Thursday 23rd April 2020
Community applause for staff at Finborough Court
The commitment of our incredible team at Finborough Court has been recognised by an outpouring of support from the local community
At 8pm on the evening of Thursday 16th April carers working at our home at Finborough Court in Great Finborough, Suffolk, heard a noise outside. Pulling back the curtains, they were surprised to see a group from the community standing there clapping.
Clapping for our carers has become a weekly Thursday fixture during the coronavirus lockdown, with the vital role of those working in care homes increasingly recognised alongside that of NHS staff and other key workers.
The fact that the local community at Finborough made a special effort to honour our staff team in this way speaks volumes about their hard work and dedication. In recent weeks, Finborough Court has sadly lost eight residents. Covid-19 has been confirmed as a contributing factor in three deaths, and is likely to have been a factor in the other five.
“It’s been a very tough time for all our staff, but they’ve been doing a wonderful job,” says Rachel Fishburne, Manager at Finborough Court. “I’m proud of how our whole team have gone above and beyond, many of them working extra hours to support the well-being of our residents.”
Staff have been overwhelmed by the outpourings of love and appreciation they have received. As well as the applause, they’ve been inundated with gifts. One local beautician donated bottles of perfume to staff, with other local businesses sending hampers filled with chocolates and treats. Offers of help with personal protective equipment (PPE) have also been coming thick and fast, with the grandson of one resident donating face shields produced at the local factory where he works.
Every day, cards and messages of support arrive in the post and in the home’s inbox. “We’ve even had a card from someone whose mum lived with us ten years ago. The support has been phenomenal,” says Rachel.
Many of those who’ve contacted the home have shared verses from the Bible. One of the many verses that has brought comfort is Psalm 31:4: “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye who hope in the Lord.”
“We have a real sense of God being with us that is getting us through,” says Rachel. “We are very sad at the loss of our residents but at the same time it is a huge comfort to know that none of them feared death. They knew where they were going and were looking forward to it.”
For the time being, residents are confined to their rooms as a precautionary measure, with members of staff visiting regularly to provide them with company and help them contact relatives via video call.
Please do be praying for everyone at Finborough Court as they mourn the loss of their members of their ‘family’ and endure the difficulties of living in isolation. Pray that they would be looking to the Lord for hope and drawing on His strength.
Find out how staff at Leonora Home, Chippenham have been responding to the coronavirus outbreak.