EXCLUSIVE
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has praised a Cumbria pharmacy for fighting through floodwaters to serve patients during a recent storm.
Allisons Chemist in Cockermouth was hit with 14 inches of water on December 5, when the nearby River Derwent burst its banks after record rainfall in the region, according to pharmacy director Nat Mitchell.
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| The pharmacy remained open despite being deluged with 14 inches of water |
Despite the “devastating” storm, the pharmacy remained open thanks to the rapid response of staff, who moved all of the stock upstairs to keep it dry, Mr Mitchell told C+D yesterday (December 16).
Mr Corbyn visited the pharmacy alongside local Labour MP Sue Hayman last week, describing the pharmacy as a “miracle shop”, Mr Mitchell said. “It was great, he was really responsive and interested,” he said.
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| Labour MP Sue Hayman (centre) visited the pharmacy with Jeremy Corbyn last week |
Mr Mitchell praised local patients and other pharmacists for helping the store deal with the floodwater. “I had a lot of calls from other pharmacists offering help. We are usually in competition with each other but there was a lot of solidarity there,” he said.
“We have a very tight community and a lot of assistance, which shows how important the community pharmacy network is to people.”
Allisons Chemist is now “totally operational”, but the floodwater had “warped” some of the fittings, he added.
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| Water surged through Cockermouth high street after the nearby River Derwent burst its banks |
The government confirmed last week that a “number” of people had died because of the storm, dubbed Storm Desmond. More than 3,000 properties were flooded across the country, with the majority in Cumbria, it added.
More on the floods...
Cumbria pharmacies overcome floods to serve patients
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