New Zealand / Covid 19

Covid-19 essential work: 'Everyone knows who Craig is'

11:16 am on 30 March 2020
Glen Scanlon, Contributor

For 20 years Craig Begg has been collecting the trolleys at his local supermarket. It's essential work and a job his dad Trevor Begg says Craig loves.

A team: Craig Begg with his dad Trevor Photo: Supplied

Craig, 40, who has Down syndrome, says it has been flat out but "everyone is very nice". Getting the trolleys is great fun.

Craig walked to work for a bit, then biked, but Trevor, 68, thinks someone wasn't too nice to him along the way and until recently he had been grabbing a taxi.

Now driving Craig to work is Trevor's job. He's very well-qualified - retiring only three weeks ago from his Ashburton-based job as a truck driver.

"The body has been packing up a bit," he says with a chuckle.

Trevor was worried about being Craig's chauffeur because he didn't want to break any quarantine rules, but he was able to get some good advice.

"It will work out as long as everyone plays ball... we didn't need this though, did we? It's unreal."

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Trevor's wife, Robina, died 13 years ago, too early, after a series of strokes.

He says in his warm burr that "time does fly by". He and Craig are a team though.

"In the past Craig loved helping people while they put their groceries in the car. He's really good with kids and would help the mums out.

"It doesn't matter where you go around town, everyone knows who Craig is. Once seen, never forgotten."

Trevor says he's "not too worried" about Craig continuing to work.

"Someone's got to do it and he's got the masks and all the gear. He has always got to be doing something... when I was working I'd come home and he'd have dinner all ready, now that's my job. If he's covered up and doing what they say, he'll be right.

"I'm really proud of him, he's been my rock since my wife died."

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