Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Meadowbank woman's jokes bring laughter during lockdown

Laughter might not be the best medicine for Covid-19 but it brings welcome relief during level 4 lockdown.

In Meadowbank, Auckland, there has been plenty of lockdown laughter thanks to local resident Mildie Meyer-Els who gets up early each morning to place "dad jokes" around the neighbourhood.

The jokes have become a talking point in the community, bringing people out of their homes to exercise and have a laugh.

Meyer-Els is today's lockdown hero.

Meyer-Els started spreading cheer last lockdown when her work in events dried up.

"I am a very social person and I need to do things for others to validate myself to an extent," she said.

Mildie Myer-Els out on her joke-trail with Murphy, one of her three Scottish Terriers. Photo / Supplied

"I thought I am not going to cope with this mentally if I don't have something positive to do."

Meyer-Els' Meadowbank home backs on to Purewa Cemetery and the area became busy during the last level 4 lockdown with families who could no longer go to playgrounds.

"All of a sudden the cemetery was a buzz because people could spread out and there were no cars so it was safe for children.

One of Mildie Myer-Els jokes from her Facebook page "Reason to Smile". Photo / Reason to Smile

"I thought what can I do to entertain these people - so I put a couple of jokes around."

This lockdown Meyer-Els stepped it up a bit and after contacting her local councillor to see if she needed consent she had professional signs printed.

"I was told 'you don't need permission to make people happy' so I went with it."

Meyer-Els has jokes posted at 12 different locations around a 4km circuit and is up early each morning with her dogs to change the jokes.

"We don't have kids but our dogs, and the jokes, get us up every morning."

"I wake up and say to my husband 'my audience is waiting'. It gets me out of bed."

There are 12 laughs along the way of the 4 km walk Myer-Els takes every morning to post new jokes. Photo / Facebook Reason to Smile

Spreading laughter with her jokes has been therapy for Meyer-Els and she said the feedback from locals has been heartwarming.

Graeme van der Meer is out each day to check out the jokes which he said have become a talking point in the community.

"She goes out every morning well before most of us are awake to place her carefully curated family-friendly jokes for people to see as they walk by," he said.

Mildie Meyer-Els started placing jokes around her neighborhood to entertain and bring a smile to people's faces during lockdown. Photo / Supplied

"Her sense of humour and optimism shines through this exercise and it certainly touches many people's lives in a small but very positive way."

There are a couple of older women who do the whole 4km route just to see the jokes and a mum who said the jokes are the only way she can get her teenagers away from gaming.

"The mum explained her teens have to go and find the jokes each day and take photos to bring back as evidence," Meyer-Els said.

"Because the jokes change every day, they have to go out and get the new ones."

Another woman from Russia said the jokes helped her improve her English because her child wanted to read the jokes so she had to translate for her.

But for most the jokes give people "a bit of a chuckle" as they head out for their daily social distanced walk.

Meyer-Els said there are a few people who know who she is and call out "hello joke lady" from across the street.

For most though, she has been a mysterious provider of laughter who is back home before they are out of bed.

One of Myer-Els jokes to see in Spring. Photo / Supplied

Meyer-Els starts a full-time job in events next week but said the jokes won't stop.

"I will keep on doing this to bring a smile, it is good for my soul."

To see some of Meyer-Els jokes go to @reasontonz or click here.