SINCE coronavirus first reached Inverclyde our key workers have been a class act.

The Tele is now shining a spotlight on these dedicated individuals, teaming up with long-established local business Dallas Carpets for the Nominate Your Key Worker campaign.

CLAIRE AMBER YOUNG reports.

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GREENOCK mum Cheryl Devine has only been in her job as a nurse for less than a year - but her response to the coronavirus has shown she's tailor-made for the role.

Cheryl, from Larkfield, qualified in August 2019 and got a job working within Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) in Inverclyde.

When lockdown hit, Cheryl wanted to use her skills to help more people, so she immediately joined the bank of nursing staff at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

She took on the extra duties all while looking after her 12-year-old twins Aiden and Kaitlyn with help from husband Chris.

Chris is also a key worker and has been continuing with his job as security supervisor at Diodes throughout lockdown.

Cheryl said: "We spent a bit of time at the start thinking about how things were going to work.

"When I am working from home and looking after the kids, Chris is at work, and vice versa.

"I know how important routine is for kids so we've made up a timetable and they're always in their beds from 10.30pm until about 7am or 8am in the morning.

"It's been quite difficult juggling all of it but we've managed it."

Cheryl, 32, suffers from asthma so has had to be acutely aware of coronavirus risks.

She has been balancing working from home with a few days in the office where she adheres to strict social distancing guidelines.

The busy mum said that the CAHMS service has been really helpful and flexible in terms of her shifts but admits that she's missing face-to-face interaction.

Cheryl added: "My work has been really accommodating with everything.

"They've been letting me work from home for the majority of the time due to my asthma and when I'm in work there's strict social distancing.

"It's been difficult not seeing people as the job is all about building a therapeutic relationship with young people face-to-face.

"It's been a testing time but you just have to get on with it and deal with it."

*Is someone in your family a care worker? Do you have a friend who works in a supermarket? Do you know a medical professional who is risking their life to help others? To show our appreciation for the hundreds of key workers helping others, we will publish their names in the paper and tell some of their inspirational stories. To nominate, visit https://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/nominate-your-key-worker