Snow 'brings out the best' of Worthing

Rosemary Walden contacted the Herald newsdesk today (Thursday, December 3) to say she had just experienced “an extreme act of kindness” from her next door neighbour.

Neil, a fireman, had just returned from his night duty shift and within ten minutes had rung Rosemary’s doorbell, to see if there was anything she needed.

Rosemary said: “I have been house bound for the last couple of days due to the weather, there were indeed a few basics that I had run out of. I live in a quiet cul-de-sac so needless to say no gritting had been done, nor in the surrounding small roads – I was completely marooned.

“Off Neil trundled on foot calling on five other elderly neighbours in the same plight as myself.” Neil returned 45 minutes later with the necessary supplies.

Rosemary added: “I am just so overwhelmed with his thoughtfulness and kindness that I would like to thank him publicly. The season of good will does exist.”

Linda Booth, 53, who works at Robert Dyas in South Street, said the snow had brought out the best in people, with everyone on the Lancing to Worthing bus she travelled on pitching in to help dig the bus out of a snow drift

“Everybody pitched in to help dig the back wheels out,” she said.

Linda said the town centre had been “reasonably busy”, with sales of spades and de-icer going well and scrapers flying off the shelf.

St John Ambulance volunteers in Sussex are ready and prepared to offer vital support to the emergency services. Volunteer crews and transport staff are already providing support to the South East Coast Ambulance Service, using the charity’s own 4x4 vehicles to reach patients in rural areas or to get to places conventional ambulances can’t reach.

They have also been driving district nurses around their rounds and helping hospital staff to get to and from work, sometimes covering night shifts and working alongside NHS staff to help those in need.