FAMILIES, friends, colleagues and neighbours across the conurbation took to their doorsteps, gardens and balconies to show their appreciation of NHS staff.

The second Clap For Carers initiative on Thursday night proved to be the most popular yet with hundreds of people seen and heard clapping and cheering in support of frontline healthcare workers.

One household in Parkstone went one step further by hosting a ‘Gate Party’ for their neighbours, by providing music courtesy of a DJ and encouraging everyone to take part in the round of applause at 8pm.

Organiser Tracey Jones, who lives of Wayne Road, said: “All I did was write out an invitation, stressing to people to keep two metres apart.

“Everyone was welcome, people could bring cups of tea or glasses of wine to their doorstep and it went down really well

“My husband used to own a night club in Bournemouth, so he has a home stereo system and lot of CD for a DJ didn’t turn up

“We were just playing cheesy 60s and 70s music, the sort of songs you want to hear. We tried to keep a coronavirus related theme going and we played Destiny’s Child’s I’m a Survivor and Simply The Best by Tina Turner.”

The first Clap For Carers applause was held on Thursday March 26, with millions of people across the country taking part to show their gratitude to healthcare workers.

People were seen dancing in the street and on top of campervans and at 8pm, the music was turned down for people to clap in unison

Tracey added: “I didn’t know how everyone would receive it but I was quite shocked at how many people got involved.

“On our street we have key workers and shop workers, so it was really nice to see them getting involved and letting their hair down.

“The lady dancing in the street works at Asda. She has been working flat out for the past couple of weeks, so she said it was great to see the support and to let her hair down

“When this has all blown over, we are thinking about closing the street to host a street party with everyone.”

Residents from Wimborne Minster were joined in their applause by the Minsters Bell Ringers, who climbed up to the ringing Chamber to ring a solitary bell which was heard across the town.

Bournemouth advertising company MMedia Group, based at Aviation Business Park at Hurn Airport, drove their truck to Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital displaying a sign thanking NHS staff and got some of the staff from the hospital to join the 8pm applause.

Fleet Logistics Manager Sean Tyrrell said: “Our business has pretty much gone to zero as all the events that we would usually advertise for have been cancelled.

“We have had to furlough quite a lot of our staff, but we still wanted to do something to say thank you.

"We do a lot of the NHS and the government with political advertisement and stuff like that and, as a business, we just wanted to give back and show our appreciation for their hard work.

"Because it was so popular, we will probably do this every Thursday now. Next week, I think we will go down to Poole Hospital to show our support for the staff there.”