I am delighted to announce that Sue Foster has been awarded the Wealden Hero Award this week.

Sue works in Tesco Express in Uckfield. From the start of the pandemic, she has been working long hours, keeping the shelves well stocked for local residents. She is dedicated to her job and receives many comments from the customers about her kindness and generosity. On one occasion, Sue caught a shop lifter at the store and followed them out the store to ask them to put all items back, putting herself at risk.

In addition to her full-time job, Sue has been going above and beyond for the local community, especially for the elderly and vulnerable. As her own family members were shielding throughout the lockdown, Sue has not only been doing their shopping, but also run errands and shopped for other residents who were nervous to venture outside and delivered items to their door for them to collect from a safe distance. Sue devoted her spare time to baking and delivered home-made food to her shielding friends.

Volunteers are at the heart of community-led support across Wealden and it is vital that our vulnerable neighbours have familiar faces they can turn to for support. Sue has made an enormous contribution to customers of the local branch of Tesco's and to Uckfield residents. Well done!