91 90 Online survey, 2020/ 2021 I live on my own, I’m widowed and have a daughter living in France and a son living in Vietnam. My neighbours, many of whom I’d never met, have been wonderful. I’ve had several notes through my door with phone numbers offering help if needed. I’ve had neighbours collect my repeat prescriptions and a friend deliver a roast dinner every Sunday. I leave a tray in my porch and dinner magically arrives. All you hear very often is doom and gloom, I’ve found this awful virus has brought out the best in so many kind and caring people. Anon, 2021 It’s been such a happy time for me getting to spend quality time with my family. We also welcomed our daughter into the world during the pandemic. It was worrying but we have been able to bond so much more thanks to the furlough scheme. Money has been tight but it has been worth it, getting to be together. Anon, 2021 Hope is the strongest word I have right now. Anon, 2021 The story of A.R.C. (Aldershot Response to Coronavirus) It was the second week of March 2020 and the virus was here and spreading rapidly in the UK. By now 3 people had sadly died with the virus and cases were rising exponentially. We were all being told by the government and NHS to regularly wash our hands for 20 seconds, to keep a distance from people and that anyone with a new continuous cough or a fever should self- isolate for seven days. There was also talk of a UK lockdown – similar to what was in place in Italy and Spain. People started to panic buy food and bizarrely toilet roll. Going into a super- market and finding many shelves empty was like being in some dystopian film and yet it was our reality. The situation was serious and I remember starting to feel a sense of urgency within and I wanted to ‘respond’ to the need there was going to be and not react with the fear driving the panic. I put up a post on Facebook stating that I was happy to help anyone who was having to self isolate due to having symptoms and who needed food or medicine. A friend, Yvette Cooper, then commented that she had been thinking the same and maybe we should start up a Facebook group. So I set up a Facebook group with Yvette and almost instantly people from all over the area started to join. I put up posts on Facebook requesting food and toiletries (toilet rolls!) to make up food parcels. I was inundated with replies and my office at home started to look like a foodbank. Eventually our fantastic Jo Emett collected all the food and toiletries donated and we set up a store at Park Church. This donated food would go on to feed many people in Aldershot, some extremely vulnerable families identified by schools and social services. The amazing John Mairs started to put a spreadsheet system together, an online application form for volunteers and we discussed how we would function as a team.
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