A fundraising campaign has been launched to help the once thriving Deal High Street through the pandemic and to give back to hospital staff.

Calypso Rolf of Deal Delivers launched the drive this week with the goal to give a gift to everyone that works tirelessly at our nearest hospital, the QEQM in Margate.

She said: "I want to raise money to give our carers a treat, something they can spend on themselves or their loved ones, a tangible gift, takeaway or dinner out bought from our high street."

Ms Rolf has set up a justgiving page which says the 400 staff at the Margate hospital include physios, porters, cleaners to nurses and surgeons to name a few.

The way it works is her business Deal Delivers will buy gift vouchers from the high streets shops, restaurants, pubs and wine bars, forced to close or who have suffered.

These will be packaged and delivered to the staff at the hospital.

She said this is "our way of continuing to help the high street, while showing our genuine gratitude to the individuals who have done so much for us.

"I'm now rallying locals and the larger businesses to get behind the campaign so we can show our appreciation while giving back to the high street that we love so much."

Ms Rolph set up Deal Delivers in the days after the first lockdown was announced.

It is a digital Yellow Pages, an online catalogue of independent shops which are still offering their services and products while non-essential shops have been forced to close again.

In May we reported how the previous ITV’s Young Business Person of the Year raced around the shops and market on that final Saturday asking if anyone had thought about offering delivery after lockdown and getting details.

She set it up in a matter of days using her own money and the expertise of website developer Rob Hough.

You can visit her Just Giving page to donate at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thank-you-for-caring

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