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Girls share a cuppa and uplifting messages

Imogen and Chelsea Butler share a cup of tea after delivering some care packages to Ipswich essential workers

As the pandemic took hold earlier in the year and Queenslanders were placed under restrictions, a North Ipswich girl noticed a lot of panic and stress in the community.

Imogen Butler, 11, said everyone was thrown into a situation and lifestyle that was unknown.

The North Ipswich Girl Guide was unable to visit grandparents, the girl guides were no longer able to meet and she couldn’t see her friends as her school started remote learning.

Miss Butler found herself thinking about how fast things were changing and she started to wonder how she could help.

She noticed life changed for everyone, but none more than essential workers who were unable to stay at home.

An idea formed that she could involve her fellow girl guides in.

She wanted to make little pouches with a teabag inside and a thank you note attached.

“I came up with this idea because during the start of COVID-19 essential workers were really unprepared and life for them changed instantly,” Miss Butler said.

“Essential workers continued to work to support our community so I thought they needed to be thanked for their hard work.

“Everyone needed to be positive especially during this global pandemic.”

Imogen and her twin sister Chelsea along with fellow guides started sewing and between them made around 400 thank you bags of tea.

These bags were then delivered to essential workers such as police stations, Ipswich Hospital and to health workers, chemists, grocery stores and service stations.

North Ipswich Girl Guide leader Tanya Hargreaves said the girls started locally at first but it grew to include some high level workers such as Health Minster Steven Miles who posted a thank you on his Facebook page.

“The girls didn’t expect the many kind comments and they didn’t do it for those reasons,” Ms Hargreaves said.

“They wanted to be able to say thank you and they didn’t know how to do it in any other way.

“Girl guides encourages young people to be thankful and share what you can.

“They felt grateful for the thanks they received in return and that is what inspires people to be kind.

“You get some kindness back and you keep going.”

Miss Butler said she is very thankful to everyone who made the bags and to all essential workers who make our community our community.

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