Unlimited Digital Access / Get £25 off your Annual Digital Subscription! Use code 25OFF
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
Unlimited Digital Access / Get £25 off your Annual Digital Subscription! Use code 25OFF
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
People have created colourful balloon displays to show their appreciation for the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.
Balloon business owner Coco Bryen created the rainbow at her Darenth Village Park home in support of staff at Darent Valley Hospital.
Her display was made from 1,000 balloons and took Coco around day to decorate.
The mum of three said: "I've run the balloon business, All For Them, for two years, but obviously due to the lockdown we're not working at the moment.
"I live opposite Darent Valley Hospital, the wards overlook a field and then our houses so I thought, why not use what's laying around to show our appreciation for the NHS.
"It's been really lovely. Our neighbours and friends love it when we do the clap for our carers."
More joy and gratitude was also brought to Dartford by the Kindness Community who decorated the Bridge neighbourhood with a huge rainbow of balloons.
The colourful balloons were covered with sentiments of love and thanks for key workers and the community working during the coronavirus lockdown.
Messages such as key workers rock, say thank you, stay safe and help each other were written on the balloons.
The District Centre, on the Bridge estate, includes Delmergate pharmacy, a Nisa store and The Bridge Primary School, where many are all working tirelessly on the frontline to keep the community safe, healthy, fed and cared for.
Creator of The Kindness Community, Laura Hope Cordell, and fellow Kindness Community member and Bridge neighbour, Andrea Szemkovics, planned the surprise to raise the spirits of the community during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Laura said: “Since so many of the local children were designing rainbows to display in their windows and enjoying hunting for them, we thought we’d create a huge rainbow using nearly 100 balloons.
"It's easy to spot from a safe distance and is a great way to give thanks and put smiles on the faces of people within the community.
Andrea said: “I’m so glad we did this, it’s such a good idea.
"It’s so important that we come together as a community, especially in times of difficulty.
"I’ve been helping my elderly neighbours to get groceries and I want to inspire other people in the community to look out for each other too."
Laura and Andrea want to spread the message that #KindnessMatters.
Key worker carer Nargis said: “What the Kindness Community are doing is exactly what this community needs, it made me really emotional to know that people care."
