A TATTOO artist is putting his cleaning skills, hygiene training and caring nature to good use working as a care home assistant during the coronavirus crisis.

Will Gee has had to close his shop Monsters Art Emporium on Tavistock’s West Street — and is now working at Camplehaye Residential Home in Lamerton.

‘I don’t know when I can realistically open up again and being a proactive person I didn’t want to do nothing,’ he said. ‘Because I’ve had infection control training for my job — I have to clean to incredibly high standards every day — I was originally going to go and work at Derriford Hospital but that was taking time to sort out. Camplehaye in Lamerton, where my wife works, were looking for people. I thought, why not?’

He said there were more similarities in caring for the elderly and his tattoo work than might first appear.

‘You have to be able to talk to people in the work I do, he said. ‘I’m good with people and I have got lots of patience and applying tattoos can be quite painful for people so you have to have a caring nature to do tattoo art. I thought I would put those skills to good use for someone who needs it rather than just doing nothing.

‘I started at Camplehaye two weeks ago and it has been amazing. The change of pace from the studio has been quite a leap — there is a lot of running around — but it is nice to be able to help out in a sector that needs it. I do everything from helping people who need assisted feeds to personal care, to making sure that people are ok, giving them a bit of personal time, as they can’t go out or have family visits at the moment.’

Also doing her bit is Izzy Alderson, Year 13 pupil at Mount Kelly. She started working as a carer for Tavy Care Services three weeks ago, gaining valuable experience for her when she applies to university to study paramedic science.

Izzy said: ‘Due to my A-levels being cancelled, I took this as an opportunity to start my experience early and Tavy Care needed more staff as the Covid-19 virus meant that some staff were off. I am doing this to help the local community and to build experience for when I apply to university to do paramedic science. I am thoroughly enjoying it and am finding it very rewarding.’