Meet the Portsmouth people providing a Ray of Sunshine during coronavirus pandemic

From sprucing up an elderly neighbour’s garden, to making gift boxes for teachers still at work, or designing canvas bags to celebrate the NHS – hundreds of people have been showing their true colours.

Despite lockdown and social distancing rules meaning people cannot be physically close, communities have still pulled together.

Among them is green-fingered Adam Bignell from Cowplain, who wanted to make sure his neighbour's garden was perfect.

He has been putting in time to do up his 105-year-old neighbour’s back garden, giving her somewhere nice to relax.

Adam, 43, of Greenfield Crescent, gave Dot’s garden a new paint job, tiled the floor, mowed the lawn and kitted her out with a table.

He said: ‘It started with me sealing up her garage, but when I saw her garden I wanted to tidy it up a bit.

‘She’s such a lovely woman and she needed somewhere to enjoy the sunshine, especially given the lockdown situation.

‘It’s been amazing to hear her outside with the carers who come to visit.

‘There has been so many people doing things to help others – it’s fantastic and I really hope it carries on once everything goes back to normal.’

And a retired couple in Stubbington have huge smiles on their faces after their young neighbour painted a garden mural which reminds them of their four-year-old grandson.

Bob and Ann McHale, both 73, are missing their family, including young Oliver who lives in Christchurch with his dad Marc and mum Helen, who is a nurse at Bournemouth Hospital.

Their creative neighbour Millie Keal, 21, has helped cheer the pair up by hopping over the garden fence and painting a beautiful hummingbird mural on their shed, similar to Oliver’s bedroom wallpaper.

Bob said: ‘She is lovely and has grown up with us living next door.

‘Each morning the sun comes over the top and hits that first and it’s lovely. She didn’t have to do it, it’s just a lovely gesture.’

Nursery worker Millie, who is shielding at home for 12 weeks, said: ‘When I was little they would spend so much time helping me grow as a person. Bob’s always so welcoming, they’re just lovely those two.

‘I think all of our street know them because they’re just so lovely.’

For many people, it’s the day-to-day things they’re missing, such as going to work or seeing their friends.

Year 6 pupils at Copnor Primary School are still coming to terms with the fact they probably won’t be reunited before the end of school.

So, to keep each other smiling and as a way of seeing one another, they put together a video of themselves doing the Macarena.

Parent Amy George, 33, from Copnor, helped her 11-year-old daughter Darcie Boyle take part.

Amy said: ‘The teachers did it first and then challenged the kids to make one too.

‘It only took a couple of days to put together, but everyone seems really chuffed with it.

‘They’ve missed out on school trips and probably won't have a leaver’s assembly, so it’s nice for them to have this to remember each other by – apparently there were a few tears shed when the video first went online, but I think it’s also cheered a lot of people up.’

Another youngster looking to make a difference is eight-year-old Sofia Dennis, from Swanmore.

She is decorating canvas bags in support of the NHS, with the money raised from selling them going to NHS Charities Together.

Sofia said: ‘So far we’ve made about £100 and I’m really excited about that.

‘I’ve never done anything like this before but I like doing art at school.

‘I just wanted to make a difference.’

The bags are sold through mum Vivienne’s sewing businesses, Lovingly Made Gifts, costing £5 per bag.

Across the region, the support for the NHS has never been higher – with a colourful trio showing their support.

Leigh Park’s Carla Tyler has dyed her horse Blue’s mane, Shaun O'Donnell from Havant dyed his hair the colours of the rainbow for the NHS, and Gemma Wheeler has decorated her Fareham home with a shedload of rainbow balloons.

Meanwhile, kind-hearted hospital worker Justina Haddigan was feeling helpless as she cannot work due to her health.

So instead, the 48-year-old has been collecting donations to create gift boxes for teachers who are working hard through the crisis.

Justina, who is normally a healthcare support worker at Queen Alexandra Hospital, said: ‘The NHS workers would not be able to do what they do without someone to look after the kids, half of the nation wouldn’t be able to keep going if it wasn’t for the teachers.

‘I just stand in admiration for them. The NHS are doing a fantastic job but they’re not the only heroes here.’

With help from four weekly donors, Justina has been dishing out the boxes which can be nominated for certain schools, running raffles on her Facebook page and collecting for a women’s refuge.

The Somers Town resident has teamed up with Goodfellas in Cosham, which is donating pizzas each time she delivers a teacher box.

‘I was at home feeling quite helpless and I wanted to make people feel valued,’ Justina added.

‘It’s just really taken off, people just want to help. Every penny that I raise will go to local causes.’

Meanwhile, a delightful spin on the 2.6 challenge many have been taking part in has seen four-year-old Evie Jones from Farlington completing 26 random acts of kindness to make other people happy.

Evie and her mum Sophie, who is a doctor at The Rowans Hospice in Purbrook, have sent out scavenger hunts to her friends, donated to the food bank, and delivered biscuits to Solent Infant School, where Evie will be starting in September.

They have also taken gifts into the hospice and will be writing postcards for bin collectors and postal workers.

All this kindness is part of the pair’s fundraising efforts to support the hospice, and they have raised £570 already.

Sophie said: ‘I thought it would be good for her to learn about being kind to other people. It’s made me realise how thoughtful she is, I’m impressed with how much she has enjoyed it and got involved.’

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