Laundry Goddess in Sudbury shows gratitude to NHS staff and key workers tackling coronavirus by offering discounted laundry service

The owner of a launderette in Sudbury has launched a community scheme to pay tribute to the individuals tackling the coronavirus outbreak.

Beverley East is offering a discounted laundry service to both NHS medical staff and key workers at her business in North Street to thank them for their efforts during the crisis.

Keen to express her gratitude, Ms East, who owns the Laundry Goddess, hopes the kind gesture will help support individuals working in the public sector.

“They’re working 12-hour shifts and probably don’t get time to take a lunch break and are then going home exhausted,” she said. “So, the last thing they want to be doing is to be putting on their washing.”

For members of the public who would like to give thanks to any front-line medical staff and key workers, Ms East has established a pay-it-forward scheme, which enables them to cover the cost of their laundry service – from washing and folding clothes, to ironing – with 50 per cent off the usual rate.

The gesture can be made anonymously, or customers are welcome to inform the recipients of the scheme about the offer.

After sharing the community scheme online, Ms East said she was delighted by the positive response from the community.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “I genuinely didn’t know how it would be received.”

Praising the community spirit, Ms East added: “We are a small market town, but people are looking after each other. “

Before establishing her own business 25 years ago, Ms East worked as an outreach worker, and provided counselling for people with addiction problems.

For more information about the scheme, go to www.laundrygoddess.co.uk or call 01787 881544.