Let me introduce Flo Osborne. She is both remarkable and inspirational. During the Coronavirus(Covid19) pandemic, 89 year old Flo, has been baking hundreds of pies to support her local community in Harwich, Essex.

With the support of her family, who provide Flo with her ingredients, she has been a valued contributor to the efforts of the North Essex Support Team (NEST). The team have been offering a hot meal service at local Community Centres in the Harwich area since the Coronavirus(Covid19) hit Essex.

Her community acts of kindness have seen Flo become a social media star. But not only that, she has recently been recognised by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, for her outstanding services to her community during the nations battle with Coronavirus(Covid19).  So he has written to her personally to thank her for her work and Flo has been made a ‘Points of Light’ honouree. Her award has been announced on the ‘Points of Light’ website. Flo joins Sir Captain Tom Moore amongst many outstanding volunteers across the UK who are making a change in their community https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/.

Just before the second Coronavirus(Covid19) lockdown, I spotted a Facebook post about Flo from Les Nicoll, who is the founder the North Essex Support Team (NEST) https://www.facebook.com/NESupportTeam. NEST is a volunteer group to help vulnerable families create a safe and comfortable home with Les having a  primary role making sure vulnerable groups are well looked after.

So having been unbelievably moved by the story about Flo supporting her community, I reached out to Les who was trying to raise awareness of Flo’s incredible community spirit. Flo was grabbing the attention of the media and Les invited me to create a film telling the story of Flo and her pies.

So during the few days prior to the second national Coronavirus(Covid19) lockdown, I spent a day with Flo at her sons restaurant, Samuel Pepys, in Harwich https://www.samuelpepysharwich.co.uk/.

Whilst spending time with Flo, I felt so privileged not just to watch her  baking one of her famous apple pies, but then we sat and chatted over a cup of tea whilst enjoying her apple pie, which was just hot out of the oven. Flo told me all about her life. From growing up in the north to now having great grand-children. It was such a joy to hear her story.

Every pie that Flo makes, she makes from scratch. She told me ‘there’s no secret’ to how delicious her pies are. She grew up watching her mother bake and now she just follows in her footsteps.

Flo is a wonderful lady. She is truly a local hero and a national treasure. Her incredible kindness to others comes naturally to her. She told me ‘she just likes to help people’.

I’ll never forget the time I spent with Flo and hope to take my family to have apple pie with her as soon as we’re able to visit her in Harwich. In these difficult times, acts of community kindness, such as Flo’s, are even more important.

These are the stories that need to be told and shared.

So here is my film, which I’ve gifted to Flo and her family. A lady with such a warm heart and who bakes the best apple pie I ever tasted!

If you’d like me to create a film for you, please contact me via the following link: https://www.belindagrantphotography.co.uk/contact/

or to see more about the films I create click link: https://www.belindagrantphotography.co.uk/film/