Key Worker Magazine - Issue 1 (September 2023)

KEY WORKER Magazine

Olympic medallist Jamie Baulch’s top tips for busy Key Workers

SPECIAL FEATURE:

Boosting your physical and mental health

“I gave the first Covid jab”

Where are they now?

Britain’s Got Talent frontline singers

GIVEAWAYS:

Derbyshire two-night stay

Champneys and M&S vouchers

And much more!

5 Introduction from the Founder of Key Worker Nation

6 Editor’s welcome to our first issue

7 Selected contributors

8 - 24 | In the news

8 Key Worker Nation news shorts

9 What’s a “Key Worker” anyway?

13 Talking point: was clapping for NHS staff a welcome initiative?

15 Talking point: to strike or not to strike?

18 The Frontline Singers and a Strange Old World

22 What next for UK cancer care?

25 - 47 | Special Feature: Mental Health

25 Key Workers and mental health: who can help the helpers?

27 Supporting colleagues after suicide

29 Your essential self-care checkpoint

31 “I wanted to die but couldn’t admit it”: one NHS worker’s story of mental illness

33 We need to talk about psychosis - in the young and the old

35 “We wouldn’t be without them”: the positive power of pets

38 Breathe easy: how to destress

40 Get active and give yourself a break with Blue Light Card

42 Mental health money worries? You are not alone

44 Writing your way to wellness

46 “No one in the Police Force talked about mental health”

48 - 76 | The rest

48 How Shahnaz found her wings

50 Giveaway: win a gorgeous Everyday Hero T-Shirt!

51 Interview: May Parsons

53 Mood-boosting summer ingredients ... and sizzling barbeques

Key Worker Magazine

Issue 1 - September 2023

Founder: Martin Johnson

Editor: Linda Aitchison

Published in association with Key Worker Nation, a UK not-for-profit organisation created to provide a permanent and genuine thank you to our Key Workers

Contributors to this issue

Jane Alexander

Nadeine Asbali

Jamie Baulch

Tracy Buchanan

Amanda Chalmers

Asha Clearwater

Becky Fantham

Sophie King

Dr Deborah Lee

Ellie Levenson

Hannah Montgomery

Hugo De La Peña

Rachael Rowe

Johanna Spiers

Sally-Anne Youll

This

Interviewed in this issue

May Parsons

Shahnaz Akhter

In memoriam

Alan Harper

Introduction from the founder of Key Worker Nation

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Key Worker Magazine, the first national magazine dedicated exclusively to our Key Workers.

To understand the origins and purpose of this project, let’s travel back to 2020 and the weekly national clapping events for NHS staff.

I was there, like so many others on their doorsteps, clapping and welling up with tears.

The optimist in me said: "This is a paradigm shift. Covid-19 is a nightmare but at least it will teach us to properly value each other. After this, everything is going to change for the better.”

But then Mr Pessimist took over: "In a couple of years, we’ll mostly have forgotten this fake gratitude, we’ll be back to arguing with each other about things that don’t really matter, people will be shouting and swearing and hospital staff and Key Workers will be wondering whether the clapping was just some mass performative nonsense. And by the way, where is the clapping for teachers, delivery drivers, the Police, the Armed Forces, supermarket staff, firefighters, care home staff … ?”

And here we are in 2023. My inner pessimist may have had a better grip on reality, but the optimist in me refuses to give up.

Hence this magazine.

For me, clapping was great: a truly unique moment of national pride, but it will turn into our national

shame if we do not do something that actually helps in the longterm.

This magazine is a way of providing an ongoing and meaningful “thank you” to our Key Workers through helpful articles, discounts and offers.

Most of all, this magazine exists to show that we care. Because we do.

You can find out more about Key Worker Nation (including our existing housing project and our

forthcoming online Key Worker community) by clicking here.

Hope you like the magazine and thank you so much for everything that you do for all of us.

Martin Johnson Founder, Key Worker Nation

Editor’s welcome to our first issue

Through this new magazine, we are proud to bring you real-life stories from Key Workers, to inspire and inform you through the stories behind the headlines, as well as providing some great tips and support.

The theme of our first issue is the urgent subject of Key Workers’ mental health, with news of important and troubling research too.

I cherish the opportunity to be involved in this pioneering publication. Like so many of us, I have a deep on-going respect for Key Workers … and you can see our feature on Page 9 about who we consider to be in this category!

My time as a Key Worker, first as a cleaner (I really was rubbish at it) and then as a care assistant, are a long way behind me, though journalists reporting on Covid-19 were also given Key Worker status.

Don’t miss our great giveaways ... from a two-night stay in beautiful Derbyshire to some tasty Tiree tea.

I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped with Key Worker Magazine behind the scenes ... all the brilliant Key Workers and writers who have submitted features, images and ideas.

Please keep them coming!

Lastly, as a new publication, reader feedback is vital for us. There’s a chance to tell us what you think on Page 74. I’d love to hear your views.

Linda Aitchison Editor, Key Worker Magazine

Special feature: focus on mental health

With a double whammy of emerging from a period of uncertainty and trauma through the pandemic, coupled with a cost-of-living crisis, it’s little wonder that Key Workers’ emotional health has been hit hard.

Widely quoted figures that as many as one in four adults and one in 10 children suffer from mental health problems in the UK don’t tell the full picture about those on the front line.

One in six people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week, according to statistics from mental health charity Mind.

In our first special feature, we are highlighting new figures from independent researchers that lay

bare the reality of mental health worries for Key Workers.

When it comes to suicide the Samaritans estimate more than 6,000 people across the UK and Republic of Ireland take their own lives every year.

Our round-up of research into suicide attempts by Key Workers highlight a more up-to-date and worrying picture.

That’s why our launch issue offers insights, tips and advice on how to relax, boosting well-being and inspiring stories from people who have hit rock bottom and turned their lives around.

From overcoming impulse spending to banishing thoughts of self-harm, our contributors reveal important steps they have taken to face a brighter future.

Our writer Jane Alexander has a run through of some great spa offers and, on a more serious note, we report on psychosis to raise awareness of an all-too-often overlooked condition.

It was very important for us to include this focus in our first edition, and we are very grateful to our contributors, including nurse Shahnaz Akhter, who have spoken up to help smash stigma.

Selected contributors

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all writers in this issue of our magazine. Here are more details on just some of this month’s expert contributors.

After three decades as a journalist, Amanda says there is no subject she hasn’t tackled. In this issue, read her exclusive interview with May Parsons who administered the world’s first public Covid-19 jab.

Breast cancer specialist and immune-oncologist at University Hospital Southampton. Dr Hugo has provided a “deep dive” article on the future of UK cancer services.

London secondary school English teacher and columnist for the UK national press. Should we back strike action? It’s a big “Yes” from Nadeine.

Nurse and writer. In this issue, she has researched the term “Key Worker” and told us why she wasn’t a fan of clapping for NHS staff.

Olympic medallist sprinter and entrepreneur who supports a number of charitable initiatives. Jamie has provided his top tips on how Key Workers can stay healthy despite their busy and stressful working lives.

Mental health nursing student at the University of Wolverhampton. Shahnaz has shared her inspiring story of smashing prejudice and stigma within the South Asian community.

Amanda Chalmers

Nadeine Asbali

Dr Hugo De La Peña

Rachael Rowe

Jamie Baulch

Shahnaz Akhter

Key Worker Nation news shorts

Poor image impacting on social worker recruitment

Research among social workers and managers in London and the South East has found that the profession’s poor public image is driving people out of frontline roles involving children’s services, impacting on recruitment.

The Big Listen study, which surveyed just over 1,000 workers at two Local Authorities, focused on the challenges experienced in retaining and recruiting qualified professionals.

On the back of the results, the two bodies called for “a national response” to address the negative perception of what children’s social workers do, in order to improve public understanding of their work.

linked the issue to negative media coverage and poor understanding of roles.

LIIA and SESLIP found that it also adversely affected staff recruitment and retention.

Some 36% of survey respondents described their workload as “unmanageable” and 69% were “very concerned” about the cost-ofliving crisis.

Racism was also cited as an issue, driving black and global majority social workers into agency work.

Emergency Services Day marked

Saturday 9 September marks Emergency Services Day, celebrating NHS workers, ambulance, coastguard, lifeboats, police and fire and rescue workers.

A two-minute silence is being held at 9am on the ninth day of the ninth month in memory of all those who have died in service, culminating in The Last Post or ringing of a bell.

It is being recognised by The National Police Chiefs’ Council, National Fire Chiefs’ Council, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, NHS, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and all Search and Rescue organisations across the UK, including Air Ambulance UK.

7,500 emergency workers (three a month) have been lost in the line of duty.

Report highlights lack of employer support over fertility issues

A new report has revealed that more than a third of employees in the education sector claim they did not receive any support from their employer whilst experiencing fertility issues.

The

2023 Workplace

Infertility Stigma Survey (available here) was conducted by Fertility Family, experts in supporting those trying to conceive.

It found that almost one in four (23%) of employees chose to call in sick before discussing their fertility issues with employers.

Many of those who took part in the Big Listen research organised by the London Innovation and Improvement Alliance (LIIA) and South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP)

999 Day is in its sixth year after being established following the death of a young Police Constable, Alison Armitage, of Greater Manchester Police.

Over the past 200 years, some

The study also found that 50% of workplaces in the education sector do not have a supportive workplace policy regarding fertility issues.

One in five even feared they would not be promoted, or that they would miss out on future opportunities if their employer knew they were trying for a child.

A new Community Care Choose Social Work campaign has also been launched to champion the profession as well as help inspire potential recruits: details can be found here.

What’s a “Key Worker” anyway?

LINDA AITCHISON and RACHAEL ROWE discuss the meaning of the term “Key Worker”.

Back in March 2020, Birmingham cleaning boss Bev Redguard was one of many calling for designated “Key Worker” status.

Bev was regularly donning protective clothing to join a 40-strong workforce to fight the spread of Covid-19 in schools where the children of Key Workers were still being taught.

When cabinet minister Michael Gove expressed his thanks to cleaners and others in public services, Bev said that it was a welcome gesture but without further measures to back it up, the gesture amounted to empty words.

As we show in our “Key Worker timeline” below, the term hasn’t always meant someone whose job helps society keep running. That’s why the term has been broadened in recent years … and why Bev, along with legions of cleaners across the UK felt so strongly that it should also apply to them.

Cleaners never did get the official Key Worker status they deserved. But, as Rachael reports below, cleaning suppliers did.

Delia Cannings, Chair of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), said:

"The recommendations of an allparty parliamentary group report around cleaning staff receiving Key Worker status in any future pandemic have not been agreed or accepted by the government … nor have any of the report's recommendations, for that matter.

"The BCC continues to call for the government to recognise the crucial, frontline role cleaning staff have in keeping the public healthy, safe and well and for it to agree that, in the event of a future pandemic, Key Worker status will

be bestowed upon commercial cleaning and hygiene operatives working in defined key venues and also upon personnel in the cleaning products production and supply sectors."

Three years on from the first announcement of Key Worker categories, are some other vital roles still missing from this much-used umbrella description?

Helen Neale from Kiddy Charts, an organisation which provides free educational resources for the children of Key Workers (click here for the Kiddy Charts homepage), says: “There are more professions who ought to be included, such as therapists, because not having your therapist can also have a significant impact on people. Volunteer

"Most cleaning and hygiene staff were not recognised as being Key Workers throughout the pandemic. For example, suppliers of vital hospital

Contributor Rachael Rowe

cleaning equipment were classified as Key Workers, but cleaning operatives who were going to use that equipment were not.”

workers within charities as well. There wasn’t always complete clarity. Those who work for Childline. I think I was classed as a Key Worker when I was there during the pandemic, but I am not sure if this was official.”

Chris Oatway, now a marketing co-ordinator at Mattrestek in Rossendale, Lancashire, adds: “I worked in a call centre processing ID verification and vetting for an influx in demand for supermarket delivery drivers. We were given government letters to authorise us to not be stopped by the Police. I also worked from home as a Covid-19 contact tracer.

