Castleford woman helps over 800 patients and NHS workers in Wakefield District by delivering essentials and food

Marie Higgins, known also as Mazza McGregor, began collecting donations, like shower gels, toiletries, toothbrushes and toothpaste and delivering them to care homes and hospitals in the district.

She took on this responsibility after she found out her Nanna had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Marie said: “I started doing it last Monday and it’s been an absolute whirlwind since.

“I get up at 8am to disinfect all the donations and toiletries and I sort them into boxes and drop them off at the care homes and hospitals, when I get home on a night I think where’s the day gone?

“We’ve kitted out nearly all of Pinderfields and Leeds General Infirmary, but I’m going to keep doing it for however long this lockdown lasts.

“Doing this has kept me and my family going, if I didn’t keep myself busy it’d be easy for me to sit at home and get upset about my Nanna.

“I can’t believe how many people in the community have got on board to help out, just local people who I can’t thank enough.

“Just to see the smiles and how grateful people are makes it all worthwhile.”

Marie’s friend also started a justgiving page to help her out if the donations fell short, but she has raised more than £500 and it is being used to supply hospital wards with fans and radios.

She also knows someone who owns a pizza shop, who cooked 40 pizzas for the doctors and nurses for Marie to deliver.

Marie said: “To see how the community has got behind made me feel just like a superhero.

“We’ve all achieved this together, looking back I get a bit emotional.

“It’s brought us all so close, I’ve had messages from strangers thanking me and sharing their stories and struggles.

“And the kindness from random strangers has just been amazing, so many people have donated to the justgiving page.”

Marie’s Nanna suffered a stroke five years ago, so she is mostly paralysed and has had multiple heath problems, however she recently recovered from Covid-19 and was able to go back to the nursing home.

Marie says her Nanna has been one of the main driving forces behind her community work.

Marie said: “My nanna is my hero, she’s had to deal with so much, going in and out of hospital all the time.

“But to now be back in the nursing home after recovering from COVID 19 and to come through the other side is incredible.

“My condolences are with anyone who is struggling with the effects of the virus, we’re all in it together we’ll get out of it together.”

To donate to Marie's justgiving page click here