This is a terrific news story from the UK about how UK newsagents have been helping their local communities through covid:
Newsagents have played a crucial role in their local communities during the coronavirus pandemic, from ensuring residents can get their daily news fix to keeping emergency stashes of toilet paper behind the till for customers unable to get their hands on any elsewhere.
Yet unlike many other essential workers who have, rightly, been praised for keeping the country going during the hardest of times, the contribution of newsagents has been largely overlooked.
As fears about the likelihood of a Covid-19 outbreak in the UK spread prior to lockdown, many shoppers who had previously bypassed their local newsagent in favour of the larger supermarket chains started dropping into convenience stores closer to home in order to avoid the crowds in towns any city centres.
…
Some newsagents have gone to great lengths to help customers and their local community during the pandemic.
Asiyah and Jawad Javed, who run the Day-Today Express store in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk, have given away hundreds of free Covid-19 hygiene kits to elderly and vulnerable people in their area to help to keep them safe during the public health crisis.
The kits include antibacterial hand gel, sanitising wipes and facemasks, and have cost the business more than £4,000. The couple also offered free delivery services for any residents unable to get to the shop.
What a great story!