“Plumbers and electrical management and repair people

could also be considered Key Workers as providers to hospitals, care homes, and so on.

“Food bank and drop-in or delivery people provide essential items and food parcels for those in need, and those who check in on vulnerable people would also be Key Workers.

“Politicians are considered Key Workers but that would be in case of risk of war, terrorism and to coordinate a response to needed services. They may also provide reassurance and confidence (when they behave).

scenarios should be supported. Those who help others should be helped too.

Timeline: How the term

RACHAEL ROWE, a Registered Nurse and journalist who has worked in long term conditions management, explores the evolution of the term “Key Worker”.

Heidi Francis and Kim Clibery

Key Workers are inspirational and those who experience harrowing

“Key Worker” has evolved

Imagine a city without bus drivers or cleaners. What would happen to the infrastructure? Key Workers are professions critical for modern society to function effectively, but how long has the phrase existed?

1890s

First use of the term “Key Worker”. Telegraph operators earned the name after tapping keys in Morse Code. Intriguingly, burglars who picked locks were also referred to as Key Workers.

1940

Essential workers such as farmers and fire officers were exempt from military service. Both World Wars saw people joining Key Worker roles such as the land army, nursing services, and as drivers to keep the nation running.

1948

When critical infrastructure needed rebuilding after the war, government immigration policy saw 1,027 passengers come to Britain from Jamaica on the HMT Empire Windrush. Today, workers vital to a country’s needs are still listed on immigration fast-track lists.

2001

Key Worker housing schemes first developed when the government encouraged construction of affordable schemes for people in essential professions.

2020

The Covid-19 pandemic and first lockdown brought Key Workers to the fore, including those outside the public sector. Stark differences in livelihoods during lockdown were highlighted. Initially, Key Workers were defined as those working in health and social care, education and teaching professionals, undertakers, food industry workers, and key frontline public

Key Worker statistics

sector workers such as the judiciary service, the Police, and security staff. Cleaning suppliers were Key Workers, but not operational cleaning staff.

Speaking as a nurse who worked throughout the pandemic, a difference in how people were living was stark. We were most concerned about the provision of reliable PPE, while others, who didn’t work in the front line, faced issues caused by working from home. I cared for people with long-Covid, and saw first-hand how challenging conditions were.

2023

Despite an All-Party Parliamentary Report recommendation in 2023, cleaners have still not been given Key Worker status. A spokesperson for the British Cleaning Council said, “Finally, with Covid, came a massive increase in technology ... from virtual clinics to online exercise classes. With Artificial Intelligence and automation already here, we must review and address the opportunities and challenges for our future Key Workers.”

The TUC estimated in its “Key workers report” document published in 2020 that 9.9 million people in Britain are Key Workers, with 5.3 million in the private sector and 4.9 million in public sector roles. 40 per cent of people from black and minority ethnic groups work as Key Workers compared to 35 per cent of white people. Women comprise 45 per cent of our Key Worker workforce, increasing to 80 per cent in caring and teaching professions. The TUC also found 3.6 million Key Workers on zero-hour contracts. Room for improvement in basic working conditions remains.

2020 UK Government definitions of the term “Key Worker”

Health and social care

Frontline health and social care staff such as doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, as well as support and specialist staff in the health and social care sector. In addition, the definition incorporated those working in supply chains including producers and distributors of medicines and personal protective equipment.

Education and childcare

Nursery, teaching staff and social workers.

Key public services

Those required to run the justice system, religious staff, as well as those responsible for managing the deceased, and journalists providing public service broadcasting.

Elizabeth Booth

Local and national government

Administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response or delivering essential public services, including payment of benefits.

Food and other necessary goods

Those involved in the production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery of food.

Public safety and national security

Police, support staff, Ministry of Defence civilian staff and Armed Forces personnel, fire and rescue staff, and those responsible for border security, prisons and probation.

Transport

Those who kept air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response.

Utilities, communication and financial services

Staff required to keep oil, gas,

electricity, water and sewerage operations running. Staff in the civil nuclear, chemical and telecommunications sectors. Those in postal services and those working to provide essential financial services.

people’s overall health. My role allows me to give something back to carers, give them hope, love and positivity. It’s the small things that matter and make a positive impact.”

Elizabeth Booth, 56, carer support worker, Carers’ Wellbeing Service, Calderdale said:

Being a Key Worker in 2023 is very rewarding work. As a carers’ support worker, I feel it is vital that unpaid carers receive as much help and support as they need.

What’s your opinion of the “Key Worker” tag?

Is it as relevant today as it was three years ago? Or even more so?

We’d love to hear your views via the social media links at the bottom of the page!

Three colleagues from the Making Space social care charity share their thoughts on being Key Workers:

Heidi Francis, 51, team leader at Hollymere Extra Care Scheme, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire said:

“Being a Key Worker to me means taking an interest in effective communication and meeting individuals' needs. It means leading a team safely and efficiently and providing continuity of care.”

Aisha Ali, 26, carer support worker, Carers’ Wellbeing Service, Calderdale said:

“To me, being a Key Worker in 2023 is important after Covid, especially with the effect it had on many

Cleaners such as this ChemDry team weren’t classified as Key Workers

Aisha Ali

“We are important after Covid too”

Talking point: was clapping for NHS staff a welcome initiative?

Was clapping for carers a great morale booster or an insensitive platitude? Here, two Key Workers have their say.

Yes

Dr Deborah Lee: Pharmacist

Between March and May 2020, 37 million UK citizens stood on their doorsteps, once a week to clap and bang saucepans in appreciation

of the tremendous work being done by the NHS during the Covid-19 epidemic. It started 3 days after lockdown, which had left us frightened and bewildered. Even the Prime Minister and the Queen clapped.

We certainly wanted to show appreciation. At the time, the UK Covid-19 death toll was over 100 per day, and Britain had 85,000 confirmed positive cases more than any other country.

NHS staff were working under intense pressure and in unprecedented circumstances. Often, without the correct PPE, they were themselves in danger of becoming infected.

Clapping was a personal and emotional tribute. We were expressing our gratitude for their dedication and commitment, when we, the public, felt vulnerable and afraid. It also helped bring the community together and helped raise morale.

Clapping was definitely a good thing. Showing gratitude has many psychological benefits. When we clap, we feel more positive, confident and happier. It helps lower anxiety and depression, and during the pandemic these conditions were skyrocketing. Clapping showed the NHS was not being taken for granted. All staff work better when they feel valued. Care workers needed to feel their efforts were being recognised.

Perhaps the fact that two-thirds of the nation stood on their doorsteps banging saucepans helped persuade the government to show real appreciation for the vital NHS workforce. In May 2021, NHS workers were awarded a pay rise of 4%, backdated to 1 December 2020, along with a £500 payment as a thank you.

The British public greatly values the

Dr Deborah Lee believes that clapping was a good thing

Clapping is a good thing. We clap to show appreciation and to say we want more.

Talking point: was clapping for NHS staff a welcome initiatve?

NHS. In a recent 2023 IPSOS poll, 72 per cent agreed with the statement that “the NHS is crucial to British society, and we must do everything to maintain it”.

I’m glad we clapped for NHS Key Workers … it was good for both those who clapped and those who were clapped for.

No Rachael Rowe: nurse and writer

We lived through extraordinary times during the Covid-19 pandemic. Among the standout rituals of the time was the NHS clap each Thursday evening at 8pm. At first, it was a novel experience but as the weeks dragged on, fewer people turned out and questions begun to be asked about why the NHS was getting a clap when other Key Workers weren’t. Eventually, the clap was quietly shelved.

When I reflect on my experiences during the pandemic, what I really wanted was a break from the relentless work, not a clap. Change happened at the speed of light during Covid-19, from rapid digital implementation to saying goodbye to loved ones on a computer screen, and redeployment to critical care.

Over 100 London bus and Tube drivers died during the pandemic, with few having access to PPE.

Who clapped for the bus drivers?

What use is a TikTok dance or Zoom chorus when working conditions for Key Workers continue to show no signs of improvement?

Clapping and TikTok dancing and

Rachael Rowe argues that other forms of gratitude would be better

cheap self-congratulatory pin badges are not the priority. Instead, Key Workers should campaign for equality, affordable housing, access to childcare, and a salary compatible with other professionals. Permission to go home on time at the end of a shift and changing lockers in the workplace would help with retention.

So, what does gratitude look and feel like if it’s not a clap? I felt authentic appreciation during the Covid-19 vaccine programme. I had just given one of the first vaccinations when a lady turned to me and quietly said: “Thank you for

all you are doing. Now I can see my great grandson for the first time.” And that’s why we are Key Workers. We want to make a difference to people’s lives and experiences, not listen to meaningless clapping.

What do you think of this discussion? We would love to hear your views.

Use our Feedback form here to enter our prize draw for a £50 M&S voucher.

Talking point: to strike or not to strike?

With news moving fast about industrial action across the UK, we asked Key Workers to share their opinions on this question: do you think strike action is the right thing? Here, a teacher and a teaching assistant tell us what they think.

Yes

Nadeine Asbali: secondary school English teacher and media columnist

When the government slashes funding, decimates vital public services and vilifies the very Key Workers who kept the country afloat during the pandemic, industrial action is our last and only port of call to make our voices heard. And to show those in power how indispensable our labour is.

As a secondary school teacher of seven years, I’ve seen first hand how austerity and harsh social and economic policies have directly impacted what happens in the classroom and the lives of my students and colleagues.

Even after the government’s recent 6.5% pay offer, a teaching salary constitutes a year-on-year pay cut once you factor in the skyrocketing rate of inflation. Couple our dwindling salary with a recruitment crisis of unprecedented scale, the impact of the pandemic still hitting educational attainment hard and the soaring cost of living and what you have is a situation that is nothing

short of dire.

Whilst successive governments have fought with unions over paying teachers fairly, we teachers have been getting on with the job. A job that has become increasingly challenging and all-encompassing. Teaching ever bigger class sizes as our colleagues leave in droves. Becoming social workers and child psychologists and family counsellors whilst trying to get kids through exams because those services are on their knees. Buying our students food and resources out of our own pockets because families are drowning in poverty with a lack of government relief. And all the while having to take on second jobs or debt in order to keep the roof over our own heads and feed our families

because a teaching salary is simply not enough to exist on.

The government’s 6.5% pay offer is by no means perfect and barely touches the sides of the sustained, targeted funding and support that schools need in order to give the next generation the best start in life possible.

But we wouldn’t have got anything at all without showing those in power what happens without teachers. When teachers and other Key Workers strike, we forfeit days of pay at the detriment to our own families in order to call for wider systemic change, often creating more workload for ourselves when we do return.

But in the face of a government

all too keen to overlook our worth, what other leverage do we have?

No Sophie King: teaching assistant

Having worked as a Teaching Assistant at a number of different primary schools in the last nine years, I fully appreciate the stress teachers are under. I completely understand the effort put in and the hours worked.

So, when these hard-working teachers ask for more money, especially when it is to pay for the resources they are having to bring in from home and fork out for themselves because of a lack of funding, I am totally behind them.

However, I am woefully unsupportive of striking as the answer and my main reasoning behind this is the long-lasting effects of lockdown which can still be felt in the classroom, as children

are levels behind where they used to be at the same age, emotionally, socially and intellectually.

By striking, teachers are forcing children and parents back into the same situation.

about exams, are having valuable time with their teachers replaced with handouts from Teaching Assistants who are not trained in delivering the subject or controlling the class … I should know, I’ve been in that position. They could find themselves missing elements of the curriculum when it comes to crunch time.

I agree that teachers deserve more money but disrupting pupils’ education is not the answer.

Talk to us

What do you think of this discussion?

With this strike action the only people who will suffer are the children who have just got back into the routine of school and socialising and just started to narrow those emotional, social and intellectual gaps.

