A Trafford Councillor has praised the ‘fabulous’ work of a community champion throughout the coronavirus lockdown.
Cllr Jane Slater, who represents the Stretford ward, said businesswoman Georgie Grzesiak had proved herself to be a real community hero for local people.
Mother-of-four Mrs Grzesiak has thrown herself into helping the community since her Stretford health café, Uplift, was forced to close three weeks ago due to the lockdown. She is keeping her usual children’s story time sessions going by running them online and, as part of her knitting group, is making protective attachments for NHS workers’ masks.
Mrs Grzesiak is well known in the area for her work – as well as story time sessions on Mondays and Fridays, she runs an art club, a brew and chill club for those suffering from stress and a rubik’s cube playing group.
Cllr Slater, the Council’s Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Equalities, said:
Georgie is a real community hero to everyone in Stretford and we cannot thank her enough for all her fabulous work – she seems to help everyone.
Even though she had to close her café temporarily, she is continuing to help people in the area in as many ways as she possibly can. So many families tune in to her popular story time sessions and she is even knitting protective attachments for care workers to put behind their masks. Well done Georgie, everyone in Stretford is really proud of you!”
Georgie, who lives in Stretford, said:
I don’t regard myself as being a community hero but I am happy to help wherever I can. I was upset when we had to close the café and was worried I wouldn’t be able to continue with my usual groups and clubs, but that hasn’t been the case.
I love the story time sessions with the children and am delighted I have been able to carry that on online. I even got recognised in the supermarket the other day, so I must be getting famous! And I’m pleased the knitting club has been able to help the NHS staff who putting their lives at risk for us. Special thanks to Shirley who is running the knitting club. It’s times like this that we all need to pull together and look after each other.”
Anyone wishing to get involved in the knitting club or story time sessions can contact Georgie via her email g.grzesiak@ntlworld.com.
Posted on Monday 20th April 2020