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CARRYUSTHROUGH
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#CarryUs Through
Local Designer Ben Glazier was asked to produce a set of stamps for the Isle of Man during lockdown. To honour local people who made it their responsibility to #CarryUsThrough the crisis, Wendover News has photographed representatives of recent local responses using these stamps for inspiration. To see more photos and read more about the stories, go to www.wendovernews.co.uk/tag/carry-us-through.
Care: Street Wardens organised the collection of essentials including food and medicines for our vulnerable neighbours.
These are some of the many Street Wardens who volunteered to help their neighbours. They are photographed here in front of Budgens and online individually in front of Lloyds Pharmacy as these were the places they visited most frequently on behalf of the shielded or people who needed help for whatever reason. Some requests were more unusual, eg a litter tray for a cat, but everyone coped and more importantly, all the neighbours got to know one another much better. See also page 17.
Community: Sarah Greer Photography created a Business Directory during lockdown.
During lockdown, Sarah Greer decided to use her professional photography skills to support local businesses. She visited scores of premises and took photographs showing our business neighbours and what they do. Many small businesses did not benefit from Government support so she wanted to bring to our attention the local skilled workers who can help us all in our hour of need. Go to www.sarahgreerphotography. co.uk/wendover-area-local-small business-directory/ for more details.
Compassion: Wendover Dementia
10 year old Oskar Bevan started baking brownies and he sent £60 to our local NHS Trust. Lockdown forced the much loved Monday Club Café, led by Dr Moreton, to close down temporarily but the volunteers were determined to continue supporting the 20 visitors and their families through fortnightly newsletters, weekly telephone support, a family support WhatsApp group and a specialist advisory service. More information is available on their website https://wendoverds.org.uk/, see page 20.
Faith: all three Churches in Wendover had their own systems for helping anyone in need that they knew of.
Sebastian Muir, SVP in St Anne’s, visits befriends and supports the housebound, now by phone. Mass started again in July. Rev Sally Prendergast, curate, is involved in contacting everyone in and beyond St Mary’s. The church building is open for silent prayer and opened in July for services. Sandra Smith, Secretary, says Wendover Free Church has offered online services as well as reaching out by offering shopping, befriending and transport. Discussions are taking place regarding future church services.
Love: Wendover Health Centre continued to serve the community and set up safe ways to do this.
NHS workers were universally recognised as being on the front line to CarryUsThrough the pandemic. Our own Wendover Health Centre had to change the way it worked so now we are accustomed to telephone consultations meaning we only attend in person when it is deemed essential. This protects everyone, patients and staff. Pictured here are Laura Edmonds from the Pharmacy and Tracey Apps, Lead Nurse for the Complex Care Team supporting the most vulnerable patients.
Science: Scientists at Stoke Mandeville Hospital kept working throughout and John Colet School supported students.
We’ve been “following the Science” throughout the Covid-19 Crisis so please meet three Wendover Scientists. Cecilia Payne was born here in 1900, see page 8. Dawn Harris is a Microbiologist who works at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, making a vital contribution to keeping us all healthy and alive. Katie Astle is an aspiring Science Student at our local John Colet School who is also an ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. She would like to become a doctor.
Words: Wendover Youth Centre organised a pen-pal system to keep self-isolating people in touch.
During lockdown, young people from Wendover Youth Centre joined forces with St Mary’s Church as pen-pals for the selfisolating and notified vulnerable. Both young and old found these correspondences a really fulfilling experience and are looking forward to the day when they are able to meet in a gathering without fear of spreading the virus. The self-isolating found that they were remembered and the young discovered and relished a traditional practice that had been unfamiliar to them.
Work: Local businesses Thumbsie and Sew Special by ZM turned their hand to making face coverings .
Jo Bates of Thumbsie Ltd turned her needle to making fun fabric face coverings for children early on in lockdown, see page 16 in the June print edition of Wendover News. Meanwhile, Zeiba Monod of https:// facebook.com/sewspecialltd/ contributed by making Communicator Masks with a transparent mouth section so that anyone who needed to lip read wasn’t disadvantaged by a face covering. These are fully funded so free. She also supplies barrier masks with internal filter pocket.
