NHS Clap for Carers

Each Thursday evening as we stand outside our homes and clap our NHS workers, I feel immensely proud of the people in our country, our NHS. Yes have you noticed we don’t call it “The NHS” so much anymore but now call it “Our NHS?" The whole NHS system from Hospitals, Ambulances, Doctors all the way through to the cleaning staff ( thank god for the cleaners) they have a job on their hands and are putting themselves at risk like so many, all working so hard for the sake of others. It is a matter so close to everyone’s hearts, especially if they have a family member work on the front line as I do, going into work each day knowingly putting themselves at risk by going into the wards and caring for the sick. How brave is that?!! Bravery beyond belief! This is happening all over our country, people standing by outside their homes clapping and clanging saucepan lids each Thursday to say thank you. And many emergency services turning up at A&E departments all over the country, sirens and horns a blaring in appreciation of these selfless souls, our NHS angels.

Something happened in Dorchester, the country town of Dorset last Thursday in tribute to our NHS workers, our “clap for careers”at the Dorset County hospital. A massive convoy of tractors, lorries and other large vehicles from the farming communities and local companies congregated just before seven on the roads surrounding the hospital. At seven they all began to sound their horns and many people were clapping from nearby houses. It was the most amazing thing to behold! My thoughts were that not only would the staff inside the hospital be able to hear this but also, I imagined people who are patients in the hospitals Covid wards would also be able to hear and know that the world outside was rooting for them too. I hoped that it would give those people affected by Covid -19 a boost to keep fighting, just as I know from my family member who works on our NHS frontline that it gives her a definite boost to keep going back into work each day and ready to face the corona virus head on.

I’m proud of the people of Dorset, I know similar things are happening everywhere, but seeing the scenes of the convoy of so many tractors and lorries etc lines up made me think even in a rural community, people will and do still come together, even when we are all staying so far apart.