I also fear for those children in Years 11 and 13 who, stressed enough

We would love to hear your views. Join the conversation on social media: simply hit our social links at the bottom of the page and share your opinion

Ask any working parents if they enjoyed that quality time at home, trying to teach their child the correct way to learn fractions whilst holding down a full-time job and they will tell you they never want to go through that experience again.

The Frontline Singers and a Strange Old World

As the Frontline Singers sang about the Strange Old World of lockdown on Britain’s Got Talent back in 2022, the population of the UK came out in collective goosebumps.

If we’re honest, many of us also found ourselves wiping away tears, just like judge Amanda Holden. But the most emotional of all must have been James Beeny and Gina Georgio, sitting in the audience, watching like proud, anxious parents as the singers they had brought together to bring comfort and support to Key Workers during the pandemic brought the house down.

They managed to capture perfectly in one song the feelings of, not just the nation, but the world as they sang: “We never know what life will throw our way, but if we stand as one, we’ll get through each day.”

“We were so proud of them all,” says Gina.

James and Gina, who run a musical theatre company called Toy Soldier Productions, had the idea for The Frontline Singers during the first lockdown, looking for a way to lift the spirits of Key Workers and spread a message of hope, solidarity and support.

Gina’s father, Demi Georghiou, is a Police Community Support Officer and had been working under immense pressure. Gina said he loved performing so when she and James put the idea of the group to him, he jumped at the chance to join.

"He and his colleagues were putting their own safety at risk every day as they carried out their work, like lots of other frontline workers were,” says Gina.

“I could see how much it was affecting him. We wanted to share a positive message to show solidarity with all Key Workers. My dad was our first member.”

An appeal on social media followed and soon they had teachers, police officers, doctors, nurses, supermarket staff and a whole host of other Key Workers joining remote rehearsals.

James says:

“We wanted to include as many Key Workers from different areas as possible. Hearing about the difficulties faced during the pandemic by supermarket workers, for example, encouraged us to bring them into the group.”

The Britain’s Got Talent appearance moved many to tears

“The first time they had all performed together in person was on the day of the audition so it was very nerve-wracking, but it couldn’t have gone better.”

Even West End stars who found themselves out of work when theatres closed and took on Key Worker roles to make ends meet joined the group, like Paul Wilkins, who played Marius in Les Mis.

James and Gina penned an original song, Strange Old World, which summed up what Key Workers were going through.

And that message resonated with every single person watching when they performed the song on Britain’s Got Talent in 2022.

Simon Cowell said at the time: “It gives us a chance to say thank you to all of you because it's people like yourselves who protected all of us. We have good times ahead I think."

Gina says Britain’s Got Talent was an amazing experience, not just for the immediate reaction to the singers and the song, but because it gave people who had clapped during lockdown another way to express how grateful they continued to be for the work carried out by Key Workers.

“The programme really gave the Key Workers a wonderful opportunity,” she says. “It was amazing to see the reaction from the audience and the public. It was lovely to hear all of the comments; people were so grateful for

everything all the frontline workers had done.

“So many of our members say it lifted the spirits of their colleagues as well. Even though they weren’t on stage, they were all in the Britain’s Got Talent journey together.”

James adds: “During the pandemic, there was a real increase in appreciation for the work that these people did.

“Afterwards, I think it was inevitable that people wanted to go back to their normal lives. But even when those visible expressions of appreciation like the clapping had finished, there was still an appreciation there and the

response to Britain’s Got Talent showed that.

“For the group, what was particularly special was having a group of people that they could get together with, who had shared their experiences. They just got each other; they opened up and spoke to each other, so there was an element of therapy in that. Music is also like therapy and the rehearsals were a big part of the process of helping people through this tough time.”

The Frontline Singers are still going strong, spreading their message of solidarity and hope, working rehearsals around shifts and the vital work they are still doing.

They have appeared at a charity concert in aid of the Katie Piper Foundation and even had a guest slot on Crimewatch Live, concluding the latest series.

A highlight for James and Gina, however, was when they attended

The singers, including Gina’s dad Demi, far right, appeared on Crimewatch

The singers at the Katie Piper Foundation concert

the Nursing Summit with two nurses from the group and were blown away with the support and response from leading figures in the nursing world.

James says there are plans to expand the group and have frontline singers groups across the UK.

audience when they were on stage, I was so proud of them all. I knew how much the pandemic had affected my Dad so it was lovely to seem him like that.

“We just wrote one song and we had no idea how far it would go and the people we would meet along the way.

“It has been a real honour and a privilege to work with this amazing group of people.”

Strange Old World, is still available to listen to and download online. Click here to access the track.

The song is raising money for Frontline19, which offers support to those working on the frontline. Click here to learn more about Frontline19.

“We have had so many inquiries from people who want to get involved, and there are so many frontline workers who would benefit from something like this across the UK.”

In the meantime, Gina says the group continue to be like a family, supporting each other through times that are still difficult now.

“It has been such an adventure. I can remember being in the

“We do have plans for the future; we would love to do more with this and we will look at expanding when the timing is right,” he says.

The nation loved the choir on TV

James Beeny and Gina Georgio

What next for UK cancer care?

Breast cancer specialist DR HUGO DE LA PEÑA looks at how Covid-19 affected cancer care in the UK and what should happen now.

I have to start by talking about the pandemic. This context is important when we consider where we are with cancer now and where we will be in the coming months and years. Even without the benefit of hindsight, if you know anything about history and vaguely about immunology, it was very clear even before the first case of Covid-19 was ever detected in the UK, we were facing an unprecedented historic global event.

It was also very clear in my mind (with the way we move and travel

now) that we were all going to be exposed and get Covid-19 sooner or later. For us in the UK, the pandemic first became real when Italy was hit. The news and scenes coming out of the Italian hospitals were truly horrific.

We were no longer talking about a far-away country not able to cope, we were now talking about a major European economy very near to us, and a much-loved neighbour now collapsing before our very eyes. It was astonishing to see how extreme the cases were, from infected people with not many symptoms at

all, to death just days after infection.

I remember having crisis meetings in cancer care. For us oncologists treating cancer patients, we were faced with an impossible dilemma. On one hand we simply didn’t know then if cancer itself would put our patients at a higher risk of death. Our first Hippocratic oath as medics is “Do no harm” but equally, it was very clear that if we didn’t treat our cancer patients because of fear of what could happen, the alternative was certain death.

Dr Hugo loved taking part in the London Marathon

Could we “safely” delay or not treat certain groups of patients?

There was also a degree of fear amongst colleagues about their personal safety. You certainly don’t become a doctor and go to work to put your own life (or that of your family) at risk. Personally, and even having three young kids at home and an amazing wife, I never felt fear or hesitation about what could happen to me.

I actually got Covid very early on (pre-jabs of course). I had a temperature, felt achy for a few days and lost my sense of smell for a few weeks, still, if not being able to taste beer and wine was the price for me to pay, so be it. I was then feeling like a lion ready to go to war after that: not over-confident, but ready to help.

I volunteered to see Covid-19 patients in our wards on top of seeing my own cancer patients in clinic. This was another challenge because you certainly do not want

to cross-contaminate anyone by doing so. Yet this was necessary for me, it was about protecting patients, my colleagues and stepping up at a time of national crisis.

The NHS was inevitably at the heart of it all.

I will never forget driving to the hospital on the M3 with absolutely no other cars on the roads around me. It was like an apocalyptic movie scene, even petrol station staff were giving me free deli sandwiches for being a “brave” Key Worker.

But before I got Covid-19, and despite the unknowns regarding what the outcomes for our cancer patients undergoing curative and non-curative treatments would be, I felt it would be immoral to stop ANY anti-cancer treatment.

I will never criticise units that stopped anti-cancer treatment (and some across the country did), I know these were very difficult decisions to make, but I feel an ENORMOUS amount of pride that we, in breast cancer, dealing with the most common cancer in women, didn’t stop treating anyone.

As a group, we felt it would simply be unethical and immoral to do so, but of course we needed to

have the support at all levels to keep to “business as usual” in the middle of chaos all around. We needed theatre capacity, enough anaesthesiologists, surgeons, radiologists, chemo nurses and us of course, us cancer consultants, to keep everything going for our curative treatments.

For palliative (noncurative) treatments,

however, it was simply up to me and my patient to decide whether to proceed with treatment or not.

My cancer clinics never stopped and when patients needed to be seen face-to-face, we always did. I hated seeing and talking to patients through face masks because the sympathy, emotion and understanding of the situation could not be felt and transmitted properly, but again, it was a small price to pay to keep on offering vital support and treatment.

It may be difficult for some people to understand that sometimes palliative (non-curative) treatment is more urgent than curative treatment, but sometimes it simply is, as some of our treatments rescue patients from certain death and those treatments never stopped under our watch.

It was incredibly reassuring, and I remember almost dropping to my knees in relief when the first Lancet paper came out showing UK data regarding cancer patients not being at higher risk from Covid-19 because of the cancer diagnosis or because of our anti-cancer treatments.

I felt like taking a massive breath of fresh air after a near drowning experience. That was not necessarily (and it isn’t still) the case for haematology patients, because they are often immunosuppressed

We were left, as individual centres, with the awful choice to decide what would be best: to treat or not to treat?

Dr Hugo

What next for UK cancer care?

for longer, but at least for our solid cancer patients, we were doing the right thing by treating them and we were not exposing our patients to extra risks.

The worst of the pandemic left many families broken (physically, psychologically and economically), isolated and in despair. It revealed the best and worst in humans. I became very cynical and angry for a while, but slowly I was put back together by my family, team and patients.

What now for us in cancer care?

There’s still so much to do ...

There are 200 different types of cancer. In the 1970s, we cured 25% of patients, we now cure 50% of patients, but by 2034, we will cure 75% of patients.

For some cancers however, like breast cancer, we already cure around 80% of our patients and

we are now able to cure some metastatic cancers, which were simply incurable a few years ago. We can now cure metastatic testicular cancer routinely: we also cure many metastatic melanomas and Her2+ breast cancers.

How are we going to increase our cure rates further?

By bringing the screening age for mammograms forward 10 years, by having biopsy results reported in a few days instead of weeks, by bringing Artificial Intelligence into the screening and diagnosis processes, by having every cancer patient on clinical trials and by treating more and more cancer patients with precision and intelligent medicines (what I call “cancer kryptonite”).

All of this requires major investment by governments and we will keep pushing for that. I love curing cancer, that is my life’s goal, but a cancer prevented will always be better than a cancer cured.

Did you know 40% of cancers can be prevented? Therefore, we also

need to increase cancer prevention awareness by working with governments and schools around the importance of not smoking, drinking less alcohol, enjoying the sun responsibly, having a healthy weight and looking after our immune systems.

About Dr Hugo

Dr Hugo De La Peña is a breast cancer specialist and immune-oncologist based at the University Hospital Southampton. Dr Hugo is passionate about the fight against cancer and is active in personally raising money for cancer research. He featured in a recent TV advertising campaign by Cancer Research and also took part in the London Marathon 2023, raising over £5,500, adding to the thousands of pounds he has already raised for the charity. He works tirelessly to raise money and awareness around cancer treatment and prevention. More information is available on Dr Hugo’s website here.

Dr Hugo completing the London Marathon

Key Workers and mental health: who can help the helpers?

It is well documented that the pandemic took its toll on the mental health of all Key Workers. But shocking new figures have revealed that post-pandemic, the mental health of our nation’s Key Workers is still suffering and even getting worse.

Figures from UK mental health charity, The Laura Hyde Foundation, indicate that the equivalent of one nurse every day tried to take their own life during 2022.

And there have been increases in the numbers of other Key Workers considering suicide.

