IT'S fair to say many of us will have a new appreciation for many things due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Whether it's a new love for your garden or realising just how important family visits are, the crisis has certainly realigned all our priorities.

But more than anything, it's given us a new appreciation for all our healthcare workers - and surely everyone can agree that they deserve something back.

One Hexham family decided to take matters into their own hands, and provided staff at Hexham Hospital with hundreds of free ice creams.

The Hexham Courant launched a campaign in April with the aim of celebrating businesses going above and beyond, identifying their special efforts by crowing them Trader of the Week.

This week, the title goes to Tyne Valley Ices and the Philipson family, for their kind donation of hundreds of ice cream to NHS staff at Hexham Hospital.

Zoe Philipson, who runs Tyne Valley Ices, explained why she decided to treat the staff.

She said: "I actually got in touch at the start of lockdown, when NHS staff were working super hard.

"They work hard all year round, but particularly so then.

"I asked if they wanted a treat, but that was in March and I wanted to make sure it was safe for both us and them, so we've waited until now. It's also been a bit nicer weather!

"I didn't actually count how many we gave out, but the hospital said it was a couple of hundred. I was there for the whole afternoon and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. They were so appreciative.

"All staff from doctors, nurses, domestic, receptionists, health care assistants, midwives and maintenance workers were all treated to an ice cream on us."

Tyne Valley Ices has been in business since 1974, while Zoe has worked there fulltime for a decade.

In March, she came second in the finals of the Ice Cream Alliance’s national Mobiler of the Year competition.

Zoe was the only female and the youngest in the competition, which recognises those who have excelled in the industry.

And while they, like everyone, have found the pandemic difficult, she maintains the company is still in a strong position.

She continued: "We stayed inside at the start, but it was our personal choice not to go out. Takeaways were still going ahead, so it was a grey area.

"Every business is essential to the individual owner.

"We normally go to events like the shows, but they've all been cancelled. We're still getting a few private bookings.

"We've got a protective screen, we wear different clothes and we ahve PPE. We're putting health before wealth and safety comes first, particularly because we work in our home town.

"Everybody who comes to see us on the Sele has been really supportive."