AS the nation continues to show its appreciation to key workers and our staff in the NHS by clapping on our doorsteps every Thursday evening one lady has gone one step further.

Angela Hoyle of Monmouth says: ‘‘On Thursday evenings at 8pm we remember the NHS and carers who are working tirelessly in unprecedented circumstances.

‘‘To brighten our constant thoughts of the sorrow, grief and loss experienced by so many, I was given a challenge each week by a neighbour - to become a different character.

‘‘This proved to be a successful tonic to maintain the morale and well-being of others.

‘‘I am no artist by any stretch of the imagination but decided to have a go.

‘‘Limited to materials I could find around the house, the challenge certainly gave me food for thought. The most I could hope for was to represent an idea.

‘‘The first week was ‘Times gone by’. The second was to ‘represent the young’.

‘‘Next I was to portray an ‘Italian diva’. After this I was asked to become a Spanish senorita.

‘‘At my age I thought I’d be more likely to resemble a drag queen but decided to take a chance. Then I was asked to be a Morris dancer.

‘‘ At this point panic set in! Without ribbons I had to improvise, taking red handles from used Christmas carrier bags. I then found some red wool to make a rope-like texture to criss-cross around my legs and remembered some artificial flowers in a vase in my workshop.

‘‘I sewed them on to an old straw hat and hoped for the best - and even persuaded my husband to join me!

‘‘Several hours work for about 15 minutes of smiles on Thursday evenings, as we applaud the NHS and care workers, may seem disproportionate but when I realised how much the neighbours and passing motorists seemed uplifted in these difficult times and how much it meant to my Mother’s daytime carer to receive the pictures each week, I felt my efforts had all been worthwhile.’’