Shoreham café paints windows in celebration of NHS workers, keyworkers, carers and community

A Shoreham café has painted its windows in ‘an homage’ to all those in the community who have pulled together to help vulnerable residents during the pandemic.
The Tom Foolery cafe in ShorehamThe Tom Foolery cafe in Shoreham
The Tom Foolery cafe in Shoreham

Bob and Vanessa McCulloch, owners of the Tom Foolery in Shoreham High Street, have decorated the café’s windows with colourful figures to send a ‘positive message’ to passersby.

They said: “We wanted to provide a positive upbeat image while also celebrating the amazing work of our NHS workers, keyworkers, carers and the community.

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“We think the window looks great and gives a positive message to everyone.”

They praised the local facebook groups – Shoreham COVID-19 Mutual Aid & Peer-to-Peer Community Support and the Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association – for doing an ‘incredible job’ of pulling people together and supporting the most vulnerable, adding: “It makes us so proud of Shoreham and it’s community. Our window is an homage to you.”

Like other businesses, the cafe has been closed throughout the pandemic and faces ‘a very unsettled future’ going forward.

In a post on Facebook, they said they had managed to furlough staff and were ‘optimistic’ about accessing the Local Authority Grant for small businesses, which they hope will help them ‘tread water and survive until life reshapes itself’.

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“We are missing everyone, it feels very surreal right now and we hope you and your families are keeping safe,” they said in the post.

“Remember the High Street is an essential part of any community and we hope we can all come back together very soon.”

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