A Cumbrian district nurse was able to visit her full round of housebound patients, thanks to a charity which helps emergency workers in bad weather.
Yesterday, Monday January 6, nurse Margaret Monaghan woke to more than a foot of snow surrounding her isolated home, which is 1,000ft up on the fells, between Haweswater and Ullswater.
The two-mile track to the nearest road was impassable in Margaret’s car.
She is one of the Eden ICC community nursing team based at Penrith Hospital and had a full day’s list of patients to see.
But Margaret knew that she could contact the Cumbria 4×4 Response charity which has come to the nursing team’s rescue in the past.
Within an hour, trained charity volunteer Keeley Arundel-McConachie was at Margaret’s door in a Land Rover.
She ferried Margaret slowly and safely to the hospital from where the experienced nurse set off to visit far-flung patients, all too frail or unwell to get to a surgery.
“The charity has spent the last few days helping all medics – getting surgeons into local hospitals and keeping NHS workers on duty in treacherous conditions,” said Margaret.
“These guys do this unpaid and in their own time – they are absolute superstars.”
