Citizen of the Week: Sarah-Mae Yardley from Queen's Walk, Stamford, is becoming a coronavirus lockdown legend
“Who doesn’t want to help at a time like this?” says Sarah-Mae Yardley, our very first Citizen of the Week.
The cheerful 26-year-old who grew up in Queen’s Walk, Stamford, and attended Casterton College, is only too happy to support her neighbours through the difficult circumstances of the coronavirus lockdown.
“My family have lived here for 21 years, but as well as those we knew as neighbours, we are getting to know many more people in Queens Walk,” she said.
“This great community of people is coming together and through it we are meeting and getting to know people better.”
After a Queen’s Walk WhatsApp group was established to aid communication, Sarah-Mae put together a spreadsheet of what fresh produce neighbours needed and arranged for Tallington Farm Shop to deliver it her, turning her driveway into a community veg stall.
She also delivered cakes to all her neighbours’ doorsteps after her new job at a café came to an abrupt end.
“I had only been in the job a week when the lockdown was announced,” she said.
“I arranged for much of the surplus stock to go to Second Helpings in Stamford - except they couldn’t take all the cakes, so I gave some to the new SOS Covid Group in Stamford to deliver to people who can’t leave their homes, and the rest I dropped off with friends who were self-isolating and on the doorsteps of neighbours. We did have loads of cake!”
Sarah-Mae lives with parents Sue and Andy, and their four cats, having moved back to the family home after being diagnosed last year with multiple sclerosis.
“I’d worked at an estate agents and was sharing a flat with a friend, but MS caused me to lose my sight in one eye and some of the control over one side of my body, and so I needed to slow things down a bit and moved back home.
“I absolutely love Queen’s Walk and the whole street is a nice community. Everyone is friendly. We’re very, very lucky.”
Sarah-Mae, who also sponsors a single father-of-four in Cambodia who she met while volunteering there, received three separate nominations to be the Mercury’s first Citizen of the Week, kindly sponsored by Peterborough Regional College.
In a message, sent in through the nomination form on the Mercury website, Jenny Wheatcroft said: “Sarah-Mae took no time at all to rally up the troops on Queens Walk in Stamford.
“The WhatsApp group was formed quicker than you could shake a stick and the community spirit took off.
“She distributed cakes to excited neighbours. She co-ordinated a Tallington farm delivery for 25 households at least, turning her drive into a social distancing grocery collection point.
“The whole street has really come together, collecting prescriptions and essentials supporting those isolating.”
Sophie Chapman also nominated Sarah-Mae, saying: “In the first week of shut down she was on the Queen’s Walk WhatsApp group, had organised a veg box delivery for everyone that wanted one, hand-delivered parcels of cake, eggs and milk and just set such an example to us all of generosity and sharing and genuine care at a time which has been so hard for so many.”
Sam Cooper also nominated Sarah-Mae, for “Supporting the street in hard times, organising food deliveries and a supply of free cakes... well done Sarah-Mae!”
Sarah-Mae will receive a £25 gift voucher as a prize. The award is sponsored by Peterborough Regional College.
To nominate your Citizen of the Week click here.