Community support vital during lockdown

Leader and Watt Dannevirke manager Sam Freeman has been kept busy throughout the Covid-19 lockdown.

Support from the community and other businesses has been a key factor in keeping some Tararua service providers working throughout the Covid-19 lockdown.

"Having local people support local businesses as we try the best we can to supply essential products has been very important," Leader and Watt Dannevirke manager Sam Freeman said.

Support from other businesses has also meant that Freeman has been able to keep her delivery truck on the road.

"Twice in the last two weeks I've had to call other local businesses to help me out."

Freeman, who has been at Leader and Watt for 12 years, has been keeping households running by supplying essential items such as washing machines, fridges, freezers and vacuum cleaners.

The Dannevirke store was completely shut for the first week of lockdown but since then Freeman has been taking care of online and phone orders, processing payments and making deliveries.

As Leader and Watt Dannevirke is a small store, the amount of stock it can carry is limited so Freeman tries to source goods from other stores and also travels to Palmerston North once a week to pick up appliances from Leader and Watt's bulk store.

"It's can be quite difficult to get items as not all our suppliers are operating and some transport companies have specific days of the week that they deliver."

As with all businesses that are operating under lockdown Freeman says drop offs and pick ups are contactless.