Hardik Desai has been rallying for volunteers to set up an independent vaccination site that would help to speed up NHS efforts in Ticehurst.
In his statement to The Times, he said, “This is something I wanted to do for the community. I’m quite passionate about it. The thing I love is trying to make patients’ lives better. What could be better than doing this now?”
34-year-old Desai, a father of two, was born and grew up in Gujarat, India. He came to the UK in 2007, completing two degrees before buying the pharmacy in Ticehurst two years ago. He and his wife, Sonal, who works as a dispenser, commute every day from Hastings. She is running the pharmacy while her husband spends 14 hours a day at the clinic, where he is often the first to arrive and last to leave.
“I expect to see him on the honours list,” David Yates, a retired anaesthetist who lives next door and is one of the vaccinators,” said to The Times. “It has been a huge commitment from him. He has been so enthusiastic and efficient.”
Desai further added, “Everybody has worked so hard. It is running smoothly and the feedback has been amazing. People tell us they are surprised how quickly they are in and out.”
He hopes that the community effort will also remind people of the importance of the local high street. Last year, Amazon launched an online pharmacy service in the US, offering delivery of prescriptions — a hostile move for traditional high street chemists.
“Amazon is coming into pharmacy, we don’t know when, but they will eat us. It’s a worry. We are a very small business but this is a reminder of the importance of the high street, not just pharmacies, but all small shops. We are all doing this for the community. If we are not there on the high street, we wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
