Today, the number of coronavirus patients in the Netherlands has climbed a further 20% to 1,705.
Amid this pandemic, there is one segment of the workforce that is, especially, overloaded – hospital staff. Yesterday, however, their day was brightened a little. Hospital staff in Eindhoven and Helmond were gifted with thousands of tulips.
Flower wholesalers, Fred and Henk Magendans, had purchased two trucks full of flowers at auction. Shortly after that, markets all across the country were shut down. “On Friday, we went to the auction to buy the flowers for 16 weekly markets in Belgium and the Netherlands”, says Fred.
Lots of flowers in storage
“As we drove out of there, the cancellations starting coming in.” The two men were left with thousands of euros worth of flowers in storage. Instead of just throwing everything out, they delivered 1,300 bunches to hospitals in Eindhoven and Helmond.
These flower merchants will receive no income for the coming weeks. But they remain positive. “We find it to be a particularly difficult time for hospital staff and patients,” says Henk. The brothers’ wives came up with the idea. So, instead of letting the flowers wilt and die, they thought of a great way to thank the staff at Elkerliek and Catharina Hospital.
On Monday morning a truck with 500 bunches of flowers went out to the Elkerliek Hospital in Helmond. That same afternoon, people at Catharina Hospital was surprised with 800 bouquets. They were, of course, not allowed inside due to the risk of contamination.
But at the entrance of the hospital, the flowers were received with a smile. Employees then distributed the bunches throughout the hospital.
Source: OmroepBrabant
Translator: Melinda Walraven
