There has been a friendly face waiting to greet shoppers outside a Newcastle supermarket recently.
NSW Ambulance chaplain Pat Healion has been wandering outside Coles Marketown from 7am-8am on Tuesdays and Thursdays - the dedicated shopping time for emergency service and healthcare personnel - in case workers want a chat.
As a NSW Ambulance chaplain, Ms Healion is available to talk with - and be an ear for - paramedics when they encounter particularly challenging things at work.
Given the ongoing health crisis, Ms Healion has decided to make herself available while crucial frontline workers are getting some grocery shopping done.
"There's a lot of faces that are the same faces day in and day out," she said.
"Whether they are wardsmen, doctors or nurses or admin staff - they're all rolling through. Same with the firies - there have been a few of those - police are rolling through and so it's just a case of just being there to smile and say 'have a good day'.
"It makes a difference to some."
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