Burwell village truck convoy celebrates 'Clap for Carers' night

A convoy of trucks drove through a village with their lights flashing during the Clap for Carers last night to celebrate local key workers.

Drivers from Manchetts Vehicle Recovery, which is based in Burwell, decided they wanted to honour all the local key workers in the community - including shop workers, carers, delivery drivers, teachers, firefighters, police, charity workers and anyone delivering front line services, as well as NHS staff.

The drive through was met with whoops and cheers as the recovery trucks drove down the village centre.

Mandy Manchett, one of the directors of the company, said: “The recovery drivers at Manchetts wanted to do it a couple of weeks ago but we were a bit unsure about it because we didn’t want to upset people in Burwell or make it a celebration of Manchetts.

“But they wanted to thank all of the key workers in Burwell. It’s our family business’ home is Burwell and they wanted to just thank people at the Co-op, the post office, the bakers, the butchers, the schools and pretty much insisted on doing it.

“They got their families to make banners, they cleaned the lorries. We have a small skeleton of staff working at recovery of about 15 people and they just put massive effort into it so we got behind them and said yes - do it.”

At exactly 8pm yesterday they set off through the village along The Causeway and then Ness Road and were met with hundreds of residents clapping from their doorsteps.

“We did let Burwell villagers know it would be happening on the community Facebook page and it was absolutely tremendously received, it was received far better than we ever thought,” says Mrs Manchett.

“People stayed outside banging pots and pans as the lorries went past. The response was it was such a feelgood thing. It was such a pick me up for so many people. We had people say they were in isolation and had been home alone and that this had given them such a lift. I’m so glad we let the drivers do it - it was wonderful.”

Drivers were warned by the company not to use their air horns but they did beep at people waving using their ordinary horns.

Mrs Manchett added: “I biked into Burwell and videoed them. Both my daughters were inthe trucks, one is a driver. And when they came back they said they couldn’t believe the response. They came back on such a high.”

Asked whether the company would repeat the convoy on another Clap for Carers night, Mrs Manchett said: “We feel like we shouldn’t do it again, it's not a celebration of Manchetts. It is a celebration of everyone still working and putting themselves on the front line. At the moment we are not planning to do it again, although lots of people have asked. The positive responses were overwhelming.”