AN ASYLUM seeker who has used her talent with a needle and thread to create colourful cloth face masks to protect the public leads our latest list of Helensburgh and Lomond 'Lockdown Heroes'.
Harriet Ndlovu moved to the UK from Zimbabwe in 2007 and has lived in Helensburgh for the last eight years.
And if you know someone who, like Harriet, deserves a special shout-out for going above and beyond for you, your family and friends or the wider community in Helensburgh during the pandemic, you only have a few days left to get your nomination in.
We've been overwhelmed at the heart-warming stories that have reached us since the initiative, in partnership with the Helensburgh Garelochside Rotary Club and now sponsored by building firm Lake Construction Ltd, was launched four weeks ago – and the final batch of nominations will appear in the Advertiser on Thursday, June 11.
To nominate your 'Lockdown Hero' for a mention in next week's edition, all you have to do is fill in our simple online form here – just give us the name of the person you'd like to nominate, a few words on why they deserve a mention in the paper, and your own name and contact details.
Here are the stories of all the 'Lockdown Heroes' you've nominated in the past seven days...
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Harriet Ndlovu, who has been making face masks during the pandemic to help keep frontline health workers, and the general public, safe during the pandemic.
Harriet, who lives in Mossend Place, next to the Victoria Integrated Care Centre, first moved to the UK in 2007.
An asylum seeker from Zimbabwe, Harriet – who was nominated by Dr Helen Gibson – moved to Glasgow from Essex in 2009 before ending up homeless and through friends she was sold on the idea of moving to Helensburgh in 2012.
“I have been living here for the past eight years,” she said. “My family are still in Africa.
READ MORE: Meet the first of your Helensburgh and Lomond 'Lockdown Heroes'
“Helensburgh is so nice. I love it.
“People are so friendly, very supportive. I have really enjoyed my stay here.
“Helensburgh is just beautiful. Living near the seaside is something we didn’t have in Zimbabwe because we are inland.
“What I love most is the community. They are so friendly and it’s like you are at home with everybody.”
Harriet, who turns 54 next week, is unable to work due to her asylum seeker status.
But she has been keeping busy during lockdown by sewing colourful cloth face masks and handing them out to those who need them.
She added: “I like sewing, so when this pandemic came I looked at videos on YouTube and I got a pattern and did one mask and thought ‘Ha, this is cool’.
“I started making masks for my friends and for everybody around me.
“I’ve made more than 100 and have posted some to my friends in England.
READ MORE: Lockdown Heroes: week 2 of your nominations for a special shout-out
“They are all very colourful as I use African fabrics.
“People are very happy to receive the masks and I just thought it was a good thing to do.
“I thought some people might just take them and then put them away somewhere but people are wearing them all over, it’s nice to see.
“As long as this pandemic goes on, and as long as people still need them and I’ve got material I will keep making them, no problem.”
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Harriet wasn’t the only volunteer PPE maker in Helensburgh and Lomond to get a shout-out in this week’s list of nominations.
Michelle Scotland was put forward as a Lockdown Hero by Lauren Roy, who said:: “Mich has spent lockdown using her talent to keep people safe.
“She’s spent hours making huge piles of face masks and sending them to family and friends all over the country, and not taken a penny for it.
“You are incredible Mich, thank you for keeping us safe.”
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READ MORE: Week 3 of your Lockdown Heroes: check out the latest nominees
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Elsewhere, Stuart Grant was nominated for a special mention by Carol Stevens and her colleagues at Colgrain Primary, where Stuart works as the janitor.
Colgrain has been the Helensburgh and Lomond area’s ‘hub school’, providing free school meals to eligible children and childcare for the children of key workers for most of the pandemic.
Carol said: “He’s been on duty more or less since the beginning of lockdown from first thing in the morning until end of shift.
“He’s been one of the constants in an often changing situation and always happy to do whatever he’s asked to make things run smoothly in so many ways we couldn’t list them.
“Things would have been so much more difficult to put in place without him and he’s always got a smile for the children and staff coming in to the hub.”
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Retired Scottish Ambulance Service care assistant Ralph Dick was also singled out for a mention.
Ralph's wife Elizabeth Dick said: “He delivers medication to people at home alongside two other drivers for his local chemist.
“He usually shares this role with two other drivers but they have had to shield.
“At nearly 68 he is working long hours, the work of three, helping his community.”
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The last nomination this week is for Elizabeth Kelly McCarthy, who was put forward by her sister Jean Kelly for her efforts cooking meals and home baking for family and friends who have been affected by the lockdown.
Jean added: “She’s always on the go for everyone.”
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Tariq Durrani from Helensburgh Garelochside Rotary said: “The club is very pleased to be partnering with the Helensburgh Advertiser in this initiative recognising individuals and organisations that have contributed so fully and selflessly in helping such a large number of people in our community.
“It is indeed pleasing to note that this week again we see an impressive list of worthy nominations, highlighting the marvellous work being carried out by our ‘Lockdown Heroes’.
“This makes the Rotary movement proud to be associated with such a worthwhile cause.”
READ MORE: Catch up with all the latest news headlines from around Helensburgh and Lomond here
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