- Quote: ‘Mother of family watering down cow’s milk to feed baby. Not eating so 6-year-old son can. Another family haven’t sent children to school – they can’t put food in kids’ lunchboxes’
- Quote: ‘Easter Egg Appeal. Donate an easter egg for these wonderful children. Any left will go to Torrevieja hospital for the childrens ward’
By Andrew Atkinson EXCLUSIVE
Nurse Ines Perkins idea to help people in need during the coronavirus lockdown has seen a plethora of volunteers and fundraisers step forward in a time of need.
“It started when I went to drop-off a food parcel to a wonderful Spanish family – only to find her feeding her little baby with watered down cow’s milk.
“She couldn’t breastfeed and cannot afford milk, since she hasn’t been working,” Ines told the Leader.
“The Government gave her 53.94 euros! I went and got her a whole lot of baby milk. I also discovered she wasn’t eating – she was letting her six-year-old son have everything, in case she didn’t get anymore food,” said Ines.
“Another family hasn’t sent their children to school – because they couldn’t put any food in their kids’ lunchboxes,” added Ines.
“Do you know how heartbreaking this is? I keep coming across more and more families each day – from La Marina, Quesada, Torrevieja, and Orihuela Costa,” said Ines, a Nurse in El Quiron.
“I am just trying my hardest, alongside some lovely amazing people who are helping me achieve this. We need food, baby Items; nappies, wipes, milk, etc.
“We do take clothes and other items. You can do a shop or just donate an item and someone will collect it from you.
“This is ongoing and sadly I can’t see an end yet, due to the coronavirus pandemic, with so many people left jobless, with no income, or with an ERTE that covers nothing.
“The Government here are not helping these people. A bag of food, items we can sell to make money for food, or an item that can be used for these wonderful people will be gratefully received,” said Ines, who has been helping families needs since August 2020.
Lucy Franchi, Treasurer for Help at Home CB, has offered help: “We have some items and clothes at our Playa Flamenca shop that we would donate to this family,” said Lucy.
There is a food bank at Reach Out and Caritas, who both give out food to families in need.
Alison Evans and her husband, and her Urbanisation Entre Naranjos, undertake help for the charity, along with Angela Stacey and daughter Marie Stacey at The Little Pod.
Captain Morgans Bar and The Eagles Nest have also raised funds for the charity. Amongst volunteers include Michelle Clark; Andrew Borges, who now has a drop-off point in La Marina, and Nigel Baker at Feathers Bar.
“@tracey in Quesada has offered to be a collection point in Quesada and between her and friends they did a lovely collection of food.
“Anne Barry and Paul Cullen did a wonderful shop and held a fundraiser to raise funds to buy more food to be able to feed all these families struggling.
“We have had additional cash donations and sectioned items out – heaps and heaps of nappies and milk to dish out, along with meat.
“I can’t thank them all enough. The weeks have been tough – but we made it. We all work really hard for this and we don’t get paid for doing it.
“It is rewarding to know families are going to bed with their tummies full – especially so the children.
“Please keep helping until things go back to ‘normal’ as people are still going to be in the same situation,” said Ines.
“We are holding an ‘Easter Egg Appeal’ and if you can donate an easter egg to our collection that would be amazing. Our goal is to give all these wonderful children an egg and some sweets.
“If there are any left I will be taking them to Torrevieja hospital for the children on the ward for Easter,” said Ines.
“The total raised is 1,000 euros, which is totally amazing. I couldn’t do this without all the volunteers, too many to mention. I’m so amazed by their kindness.
“Something so small has turned into something so big.
I have every name written down in a book, with all receipts. We are working on a Charity number and everything is being undertaken properly and officially,” said Quirònsalud nurse Ines.
Main image: Donations for the St Patrick’s day gig by singer/guitarist Paul Cullen with a €969 cheque presented to volunteer Michelle Clark.
