Essex Unites

As we continue with another three-week lockdown, Roger speaks about the contribution businesses are making to support the fight against the Coronavirus. As well as thanking people for continuing to Stay Home, Protecting the NHS and Saving Lives.

You can watch his message here:

Roger has a weekly briefing with Kit Malthouse MP, Minister for Policing and the Fire Service. Roger also receives regular updates from leaders from Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.

A full transcript of the update is below.

“Hello, I’m Roger Hirst, your Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner with my weekly update on how we are doing in this COVID-19 Lockdown.
Firstly again, a big thank you to everyone who stayed at home and stayed safe this weekend. It was a difficult Easter, and we all had to celebrate differently, but thank you for not going out. I also want to thank all the emergency workers, NHS staff and key workers who have been working so hard to keep us all safe. Like many of you, I have been out on the doorstep clapping for our key workers and joining with the wider community to thank them for all they are doing. But this week, I would also like to thank all of you who have continued working throughout this crisis.
We often overlook the contribution that business makes but without them we wouldn’t have the food, the services, the care or indeed the society that we all treasure. Businesses and their teams are making a huge contribution every day to the fight against Coronavirus. I have spoken to many businesses locally in Essex who are offering support to the NHS, changing their businesses to support our national effort or just continuing to work hard, doing what they do and delivering the goods, services and products we all need.
Just think about the big four industries that we have got. Pharmaceuticals, obviously working so hard now to try and get the testing and indeed the vaccines that we need. Telecoms, where would we be without the connectivity that they are offering us? Keeping in touch with our friends and family and indeed our business colleagues. Energy, without electricity we wouldn’t be powering the NHS machines and we wouldn’t be cooking, we wouldn’t indeed be communicating as we are doing at the moment and of course finance as well, where without them we wouldn’t be able to buy the goods that we need delivered to our doors or indeed do the contactless payments that we are all doing at the moment. All of that is just so important to keeping going.
Our priority now is to Stay Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives but where we can also to keep working. To keep producing, to keep our economy going and to help fund the battle ahead. The more we can do safely now, the better it will be once we can get safely back to normal. There are so many people doing great things this across this county. It is clear to me that we are united, we are winning because we are united together, we will succeed together. Essex is united. Stay Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives.
Thank you.”