Easter eggs delight for ambulance staff

Easter eggs delight for ambulance staff

15 April 2020

AMBULANCE Service staff at the frontline of the emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic have been presented with some Easter cheer by the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway.

The heritage railway — which has been forced to close as a result of the virus — has donated nearly 400 Easter eggs to hard-working paramedics.

Railway chairman Robert Gardiner said Good Friday usually heralded the eve of the Easter bunny visits to the facility to distribute sumptuous eggs.

Robert said that with no explanation needed why the bunny was absent this year, rather than waste all the eggs, officials thought they would find good homes for them.

They chose some people who may not get a chance to be with their family and friends and putting themselves literally at the frontline at this worrying time.

“Some Recorder readers might recognise one of the faces of the ambulance crew from our social media posts,” Robert explained.

“Johnny McKillen is a regular face on our operating days in his full DCDR uniform, but his day job is as a paramedic with the Ambulance Service based at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. We have been very aware through him of the challenges facing ambulance staff as the first responders during the coronavirus crisis.”

Last week, volunteers visited ambulance stations in Belfast and Downpatrick to surprise crews with literally hundreds of Easter eggs.

Robert added: “We have been assured that the eggs will be distributed around the various ambulance stations and not all end up in Johnny’s house.

“We still have around 50 eggs available for any good cause, originally earmarked for organisations or groups working with children finding it tough during self-isolation.

“We would ask anyone involved with such a group to us an email or PM via our facebook page @downrail.