The charity's latest figures show:

◆ 366 nurses who used its services in 2022 had attempted suicide. This was a rise from 319 in 2021 and 226 in 2020

◆ 47 police officers attempted suicide in 2022, compared to 63 in 2021 and 18 in 2020

◆ 223 paramedics attempted suicide in 2022, up from 158 in 2021 and 79 in 2020

◆ 312 nurses died by suicide between 2013 and 2019

◆ 150 police officers died by suicide between 2015 and 2019

◆ 38 paramedics died by suicide between 2016 and 2019

◆ Key Workers have an approximately 40 per cent higher risk of suicide than the general public

◆ 71 per cent said they were not truthful when they gave reasons for work absence

◆ 44 per cent said they would rather explain away absence as due to musculoskeletal reasons rather than mental health

◆ 53 per cent were “very uncomfortable” taking up employer-based support services

◆ BAME staff were 42 per cent less likely to engage in support for mental health

Charity founder and trustee chair, Liam Barnes, said that the total number of contacts supported in

2022 was 7,288, up from 5,422 in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent. Of these, 3,710 had engaged in suicidal thoughts or activities, compared to 2,152 in 2021.

That number looks set to increase again this year: already in the first half of 2023, 5,131 people have contacted the charity for support.

Liam said: "There are a number of concerns with these latest figures. There are concerns that within ethnic communities, people are finding barriers stopping them from seeking help and we do want to work to help remove those barriers.

“It was also shocking to see that so many people are not being honest about their mental health when it comes to absence from work. People feel shame and worthlessness and would rather say it is musculoskeletal than a mental health issue. Again, we want to remove the stigma around this so that people can get the support they need.

“The fact that 53 per cent of people are unlikely to engage with employer-led services is also worrying. This could be because of fear of letting people down or bullying, but it’s so important for us that we can help people access support at the earliest possible stage."

The charity said the biggest number of calls in 2022 came from nurses, with 2,176 getting in touch, but it also received 742 calls from doctors, 1,402 calls from midwives, 1,324 from medical students, 462 from GPs, 652 from paramedics, 328 from social care staff, 184 from police officers and 18 from firefighters.

Laura Hyde, who died in 2016

Liam set up the Laura Hyde Foundation charity in memory of his cousin, former Royal Navy Nurse Laura Hyde, who died from suicide in 2016.

He said: “The Foundation aims to ensure that all medical and emergency services personnel have access to the best mental health support network available. These are people that are trained to recognise mental health problems in other people, and they know how to hide it when they are suffering themselves. Laura was a perfect example of this: a medical professional hiding her own struggles from her colleagues.”

Mr Barnes said it was vital that politicians and employers took action to tackle poor mental health among Key Workers.

He is not the only one calling for action.

At the Royal College of Nursing congress earlier this year, mental health specialist Chantal Rose said she was treating more of her peers now than ever before during her 25year career.

Former

colleagues’ mental health and this has been ongoing.

“The spread of mental health problems across the different medical specialties was huge depending on the level of exposure and the type and number of sick patients we all dealt with,” he said.

“I know from the Royal College of Physicians that 25 per cent of doctors sought mental health help during the pandemic. There is no doubt the pandemic has been the biggest challenge we have ever faced. Those feelings of helplessness and feeling powerless are something I don’t want to experience ever again.”

The Department of Health has

said that the NHS offers ongoing support for staff through various means and is dedicated to supporting the mental health and well-being of the workforce.

The Royal College of Nursing has recently launched a new set of standards designed to help the mental health and well-being of nurses.

To find out more about The Laura Hyde Foundation, please click here. The Laura Hyde Foundation has released a short, animated film illustrating the mental health crisis within the Key Worker population. It collaborated with creative agency McCann Health and production company Jelly to make the film, called The Feelings:

Dr Hugo De La Peña, a UK breast cancer specialist, said Covid-19 had a major impact on his own and

junior doctor Adam Kay, who penned a humorous but eyeopening memoir into his time in the NHS called “This is Going to Hurt”, has also spoken about how suicide and mental health issues should no longer be “brushed under the carpet” within the health service.

Liam Barnes, charity founder and trustee chair

Supporting colleagues after suicide

Our NHS is facing a crisis.

Overworked healthcare professionals are at risk of burning out. Tragically, according to ONS data, healthcare workers are 24 per cent more likely to take their own lives than the general population, partially due to high numbers of suicides among female nurses. According to data published in the British Medical Journal, those who have been impacted by suicide are 7 to 9 per cent more likely to subsequently take their own lives.

This picture is made bleaker given that some well-being hubs which were opened for NHS staff during Covid-19 are now being closed or threatened with closure, even though BACP data indicates that 23 per cent of NHS staff absences in 2022 were due to mental ill health. This means that NHS Key Workers are less likely to be supported if a colleague takes their life.

Alongside researchers from Surrey, Keele and Birmingham Universities, I recently worked on a study about the impact on, and support needs of, NHS staff following a colleague’s suicide, published under the title “Identifying the impact on and support needs of NHS staff following a colleague’s suicide: A study to inform postvention guidance”. The work was inspired by the experiences of two team members, junior doctors who were left unsupported after a colleague’s suicide.

Following interviews with NHS workers and feedback from stakeholders, we produced guidance on how to support staff more fully following a co-worker’s suicide, published as “Postvention guidance: Supporting NHS staff after the death by suicide of a colleague”.

Study participants were often distressed and unsupported after the suicide. Upsettingly, those who felt unsafe to treat patients often had to sign themselves off work rather than having that need met by their employers. Staff who were asked to support their colleagues often had no training in how to do so and were emotionally impacted themselves.

To learn more, watch the powerful documentary, produced by Emily Kay Stoker, provided on the next page.

We recommend that NHS Trusts who have lost a colleague to suicide should:

◆ Nurture a culture where talking about mental health is encouraged

◆ Train postvention teams (which can include wellbeing leads, chaplains and managers) before

a death happens so supporters are prepared

◆ Proactively offer immediate and sustained support to all impacted staff

◆ Support those who are supporting others

If you have been impacted by the suicide of a colleague, there may be a well-being hub open near you: learn more about well-being hubs by clicking here.

The mental health of NHS Key Workers and other staff members must be prioritised. By caring for staff after the suicide of a colleague, I believe the lives of other workers can be saved in future.

Read more of our recommendations in our guidance document available here. This study was led by Principal Investigator Dr Ruth Riley and the research was conducted by me and Dr Hilary Causer.

Sources

Office for National Statistics, “Suicide by occupation, England: 2011 to 2015”

British Medical Journal, “Bereavement by suicide as a risk factor for suicide attempt: a crosssectional national UK-wide study of 3,432 young bereaved adults”

Pressure within the NHS has led to an increased risk of suicide, meaning that colleagues must be supported. JOHANNA SPIERS discusses some of the latest research and support initiatives.

Junior doctors’ distress research

Original research from a University of Birmingham-led team explored work cultures, contexts and conditions associated with psychological distress among junior doctors. The research was published in the British Medical Journal as “Sources of work-related psychological distress experienced by UK-wide foundation and junior doctors: a qualitative study”.

The research team conducted interviews with junior doctors who self-identified as experiencing stress, distress, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or having attempted self-harm.

The below documentary film follows one of the study participants whose mental health journey was representative of the experience of many of the NHS junior doctors who took part in the study.

The study findings revealed the importance of fostering supportive and compassionate leadership and work environments and adopting a zero-tolerance stance towards bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

Addressing these issues is crucial to safeguarding the mental well-being of junior doctors and enhancing overall healthcare delivery.

The videos on this page were produced by Emily Stoker. Emily’s website can be accessed here.

Documentary relating to Surrey, Keele and Birmingham University research (see page 27)

Documentary relating to Birmingham University research (see this page)

Your essential self-care checkpoint

As a former athlete, I understand the importance of maintaining physical and mental well-being to stay at the top of our game. In reality, self-care doesn't just apply for athletes … it is for everyone.

The pandemic has made the role and importance of Key Workers very obvious.

While Covid-19 put a lot of stress on our Key Workers, more people became aware of their effort in keeping these vital services running and how important it is to show support to them.

From healthcare to teaching, and countless more on the frontlines, the contribution of Key Workers to society cannot be overstated. It does take a toll on your well-being and it's vital to recognise that your physical and mental health are incredibly important.

Getting energy to be energised

With countless physical and mental health benefits, there is no question that regular exercise is important. But, I get it.

Finding the time and motivation to exercise can be difficult for those who work long and irregular hours while dealing with the physical and

emotional toll of the pandemic. So, how do we work around this?

It all starts with little but often.

Here are some tips to get started in prioritising your physical health and reaping the rewards from doing so:

Set achievable goals

Setting achievable fitness goals can help keep you motivated and on track. Make sure your goals are realistic and achievable, and break them down into smaller milestones so you can track your progress and celebrate your achievements along the way.

Make use of your surroundings

You don't need a gym or fitness

equipment to get a good workout. You can make use of your surroundings to exercise, such as doing bodyweight exercises at home, going for a run or walk in a local park, or using household items as weights. Be creative and make the most of what you have available.

Use technology to your advantage

There are many fitness apps and online resources available that can help you stay motivated and track your progress. From fitness tracking apps that monitor your workouts and progress, to online fitness classes and virtual personal training sessions, technology can be a valuable tool. I use MyFitnessPal (available here). I find it gets me on the right road to what I am eating and makes me accountable.

Schedule exercise into your day

To make exercise a regular part of your routine, try scheduling it into your day, just as you would a work meeting or appointment. Whether it's a morning workout before work, a lunchtime walk, or an evening yoga session, setting aside time for exercise can make it easier to prioritise.

Prioritise recovery and rest

Rest and recovery is just as important as exercise when it comes to maintaining good health and fitness. If you're dealing with high levels of stress and fatigue, be sure to schedule rest days into your exercise routine, take time to stretch or practise relaxation techniques,

Taken in St Lucia at The Body Holiday (click here for The Body Holiday website)

Former World Champion and Olympic medallist, JAMIE BAULCH shares some easy reminders on how to prioritise your own self-care even as you continue to care for others.

and make sure you're getting adequate sleep.

Seek professional advice

If you're new to exercise, or if you have any health concerns or injuries, it's important to seek professional advice before starting a new exercise program. A qualified fitness professional or healthcare provider can help you develop an exercise plan that is safe and appropriate for your individual needs and goals.

Find an exercise buddy

Working out with a friend or colleague can be a great way to stay motivated and make exercise more enjoyable. If you have someone who is also interested in getting fit, why not set up a regular exercise routine together? You'll be more likely to stick to your plan and have the added benefit of social support and accountability.

This is for you as much as the people who need you.

Remember, you're important!

Taking care of yourself is essential so you can continue to take care of others. Best of luck on your fitness journey!

About Jamie

Jamie Baulch is a former sprinter and Olympic silver medallist who won numerous medals in various competitions, including the European Championships and Commonwealth Games. Previously a member of the British 4x400-metre relay team, Jamie and his team brought home the Silver Medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Today, Jamie is a successful motivational speaker and television personality, inspiring the nation with his story of perseverance and success.

Olympic final, Sydney 2000

JOANIE MILLS (our writer’s name has been changed to preserve anonymity) has worked in the NHS for 15 years but had to take time out due to severe depression. Here she reveals her struggle to admit that she was feeling suicidal and finally began her journey to recovery.

uttered to myself too. They formed part of an internal monologue that seemed set on self-destruction. I had suffered with depression before. I knew the signs. I spoke to patients daily in my role as an advanced nurse practitioner about how to manage their own mental health. I should have known better, and asked for help sooner. I didn’t, until suicide was all I could think of every single day.

These are just some of the comments I got from NHS colleagues when I took time out with severe depression and anxiety. In reality, they were comments I

I have worked in the NHS for 15 years. I have watched it change and adapt, but never more so than when Covid-19 hit. Everything changed overnight. Telephone triage, video consultations, PPE shortages, out-of-date surgical masks and an undercurrent of fear. It was now impossible to hug a colleague if you were having a bad day. No more lunches together to unwind and

talk about things other than work. There wasn’t anything other than work anymore. I felt isolated and alone at a time when I was scared just to do my job. Yet there was no option to fall apart because the public needed us. So I ignored all of these feelings, didn’t talk about them and I carried on. The weekly claps on a Thursday helped keep them at bay, as did being part of the first vaccine clinic in our area. I felt like I was making a difference.

