Two Rangitīkei women joined forces to give their community a chance to publicly pay gratitude to local essential workers.
![Businesses, such as New World Marton which remained open throughout the alert level 4 lockdown, came out to walk in the parade. Photo / Lewis Gardner](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/AB7VN5NR7NOAPGORTHTUVO5ZJY.jpg?auth=3fbe60c9f9e6abeff406b9896321510f2b81a5a7c736bcf0cfd11853c1c031ec&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Emily Rayner and Lindsey Robinson encouraged the people of Marton to head to Broadway on Saturday to watch a parade of essential workers, local businesses and schools hold up placards to recognise the industries that had given their support during Covid-19 lockdown.
![Students from Nga Tawa Diocesan School came out to show their support. Photo / Lewis Gardner](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/UHTFITN25B6UKPS2CLNBBBJDDM.jpg?auth=2e505ee3a0b54a1f4dff0d7b6a08f6e22c748137c6999d698a7703b271131ee9&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Businesses had also decorated their shop windows to show gratitude.