A LITTLE girl is not letting the lockdown stop her showing thanks to key workers.
Sofia Griffiths from Wichelstowe has started playing games of noughts and crosses with her postman, Simon Green, who works in the Swindon Delivery office, over the last two weeks.
“She’s really happy when she sees someone else is playing the game with her,” said Sofia’s dad, Steve Griffiths.
The family had the idea to play the game after mum Teresa saw a post on Facebook where a family of three children were each playing a game of noughts and crosses with their postman.
Steve added: “I think sometimes some of our key workers go unrecognised.
"There’s the clap for all the NHS staff which gets brilliant coverage, but some of the other things people are doing can go unnoticed. Loads of people order stuff online nowadays to help them cope with the lockdown, and if people weren’t delivering the post, lockdown would be even harder.”
Sofia, who was five on Monday, has stuck two hand-drawn grids on her front door alongside a note inviting their postman to play noughts and crosses with her.
Each day they mark off one square with an “0” and Sofia does the same with an “X”.
“When I read the note I thought it was a brilliant idea and that it would be great to play noughts and crosses with Sofia,” said Simon.
“It feels very good to be appreciated by the local community.
“I usually wouldn’t see many people on my round as they are at work or school,” added Simon, who has been a postman for 25 years and has been delivering post in Witchelstow for the past two years.
This the first time the postie has been invited to play a game like this.
Simon added: “There are lots of friendly people in Witchelstow. There are more people at home during this period and they are being friendly and coming out to talk more from a distance.
“It’s a tight community anyway but they seem to be coping quite well and I am seeing more people waving from their windows,” he said.
Steve added: “It gives Sofia a bit of entertainment while she is not able to see her fiends during lock down and it adds a bit of normality to her day.
“It’s something a bit different from her school work, her phonics and reading. It adds some excitement for her day,” Steve said.
Sofia’s note ends asking “Who will win? We will find out in a few days!”
“I think the postman lets her off a little bit,” said Steve. “I think he makes it a bit easy for her.”
However Simon said: “I’m playing to win!
“Sofia is pretty good!”