Time passed, and thanks to the Herculean effort of the vaccine programme, normality started to return. Those feelings I’d pushed down started to resurface.

“You are letting your patients down.”

“Maybe you are not cut out for this work.”

“Your colleagues are having to do more work because of you.”

The public seemed to forget the sacrifices made

“I wanted to die but couldn’t admit it” – one NHS worker’s story of mental illness

and hard work we had done and accused us of not working hard enough. Yet I had never worked harder.

We were offering more appointments, not less. The time away from my family, the long-Covid symptoms I’d struggled with for months but still came to work, were not important to anyone. My mood plummeted and as my colleagues struggled too I overheard the voices of others judging them for “letting the team down” if they took time out. I felt unable to speak up.

Colleagues would ask how I was, and I would lie and say I was fine. I wasn’t, I wanted to die but I couldn’t admit it. It took a doctor to one day ask me twice “are you really okay?” before I spectacularly fell apart. I spoke to my own GP, had therapy and time away from work. I felt guilt every day for not being there. But why? I was clearly very ill. Nobody would complain that a person with a broken leg wasn’t at work.

NHS staff are 24% more likely than the general population to take their own lives. These figures mean a suicide is reported for healthcare workers on average every three days.

I am grateful I didn’t become part of this statistic, but the stigma of speaking out when suffering from mental health issues meant I was closer to it than I needed to be.

There is no shame in

help. Even if you are supposed to be the one helping others.

Today, my mental health has improved greatly. I was lucky to be supported by a wonderful therapist who taught me to accept that I was ill.

This made it easier to talk to others about what I was going through. My family was incredible, and on those days that I didn't trust myself to be alone, they would sit with me. I started reading, and would go for a walk every day outside. It was often

one minute at a time, rather than one day at a time, but with each step forward I got better.

People would say that I got stronger, but I hate that idea because I was always strong. I survived. I like to think that I give my patients better care now than before when it comes to mental health, because I can speak from my own experiences, but I also know when I need to take a break.

I schedule my annual leave regularly, and had some coaching lessons to help me set boundaries with my workload. I am under no illusion that I am at risk of depression again. I live with it, rather than having “cured” it, however I now have more tools to keep it at bay.

needing

“I wanted to die but couldn’t admit it”: one NHS worker’s story of mental illness

We need to talk about psychosis - in the young and old

We need to talk about psychosis –in the young and old

Psychosis affects 1 in 100 people and the first episode is most likely to happen between the ages of 18 and 24.

If you have psychosis, you perceive or interpret things differently than those around you.

This might involve hallucinations or delusions.

A psychotic episode can be brought on by overworking, traumatic experiences, extreme stress, drug use or a sideeffect of medication. It can be a once-only experience or, for others, is a longlasting mental health condition.

As young people head off to university, Rethink Mental Illness is calling on them to learn how to spot signs of psychosis.

These can include withdrawing from friends, expressing unusual beliefs or saying they can see or hear things that aren’t real.

New research shows that among young people aged 16 to 25:

◆ only a third (31%) would know where to get help if they or someone they knew were showing signs of psychosis

◆ over half (56%) think it’s less common than it is

◆ fewer than half said they were not confident they would be able to spot specific symptoms like hallucinations (47%) and delusions (42%)

Brian Dow, Deputy CEO at Rethink Mental Illness, says: “Going to university is an exciting time but it’s also a time of huge changes. We hear from lots of people who first encountered mental health problems while at university, but they and their friends were unaware of what was going on. It’s important for everyone to know where to turn if they need help, but many students don’t think to sign up to their university’s GP. We would urge everyone to look out for your friends … if they are showing any of the early signs then encourage them to see their GP or go to A&E if you are worried about their immediate safety.”

Ex-student, Luke, 26, of Dorset said:

“I first started having symptoms of psychosis when I was at school, and at university things got worse and worse. I didn’t tell anyone about what was happening and eventually I had to quit uni. I thought that if I could keep it to myself, I would have ownership of it. But now I know the opposite is true. By accepting help I’m now able to manage my psychosis.”

Recent media reports say that in some cases, psychosis may be a symptom of an underlying physical illness. Conditions detected by scans included encephalitis, brain tumours,

A charity is raising awareness of psychosis among young people as they start university, often a time of stress and change which can trigger mental health problems, writes LINDA AITCHISON.

infections, stroke or dementia. That’s why patients experiencing psychosis for the first time should be given routine brain scans to rule out any physical contributing factors, according to psychiatrists, in recently reported research.

Nicky’s story: When psychosis came for my mum

Nicky, a cleaner and former care assistant, of Wiltshire, says she wants to speak up and raise awareness to lessen stigma, whatever the age of someone affected by psychosis and their loved-ones.

Here, she shares her memory of how her mum started a journey to treatment. Nicky writes:

“When my mum was ill and people asked how she was, if I told them she had psychosis, they physically recoiled. I was heartbroken, my mum wouldn’t hurt a fly.

“To me, this revealed how a stigma still exists and how little many of us understand. Our family didn’t understand either.

“The day a psychiatrist came to see my mum, it was distressing, intense and desperately sad.

“My mum claimed my dad was

plotting against her, to control and harm her. She told me he was doing the same to my sister too.

“I don’t know if he is twisted or plain bad,” my mum said, announcing the impending appointment (with a possible outcome of her being sectioned) was really for my dad.

“You aren’t going to like this afternoon much, it’s all about your dad. He has to see a psychiatrist because he’s such a control freak,” she said.

“In the half hour before the psychiatrist arrived, words tumbled out of my mum’s mouth, making no sense. There was barely a chance to take in what she’d just said before another disjointed ramble.

“There was no let-up in the accusations. Perhaps my dad was seeing prostitutes, or I had a secret brother, maybe my dad had vandalised their home.

vulnerable.

“She returned to her delusions.

“Her stories meandered from one random imagined slighting to another, filled with more bizarre unrelated points. The psychiatrist shot me concerned glances.

“Then more tears come. And more accusations.

“Somehow after a barrage of lots more taunts and expletives from my mum, she accepted the psychiatrist’s recommendation that she should take medication. We jumped in the car to the chemist and began a long road to getting better.”

Refuting media scares

Lurid headlines do not help people with psychosis. When this condition is highlighted in the news, it’s most often connected to rare violent attacks.

“She yelled at me that I wasn’t qualified to help.

“There was no way she’d take any medication, she said, insisting everyone knew doctors handed out pills like sweets.

“After the psychiatrist arrived, my mum looked smaller somehow, fragile, panicked, confused, and

Psychosis is the stuff of horror films and grisly murder reports. Yet these cliched portrayals are skewed.

Research from 2019 by Project HOPE: The People-to-People Health Foundation, revealed that even if psychotic and mood disorders were eliminated, 96% of violent acts would still occur.

“All I could do was hug her and tell her I love her.”

“We wouldn’t be without them”: the positive power of pets

them”: the positive power of pets

Research shows that sharing our lives with animal companions boosts our mental and physical health.

A 2020 study found that having a pet was linked to maintaining better mental health and reducing loneliness.

More than 90% of owners believed their pet helped them cope emotionally during lockdown, with another 96% saying their animal companion helped keep them fit and active.

Now, as our world has opened up again, that human-animal bond is as strong as ever.

Here are six inspiring stories, all from UK Key Workers, all evidence of the positive power of pets.

Nina Cee is a 33-year-old Learning Support Assistant for a local high school. A mum and step-mum, she lives near Holt, in Norfolk. Nina has more than 40 chickens, 25 chicks and three dogs.

“I am so lucky that I have pets to come home to after work,” she says. “I regularly go and stand and watch the chickens before even coming to the door. If I’m ever stressed or anxious, I go and sit in the run and

enjoy the peacefulness of watching them peck and scratch at the ground.

“The dogs all bound over like they’ve been waiting all day for me. I feel immediate relief and the day’s stresses wash over me.”

cleans, so the job can be fairly harrowing,” says Victoria.

Victoria’s precious pup, Henry, is laid back and great at helping her wind down.

“After a draining day, he is a gorgeous ball of fur and love to cuddle,” she says.

“Walking Henry really helps too. He needs two good walks a day as he’s a big, active boy. Whether I feel like it or not, come rain or shine, we have to exercise him, so it forces us out into the fresh air, which has many benefits, both for physical and mental health.”

Victoria Gordon, 41, is a cleaning company owner, from Lincoln. Married with two daughters and a stepdaughter, she lives with Golden Retriever, Henry, aged four.

“Until a year ago, we were mainly providing domestic cleaning services, but we now also specialise in crime scenes, trauma, body decomposition and other biohazard

“We wouldn’t be without

A well-timed wagging tail, a gentle paw, a purr-fect miaow to welcome us home, in good times and bad, our pets are there for us, helping us through, writes ASHA CLEARWATER.

Nina and Pepper

Victoria and Henry

“We wouldn’t be without them”: the positive power of pets

Robyn Harris is a British Sign Language-English Interpreter and Wellbeing Practitioner, 55, from Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, married to Tim.

“My work is still mostly online, so I don’t “come home” at the end of my working day. This is when I go out ... up to the fields to see the horses,” explains Robyn, who cares for two rescue horses (Dax and Rika) and rescue dog, Inca.

She adds: “Both horses make a lovely “whickering” noise when they greet me, and this always makes me smile. Nature and animals form a huge part of my well-being work and so they’re a very important element of my own self-care.”

Teresa Bronson, 53, is a children’s home worker, from Holbeach, Lincolnshire, and mum of two. She shares her home with three dogs and a rabbit.

“When I’m feeling low, a little paw comes up to me as I truly believe they understand how I’m feeling,” explains Teresa.

Teresa’s dogs are Louis, a 10-yearold partially sighted Cocker Spaniel, Little P, a French Bulldog rescue, aged approximately eight, and Cavapoo, Jessie, two. The house rabbit is Oreo, a 10-month-old Dwarf Lop.

Reflecting on the pandemic, Teresa says: “Coming home after a long shift, to be met by their wagging tails and multiple kisses, took away

Teresa and one of her precious pets

a lot of the stress. It helped me to keep going when I wanted to stay

Robyn and horses

“We wouldn’t be without them”: the positive power of pets in bed and not go to work for fear of bringing Covid-19 back to my family.

“The fur cuddles kept the stress at bay and still do.”

Sarah Brandis, 42, is from London and works as an NHS Rehab Assistant for Stroke Inpatients. Sarah is partner to Andy, and mum to three cats (Iggy, Ivan and Clara). In her challenging role, Sarah’s cats provide a welcome distraction.

“Cats are great examples of being zen and staying present. The cats were amazing at boosting our mental health during the pandemic. We only went out to work in the Intensive Care Unit and then came home exhausted,” says Sarah.

“George is a four-year-old Hermann’s Tortoise; he could still turn out to be a she,” says Sarah.

Sarah’s tortoise would frequently make online appearances during the pandemic.

“George was my constant companion in my makeshift office. He would make brief appearances in team meetings, as everyone loved to see what he was up to, and I would sit and watch him potter about while I ate lunch.

“Whilst at home, even in the darkest moments, I found something I love.

“I started Pets 2 Places (then called Pets2Vets) in 2014, as a reason to get out of bed every day,” she explains.

“Cats are also excellent recovery buddies. They sit with us, and the world feels better again.”

Sarah Woodbine, 43, is Volunteer Manager for a children’s charity, from Crowland, Lincolnshire. She lives with partner, Andy, 41, sons Pip, 13, and Finnian, 11, with George The Tortoise and Susuwatari The cat, aged 6 months.

“He is a great distraction for all of us. He gives us routine, is always waiting at specific times during the day for his weeds or lamb’s lettuce. The cat loves the warmth of his basking bulb too!”

For Key Worker Claire Harris, launching the world’s first pet taxi franchise, Pets 2 Places, in 2014, transformed her life.

