continually wearing facemasks, that led the team at Diametric to the idea of donating lip balm. Within a few weeks, Diametric had sourced (and lovingly branded) a total of 4200 lip balms to be added to the gift boxes.
With the lip balms included, the ‘Great Big Thank You’ gift boxes began to be distributed to all staff and volunteers at St Mary’s hospital on 22nd March, and Graham is incredibly proud that Diametric were able to contribute. “We just wanted to do something to let the wonderful team at St Mary’s know how grateful we are for everything they have done and are doing to look after patients and their families during this challenging time.”