Widowed in 2012, with three children, and quitting a job she felt bullied and unhappy in, Claire struggled with her mental health.

A chance conversation led to the realisation that many people who loved their animals but couldn’t drive were struggling to get to appointments.

The first dedicated Pet Taxi service was launched in Milton Keynes and has gone from strength to strength, attracting calls from pet owners across the UK.

To learn more about Pets 2 Places, visit the company’s website here

“It gave me purpose, made me feel needed and showed me that maybe I had a place in the world after all.”

Sarah and Ivan

Sarah and George

Claire Harris of Pets 2 Places

Breathe easy: how to de-stress

Well-being expert JANE ALEXANDER shares her latest tips on destressing

Stress isn’t disappearing any time soon, that’s for sure. Apparently, 76% of us here in the UK are experiencing moderate to high levels of stress and that figure is only going up … at an anxietyinducing 13% per year. We all say we know what would help (more money, more time, more control, more support) but unfortunately the stress fairy isn’t going to wave a magic wand. We’re going to have to find ways to tackle it ourselves.

Fortunately, new thinking on stress relief goes beyond the irritating “do a bit of yoga and sniff lavender aromatherapy oil” refrain. Instead, it looks at reframing stress and employing smart hacks for instant relief.

your living room.

Let’s look at what else the latest research has to say.

Cyclic sighing

We’ve all been told to breathe in deeply when we’re stressed but it seems it’s the breathing out that’s the important bit. New research compared several different types of breathing for stress relief and found that something called “cyclic sighing” came out on top.

Inhale through the nose until your lungs are halfway full. Pause briefly and breathe in again so your lungs are full. Then slowly exhale in a big fat sigh through the mouth. The exhale needs to be twice as long as in the inhale. Repeat three times.

Workout joy

We all know exercise is a proven

stress buster but if your mental health is shaky, the last thing you probably feel like doing is waltzing into the gym. Plus, if your body is already in flight or fight mode, pushing it into rigorous exercise can cause even more stress.

Research now shows that movement that gives us joy is a far more effective stress reliever than frantic sprints on the treadmill or Iron Man circuit training.

So, dance your socks off, go back to the ballet barre, join a team (netball, football, synchronised swimming) … basically whatever makes you smile.

Tone up your vagus nerve

The vagus nerve runs from the brain to the gut. It’s been dubbed the body’s “information superhighway” as it influences pretty much every

There’s also a growing interest in the role of oxytocin. It turns out the “cuddle” hormone, released when we kiss and hug, also plays a vital role in stress regulation. Overall, it guides us towards a vital stressbuster: finding support. A key way to soothe is to hang out with people we love or trust. It’s not saying dump the meditation and mindfulness (they’re really useful) but that chilling with friends can be as helpful as going monk-like in

Interestingly, it’s not necessarily the stress itself that is so harmful, but how we think about it. If we believe it’s harmful, then it will be … pretty mindblowing, eh?

organ and system of the body, including our stress response.

There’s currently a lot of excitement about the use of wearable devices such as Sensate (getsensate.com) that use infrasound technology to calm the stress response. They do seem to help but are pricey.

Mindfulness and breathing techniques

can be as effective … and way cheaper. Try apps such as Aura, Buddhify, Ten Percent Happier or Waking

Up.

Hug a tree, plant a lettuce

Going for a walk in the woods, forest bathing, eco-therapy … call it what you will: getting up close and personal with nature has a noticeable effect on stress levels.

The fractal patterns in nature (think fern fronds, sea shells) actually reduce physiological stress, as does walking barefoot.

It doesn’t have to be a full-on forest either – make friends with your local park or get your hands dirty in the garden.

No garden? Local community gardens will welcome extra hands, with an added bonus of community and purpose (also key components of stressbusting).

Short sharp antistress hacks

No time to find a forest? Try these Plunge your face into cold water – it triggers the “diving reflex”, constricting blood vessels and slowing heartbeat.

Sip a glass of cold water. As with the cold water face plunge, it can nudge out rising stress.

Take a shower and switch between hot and cold settings. The temperature shift triggers the release of feel-good chemicals and

damps down the fight or flight hormones.

Find your colour noise. Brown noise (white noise’s lower deeper cousin) is the current noise-dejour, helping you feel calmer – find it on YouTube or Spotify. Note: some people find it has the exact opposite effect and makes them want to scream.

Chew gum. Nobody knows quite why it works but it does.

Get active and give yourself a break with Blue Light Card

Working as part of the Blue Light community can often be demanding. That’s why Blue Light Card has teamed up with big name brands to offer the UK’s emergency services, NHS workers, social carers and Armed Forces exclusive access to sport and fitness savings to help support your mental health and well-being.

Save whilst getting active

Different people like different things. That’s why it’s important to find a workout that suits your needs. If you are looking to improve your endurance and core strength, a Zumba class is the perfect way to exercise whilst also having fun. Whilst those looking to take on their next challenge can opt for a HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout to get their heart racing and blood pumping.

Heading to the gym? Blue Light Card has joined forces with the likes of Nuffield Health, The Gym Group, Bannatyne and PureGym to provide exclusive offers to help members improve their health,

lifestyle and wellbeing. From free trials and £0 joining fees to savings on memberships, there’s something available for everyone.

Whether you are wanting to get back into fitness or start working out for the first time, you can make your money go further when staying active. With 10% off at Gymshark, there’s no better time to purchase the perfect workout clothes. You can even stock the fridge and get meal planning with exclusive offers from Muscle Food including £5 off for new customers (minimum spend applies) and butcher’s boxes for just £39. Not ready to brave the crowds? Work out in the comfort of your own home with a 90-day free trial on the Peloton app or save 10% on selected exercise products from Best Gym Equipment.

You can even track your progress with up to 40% off Garmin products or up to 28% off a new Fitbit.

Look after your mental health

Being active isn’t just good for your physical health but your mental well-being too! Whether you’re working up a sweat at your local gym or taking the dog for a walk, physical exercise is a proven stress reliever.

But exercise isn’t the only thing that can help you to de-stress and focus on your well-being. Sometimes taking a simple break is all you need to prevent burnout and restore motivation.

Blue Light Card’s top tips on taking an effective break include:

◆ Getting some fresh air by going out on a walk

◆ Listening to your favourite songs or a great podcast

◆ Doing something that you enjoy such as reading or drawing

◆ Completing a breathing or meditative exercise

Recognising that there has been an increased interest in taking care of our minds and bodies, Blue Light Card has also partnered with Calm to offer all members a free 30-day trial to Calm Premium (plus 50% off annual memberships) to help those in the community to lead happier, healthier lives ... both at work and at home.

We’re proud to be here for those who are here for all of us, which is why we feel everyone should feel good about themselves. Alidad Moghaddam, CEO of Blue Light Card said, “We understand the demanding nature of the work carried out by those in the Blue Light Community which is why we are pleased to offer an extensive range of exclusive discounts to help people look after themselves and their bodies”.

Some key partners offering exclusive discounts include*:

◆ Bannatyne – Save 7.5% on membership + no joining fee

◆ Best Gym Equipment – Save 10% on selected products

◆ Bodykind – Save 15%

◆ Calm – Try Calm Premium for free + save 50% on annual membership

◆ Fitbit – Save up to 28%

◆ Garmin – Save up to 40%

◆ Grenade – Save 20%

◆ Gym King – Save 20% on full priced items online

◆ Gymshark – Save 10% online

◆ Holland & Barrett – Save 10% online and in-store

◆ Les Mills+ – Save 42% on a 12-month subscription + 30 day free trial

◆ Muscle Food – £5 off when you spend £60 plus exclusive other savings

◆ Myprotein – Save 45%

◆ Neal’s Yard Remedies – Save 20% on full priced items online

◆ Nuffield Health – 7-day free trial and 30% off membership

◆ Peloton – 90 day free trial on Peloton app

◆ PureGym – Save up to 10% on membership + no joining fee

◆ Runners Need – Save 15% online

◆ The Gym Group – 10% off monthly memberships + no joining fee

◆ Under Armour – Save 15%

* All discounts are correct at the time of publishing. Refer to the website or app for all upto-date discounts.

ABOUT BLUE LIGHT CARD

With over three million members across the country, Blue Light Card is partnered with over 17,500 retailers both national and local, providing savings, discounts and benefits that often aren’t available to the general public. These include New Look, Spotify, Greene King, Jet2holidays, Cineworld, Sky, Halfords and Ninja to name a few. In 2022, Blue Light Card saved its members over £250 million in total.

Membership to Blue Light Card costs £4.99 for access to all online deals and discounts for two years and is quick and easy.

For more information on Blue Light Card, visit www.bluelightcard.co.uk

Mental health money worries? You are not alone

Shirley Jones is a secret spender. She says her addiction is under control in the daytime, but at night, while her husband sleeps soundly in their spare room, she trawls through travel agents’ websites, bagging the best deals on her credit card.

Currently around £2,500 in debt, Shirley, 42, a shop assistant, from New Quay, Wales, says her husband Pete, a health and safety inspector, 47, doesn’t know about the latest trip she has booked five nights in Tenerife, next year, by herself, for when he’s away with work.

Shirley was first diagnosed with depression in her early 20s. In later years, faced with worry about her employment and the pandemic, she also developed clinical anxiety.

“I have no doubt my anxiety has led to a compulsion to spend,” she says. “Especially on holidays I can barely afford. Sometimes I book for Pete and me, a little weekend here and there, a night in a posh hotel and an overpriced concert that’s months away, sounds lovely, doesn’t it? But it’s not planned and it’s not budgeted for.

according to a recent study by the Money and Mental Health Institute.

Some 93 per cent of respondents said that they spend more when they are unwell, according to the survey of more than 5,000 people who self-identified as having a mental health problem.

Francesca Baker, 36, a marketer and copywriter, from London, has had anorexia since she was a child. Like Shirley, her impulse buying has not led to major debt. But she says it remains a recognised problem … and an on-going “irritation”.

“Other times, it’s just for me. I get really defensive about it … our children are grown up and moved away, who else can I treat? I read reports of people reaching £40,000 in debt through impulse buying and I think: “there but for the grace of God”.

“It’s my guilty secret, the money I owe makes me ashamed. I can’t bear the thought of telling Pete what I’ve done, I’ll share the news with him eventually, I know ... I’ll have to, he will be fine, telling me to go and relax, but I won’t tell him how much it has really cost.”

Shirley’s story is a familiar one.

People with mental health difficulties almost always find that their ability to look after money properly is affected in some way,

“On days when I haven’t fuelled myself well enough with food, I’m more likely to find a way to “fill” myself in other ways. And one is by spending money,” she says.

“I’ll distract myself by wandering to the shops or shopping online, buying things I don’t need, or perhaps even want.

“It’s just a waste of money which leaves me feeling guilty. A big part of my anorexia is not feeling worthwhile enough to do nice things for or buy things for (especially food), so I feel frustrated.

“I couldn’t tell you how much I have spent over the years, but it’s likely to be thousands of pounds, that’s £20-£50 every time it happens, over several years.

“I trawl a pound shop or buy lots of cheap clothes … which I already have enough of! I’m quite good at

With a link between mental health problems and impulse spending now established, LINDA AITCHISON explores the causes and solutions to a potentially vicious circle.

“In that moment, I feel a high, a rush of adrenaline maybe, but mostly I come crashing down again pretty soon after.”

getting rid of stuff but definitely have too many clothes that I never wear.”

Thankfully, Francesca says things are improving. But there are still instances where she relapses.

“It happens less often now, as I slowly move through recovery, but when I have a bad few days it definitely rears its head. I consider it better than over exercising though which is my other coping mechanism.”

According to Cassie Watts, a coach specialising in helping clients attain a “wealth vision”, there are practical tools that offer support through an episode of impulsive spending.

She says: “Firstly, keep a track of when you are spending and what happened right before you felt the urge to spend.

“This way you begin to become aware of what your emotional

triggers are. Noticing your thoughts is the first step, without this it’s easy to fall into overwhelm and spend money you otherwise wouldn’t be spending.

“Sometimes you may feel ashamed and embarrassed about this, you aren’t alone.”

“Reaching out to someone you trust or joining a support network can be really helpful to reduce or eliminate that shame as it builds your sense of belonging and acceptance. You are more than your current spending habits and while that can be improved, you are doing the best with the information you have.

“Shame represents the self, whereas guilt represents the behaviour. Your habits and reactions may benefit from a new way of being but you in your essence are already enough. You’re worthy and deserving of the help and guidance to recover from these financial habits that are hindering you.”

Cassie’s top five guidelines to curb impulse buying are:

1. Check your bank balance before you spend money, take a deep breath, count to 10 … give yourself enough time to make a conscious choice

2. Aim to only buy items that have been on your “want/need list” for more than a fortnight

3. Have a short “go to” activity you do once you recognise you’re having an emotional spending response: this may be simple like playing your favourite song, ringing your close friend, reciting a set of affirmations, drinking a glass of water while thinking uplifting and positive words about yourself or writing down your feelings in that moment.

4. Awareness is key and it takes practice. It takes unlearning habits you may have had your whole life.

5. Try to be patient and gracious with yourself.

Extensive information and support strategies can be found on the Mind website here

Writing your way to wellness

TRACY BUCHANAN

It’s no secret Key Workers shoulder stress each day. Did you know that one of the best ways to help alleviate that stress is writing? Whether it’s about forcing yourself to be present in the moment, or unburdening any issues you’ve been carrying around, making writing part of your daily routine could really help.

So how to start with your writing adventure?

Begin by treating yourself to a new notepad and pen. When you’re ready to dive in, don’t feel pressured to write for hours on end. Instead, carve out a manageable chunk of time each day, maybe five minutes or so. Try different times of the day to see when you’re most creative, too.

When

Now let’s delve into those different forms…

Journaling

If writing about stress heightens tension, shift focus. Write about joy, gratitude or peace.

Finally, don’t limit yourself to one style or format. Explore different forms of writing to find out what truly stirs your creativity.

Instead of just documenting the day’s events, consider “present moment journaling”. Write about the sensations around you, what you can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. This mindfulness approach can help ground you in the moment and offer a break from past worries or future anxieties.

Poetry

You don’t have to be Wordsworth to express yourself in verse. Try “emotion-focused poetry”, where you concentrate on expressing a

single feeling. This can help you explore emotions on a deeper level.

Storyboarding

Storyboarding isn’t just for filmmakers. Try creating a visual map of a problem you’re facing, complete with characters and different outcomes. This practice allows you to visually structure your problem, evaluate it from different angles, and explore possible solutions.

Letters

Writing a letter you don’t intend to send can be a great outlet. You could write to a person causing you stress or comfort, or even an abstract concept. Addressing someone directly, with no fear of judgement or consequences, can

Author

provides her top tips on using writing as a way to promote improved mental wellbeing.

you do begin writing, remember that therapeutic writing doesn’t follow a strict script.

Tracy Buchanan

be highly liberating.

Novels

As a Key Worker, creating a fictional world within your control can be empowering. Watching your ideas unfold and characters come alive boosts morale, while meeting pre-set goals can build confidence. It’s not an overnight solution, but a creative journey that can help your mental wellbeing … and who knows, maybe uncover a hidden talent for storytelling?

Memoirs

Writing a memoir, like Adam Kay’s poignant account of his experiences in the NHS, is another transformative writing exercise.

It’s not always about pursuing publication. Instead, it can be a personal endeavour to document your unique journey as a Key Worker. It could also be a great way to leave a legacy for posterity.

Useful links for writing your way to wellness

Tracy’s website can be found here

Free writing prompts can be found here

Curtis Brown courses can be found here

FutureLearn courses can be found here

Whatever format you choose, remember to be patient with yourself. Writing, like any skill, takes time to cultivate. Celebrate your progress and remember … this is your space, your time, and your voice.

one in the Police Force talked about mental health”

When Hannah Bailey looks back over her 15 years in the Police, it is with still raw, but mixed, emotions.

As a fresh-faced 21-year-old who had quit university, this was a career she admits she’d fallen into – but soon developed a passion for.

Proud as she donned her uniform for the first time in 1998, the young recruit had undergone extensive training with West Midlands Police and felt ready for the largely unknown, but exciting, chapter ahead.

“I had found my career, my identity and my passion,” she recalls.

As the job progressed, she found herself on the frontline, dealing with violent attacks, sexual assaults and tragic deaths on a regular basis. She spent nine years in the Criminal Investigation Department and Major Crime units and the workload took its toll, leaving her struggling with her own mental health.

Hannah Bailey

mental burnout, overwhelm and anxiety.

your shift. I simply didn’t realise the personal price I was paying for my career.

“By 2011, I was 34 and the feelings of pride and excitement had changed to those of being overwhelmed and burnt out. I was struggling with the demands of the job whilst supporting my young family and husband.”

Hannah is also determined to use her voice to help change the narrative around mental health in the emergency services but admits that there’s still some way to go.

Through her Blue Light Wellbeing organisation based in Warwickshire, she is helping officers and emergency services workers to navigate their own journey of recovery as a result of physical and

“Throughout our initial training and probation period to become a police officer, we learnt many new skills that we would need to carry out our roles. We learnt protective skills, listening skills, rules, regulations and discipline; however, no one talked about the importance of taking care of our own mental health and well-being throughout this very unique and demanding role. It in no way prepared us for the life-changing world we were about to enter,” says Hannah.

“You are also exposed to human traumas and scenes that become increasingly difficult to shrug off when you get home at the end of

“Mental health and wellbeing wasn’t talked about at all when I started in the force. I was just told I needed to be able to cope or I was in the wrong job!”

“It was quite a tough approach. Don’t get me wrong as there is a need for that approach, too. You do need to have a certain amount of mental strength and resilience to be able to deal with the sort of stuff you encounter day in and day out. You can’t go and deliver a death message and burst into tears or be sick at the scene of a fatal road accident.

“So yes, tough talk is needed, but we also have to recognise that there

“No

In her 15 years as a police officer, Hannah Bailey dealt with tragedy and trauma on a daily basis, writes AMANDA CHALMERS. She now spends her time helping other officers overcome burnout, overwhelm and anxiety. This is her story.

Today, 46-year-old Hannah’s relationship with the Police is a vastly different one.

needs to be a space to offload it as well, particularly after certain jobs. There will just be jobs that catch you when you weren’t expecting it so there needs to be a space to talk about that and be able to process it.

term sick and I remember thinking everyone else would have to take on my cases and I won’t have to face it … I felt guilty, but relieved at the same time,” she says.

She managed to see off the cancer, only for an even more aggressive form to later return, but Hannah refused to accept the medical prognosis that this time it was untreatable. She researched an emerging new treatment in Germany that ultimately saved her life.

It proved to be Hannah’s final rude awakening and second chance at life. She retrained as a psychotherapist and well-being coach with an emphasis on better education and awareness around mental health in the emergency services and military.

passion, it can still be a fantastic job. But what I would say is it’s important to learn about your own mental, emotional and physical health at the earliest possible stage and to look after yourself as much as possible,” she says.

“Things are improving because otherwise people like me wouldn’t be asked to deliver mental health workshops for the Police. That was never an opportunity for me back then. The awareness around it is improving. The stigma is getting a little better but I still think there is a lot more education needed around mental health in the emergency services.

“There are also some cases which are distressing on a more personal level. One example is when I was dealing with a rape victim for around eight months and her case wasn’t successful at court. But when you’ve worked on the case throughout and you know everything that goes into it, you do end up feeling involved sometimes, even though we’re told not to. I ended up taking some personal responsibility. It was devastating that we couldn’t get the results for her. It felt like a huge miscarriage of justice.”

Hannah’s mental health struggles were becoming harder and harder to suppress but it was in 2011 that the news was to come triggering a health battle of a different kind ... a breast cancer diagnosis.

“It was a horrific time but I do also remember feeling relieved. Throughout my surgery and chemotherapy treatment, through losing my hair and dealing with many difficult emotions, there was that constant recurring thought that “at least I don’t have to go in to work”. I knew I would be off long-

Today her role takes her back to the police as she works closely with teams and individuals around the country offering workshops, therapy and retreats as well as public speaking engagements.

She says: “It is so important for us to recognise that we do see human traumas that most people are never exposed to, or are only exposed to maybe once in their lifetime.

“The Police do provide counselling now and occupational health and well-being champions but because there is still some stigma, there are still people who don’t want to talk within the Police, which is understandable. But there’s an awful lot of help and support outside police forces from people who do understand what they’ve been through, and they can reach out to them if needed.”

Hannah is hosting her first Blue Light Retreat from Tuesday 26 September to Thursday 28 September at Wootton Park in Wootton Wawen in collaboration with Andy Labrum of Blue Light Leavers, an organisation that helps emergency service workers transition from their roles into normal day-to-day jobs.

Despite her own difficulties from her 15 years in the job, Hannah will never be found discouraging anyone from a career in uniform.

“If it’s something that is your

For more information on both organisations, please visit Blue Light Wellbeing and Blue Light Leavers.

“Suicides and sudden deaths are extremely difficult. The worst cases to deal with though are any incidents involving children. I had been to a job where a little boy died in a house fire which was devastating to deal with, and is one of those that will always stay with me.”

“It’s the drip, drip effect of being exposed to trauma that eats away at you over the years. At the time I didn’t really think about it. You just keep going back to work and carrying on with your job.”

“No one in the Police Force talked about

mental health”

How Shahnaz found her wings

Student nurse Shahnaz Akhter is smashing stigma and breaking down barriers. Here she tells SALLY-ANNE YOULL her story.

coming years to looking after her family.

“I was a housewife,” she says. “And that was fine, I have no regrets. But my dream was still there, buried, but not forgotten.”

As her children grew up, Shahnaz’s drive to help others grew and at the suggestion of a friend, she became a volunteer, working with children from deprived areas where she lived in Peterborough.

Shahnaz Akhter is bursting with pride as she prepares to graduate with a degree in mental health nursing.

But behind her tangible excitement lies a story of a long and emotional journey that has brought her here, about to achieve her lifelong dream at the age of 51.

“My wings are open and I am flying,” she says. “This is my dream and it’s about to come true.”

But it wasn’t always the case.

As a teenager Shahnaz dreamed of being a midwife, but always felt it was beyond her grasp.

Instead of pursuing a career, she married at 19 and had her first child at the age of 20. Two more children followed, and she dedicated the

She went on to become a community health trainer. “I was filled with self-doubt and really thought I couldn’t do it, but with the help and encouragement of others I did,” she says.

“The confidence and self-belief were not there, but working as a community health trainer, it started to return.”

Shahnaz excelled in her role and went on to get a formal qualification.

Many of her patients were women from the south Asian community for whom language was sometimes a barrier, and Shahnaz was seen as someone who not only understood the language, but also their health and well-being needs.

As they discussed lifestyle and health, her shared background helped them open up to her about all sorts of issues in their own lives.

This often began to reveal stories of poor mental health and domestic

abuse. But Shahnaz wasn’t qualified to help them with that at this stage. So she started training in mental health so that she could help these women with whom she had established trust and rapport ... and her skill at helping people was evident.

“I was having great success with my patients, they were coming back, losing weight, taking up exercise plans and they had someone to talk to.

“Everyone could see an improvement in mood and wellbeing among them,” she says.

“I realised I had become a role model for these women, but I was still lacking in self-esteem and confidence. There was no self-care or self-belief, I didn’t really know who I was.”

Shahnaz then had to leave her role for personal reasons.

She moved nearer to relatives in the West Midlands, and that move was a catalyst that sparked a chain of positive changes in Shahnaz’s life.

“I became the driver, I was making decisions, and taking control of my life,” she says.

“My children’s wings were closed, but I started to give them the right

How Shahnaz found her wings

environment to open their wings and to fly.

“All three have now been to university, two have already graduated and one will graduate at the same time as me.”

Shahnaz began working for a care agency and doing bank work for the local mental health NHS trust.

“I started believing in myself,” she says.

“But even though it was still a dream to become a nurse it was one I thought I would never achieve.

“I made all sorts of excuses; I had no time; I wasn’t good enough academically … there were lots of doubts.

“Then one day one of the male nurses said to me, of course you can do it. He gave me a number for a college. I gave them a call and was invited in on a Friday afternoon for an interview.

“They called me the same day and said can you start on Monday? They could see from my CV that I was passionate about nursing, but I was blown away.”

Shahnaz completed the access course and was surprised to find it was flexible enough to fit around her home and family life. This gave her the incentive to apply for university. Once again, her passion shone through, and she was invited for interviews at every university she applied to.

Eventually she settled on Wolverhampton. She also became an enthusiastic member of the university’s Students’ Union, then becoming a staff member as a School Rep for nursing and jointly founded a nursing society for students.

“When I first got my uniform, it was so surreal, it really felt like a dream,”

she says. “And the next three years just turned out to be the best ever. I have met the greatest role models and the most inspirational people that I have learned from and they have shown me a way forward.

“For so long I gave my time to my family, this is time for me now. I have grown hugely in confidence, and I have learned to grab every opportunity that comes my way.

“I don’t have any fear anymore, I take steps that seem difficult and there are barriers, but when they come up, I don’t let them stop me.

“There are always barriers in life, but they should not stop us. If there is an obstacle in the road, we find another way round, and it’s the same with life.

“My journey has not always been a smooth or easy one, and there have been times when I have thought “Oh I’m going to stop and do a U turn”.

“But there was always a voice in my ear saying, “Carry on, it will be worth it in the end”.”

And now, 36 years after she first dared to dream that she might become a midwife, Shahnaz is graduating and about to start her career as a mental health nurse.

She can’t quite believe it herself, but she hopes that by sharing her story she can help inspire other women from similar backgrounds to follow their dreams.

She also wants to help break down stigma surrounding mental health, both to stop women suffering in silence and to encourage more to go into mental health nursing.

She is the only Pakistani Muslim woman on her course and she feels that is because there are so many misconceptions around mental health in that community.

Just 1.5% of UK nurses are Muslim

and 0.5% are of South Asian heritage, and Shahnaz aims to boost those numbers.

South Asian women also remain at risk for suicide. South Asian people were reported as being significantly more likely to have depressive symptoms in figures from 2015 and in 2021 it was reported that south Asian people are less likely to access mental health support due to stigma and a lack of awareness.

Shahnaz says: “There are lots of women, particularly in the south Asian community who are suffering in silence. Mental health is surrounded by stigma.

“I am on a mission; I want to raise awareness about mental health in communities where language or culture may be a barrier.

“I also want to encourage more women from this community to go into nursing. I hope I can be a role model and help inspire them.”

Shahnaz also wants to be a role model to any women who haven’t got the confidence to follow their dreams.

“I am proud to be a role model to other women who may have had similar experiences to me and know deep down they have unfulfilled dreams and goals,” she says.

“I would say to these women: just go for it. You are not alone and there are people who will support you. I have learned to knock on every door and grab every opportunity.

“I was a caterpillar for so many years, but now my wings are fully open and I am flying, I have freedom and opportunities … and you can too.”

Giveaway: win a gorgeous Everyday Hero T-Shirt!

Giveaway: win a gorgeous Everyday Hero T-Shirt!

We think all our Key Workers are heroes and heroines, so why not put it on a T-shirt?

We have teamed up with Everyday Hero Clothing, a new company offering sustainable clothing, who have generously given us two T-shirts to give away.

The business is keen to give back and protect the environment through initiatives like planting a tree for each order.

Even the packaging is made from strong paper that can also be used for colouring in.

To enter our giveaway, all you have to do is to

follow the company on its Instagram account by clicking here and then leave a message saying you are a Key Worker including the hashtag #keyworkernation.

T-shirts.

Accounts on Instagram must allow messaging from Everyday Hero Clothing to allow contact with the winners.

To enter, entrants must be following Everyday Hero Clothing on Instagram and leave a message containing the hashtag #keyworkernation

The closing date for entries is Sunday 15 October 2023.

Good luck!

Only one entry per person allowed.

Please also see our general giveaway terms and conditions on page 73.

Two people will be picked at random to receive the

Interview: May Parsons

On 8 December 2020, Nurse May Parsons made history.

Moreover, she lit a beacon of hope across the world as she administered the first Covid-19 vaccination outside clinical trials to 91-year-old Margaret Keenan.

This year marks two devoted decades of a career in the NHS for May, who, up until recently, worked as a matron at University Hospital Coventry after moving to Britain from the Philippines in 2003.

She said: “That day was the biggest honour and privilege of my lifetime. The vaccination was a welcome light in such darkness. It felt like the beginning of the end of a long tunnel. It was huge and something we were all looking forward to because we knew how the pandemic had affected us.”

But 43-year-old May, who is also a mum of two, was also among the first to publicly acknowledge the pandemic’s mental and emotional toll on herself and her peers.

She said: “I’d be lying to myself most profoundly if I said all this hadn’t affected me in a way that still makes me cry every time I think about it. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the support of my family and friends and I knew I wasn’t the only one going through this.

looking out for each other.”

“I made sure the psychological support and pastoral care was in place for my team. We all looked out for each other. You wouldn’t know when it was going to come, but you would just suddenly hit a wall and, as a leader, it was incumbent on me to make sure that when that happened, that support was there to get them through it.”

She added: “I know of nurses who resigned during Covid because they were scared. Not everybody can take that risk of putting themselves in harm’s way. You had to have that honest reflection of what you’re willing to give and can’t give. It’s a difficult balance between your own safety and other people’s.

“I had to balance my own guilt of working in an Intensive Therapy Unit and potentially endangering my family with my responsibility to help in the community. People needed to do what they had to do to make themselves and their families

feel safe. We all had to make that personal decision.

“Front line healthcare workers did have the opportunity to say no to going into the workplace but obviously the vast majority didn’t. They stayed true, they stayed committed and throughout the uncertainties and fear and danger that was posed to them and their families, they still went ahead and did what they are passionate about, not just because it was their job but because they were passionate about serving the community.”

It’s that same passion that drives May in her new role today as ambassador for the NHS, using her high profile to continue championing the work of her cherished peers. Their work has also been recognised through a series of distinguished awards, including the George Cross.

“There was an immense number of healthcare workers who were dying because of their commitment to serve their communities and people were saying “they are just doing their job” but actually they were doing more than their job. When they signed up to be healthcare workers they didn’t intend to die in the workplace. It’s not the same as going to a war zone because you’re a soldier.

“It is a huge responsibility to

“It was a time when people were united, a community

May Parsons

Journalist AMANDA CHALMERS interviews the NHS nurse who administered the first Covid-19 jab to a member of the public.

represent the nurses, upholding their values and what they mean to the community and elevate their profiles. There is pressure on me to do them full justice,” she said.

“I’m relentlessly proud of being a nurse and of my peers. I think they are truly wonderful people. They play such a huge role, not only in our community’s health, but through their contribution to society.

May was chosen to administer that historic jab, two-and-a-half years ago, when, as part of the hospital trust’s peer vaccinator programme for the flu jab, she set the record for the most vaccines given by an individual for three consecutive years … 140 a day!

Now, determined that her name (and her message) won’t be confined to the history books, May pledges to continue working hard to ensure her colleagues are given the platform, and recognition, they deserve. She uses her new role as

Associate Nurse for Governance, to amplify her voice as a spokesperson for the profession, overseeing policy, law and procedures compliance.

“Working in an Intensive Therapy Unit and seeing first-hand what that devastation looks like every day, was heartbreaking. We all picked ourselves up and showed up every day, did the scary stuff and looked after our people, despite being surrounded by loss and grief.

contributors to a new children’s book in which more than 40 nurses and midwives share their career journeys and experiences.

But her heart is never far from her former frontline colleagues in respiratory care.

“The pandemic has shown the country and the world what valuable work they do and I am proud to be able to give them that voice in places where decisions are being made about them and for them,” she said.

“I want to continue to do the best I can to represent the NHS. Ultimately, I am trying to get people to realise what highly trained and skilled people nurses are. They undergo vigorous training to enable them to be experts in their field. I want people to recognise the expertise they provide.”

She’s also working hard to inspire the next generation with her school volunteering and as one of the

“One of the main things that I’ve learned about is the compassion and courage to do the right thing … and forgiveness. These qualities all clearly demonstrate what the NHS stands for.”

May Parsons being honoured

Mood-boosting summer ingredients ... and sizzling barbeques

Mood-boosting summer ingredients … and sizzling barbeques

Hello! I’m Becky, a Key Worker from Buckinghamshire. I work in the respiratory operations team at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and in my spare time I’m a blogger, food and travel writer (follow me @hungrybecky). I have two grown up sons and I live with my partner and a grumpy old whippet called Lyra.

Brain food

We all know that eating well can have a huge effect on our health and wellbeing, but it’s not just getting our five-a-day that can keep us healthy. When you’re busy, it’s easy to turn to sugary snacks to give yourself a lift, but choosing healthy options can keep our energy levels stable and even boost our mood.

Whole grains like oats, rice and wholewheat flour are great for regulating energy (and therefore mood), which makes them the perfect choice for breakfast. Starting the day with these complex carbs will fill you up, which means you’re less likely to turn to the biscuit tin with your 11am (or indeed 3am!) cuppa.

Think granola, porridge and muesli, or my favourite, overnight oats. I pop 40g in a jam jar, cover with about the same amount of milk or yoghurt then add fruit, nuts and seeds (full of omega-3s), and a drizzle of peanut butter or honey. Leave in the fridge overnight. Next morning just screw on the lid, pop it in your bag and head out with them to eat later in the day. One tip, though, if you’re going to use bananas, wait until the morning … they go a bit slimy overnight.

Berries are full of fibre and high in stress-busting antioxidants.

Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are perfectly in season right now, so add them to smoothies, sprinkle them on your yoghurt or just nibble them at your desk as a healthy snack. And talking of perfectly portable snacks … bananas are high in feel-good vitamin B6, a great source of fibre and potassium.

If you’ve got more time, eggs on wholewheat toast are another great option. Eggs are perfectly packaged nutritional powerhouses, full of protein and vitamins, plus, the yolks contain choline, an essential nutrient that’s great for mental clarity.

Oily fish like pilchards, sardines, salmon, and mackerel are all a great source of Omega-3s and help to keep your brain and heart healthy. Tinned fish counts too a tuna salad sandwich on wholemeal bread makes a great packed lunch for a busy day and salmon is a quick and easy choice for dinner.

If you’re vegetarian, quinoa is not only a complete protein but mimics animal protein in the amount of essential amino acids it contains. It’s also great for summer salads and work lunches.

Get outdoors!

Whether you’re a barbeque expert or just love eating outdoors, there’s

nothing more mood-boosting than dinner al fresco when the sun is shining (lucky these recipes also work on the grill if the weather doesn’t cooperate!).

Sticky BBQ glazed salmon

Salmon is so quick and easy to barbeque. Make sure you oil the grill well and try not to move the salmon until it’s completely seared on one side as otherwise it can stick.

Serves 4

You will need:

4 salmon fillets

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp English mustard

1 tsp vinegar

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp soy sauce

Give the salmon a rub with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix all the glaze ingredients together in a bowl, then reserve about half for serving. If you’re using a barbecue, brush the grill with oil as well. Start cooking the salmon with the skin side facing up, and try not to move it until it’s seared: about 3-4 minutes should do it. Take a fish slice and flip onto the skin side.

While the salmon is cooking, brush with the marinade. Cook until it’s opaque all the way through. Serve with the extra marinade on the side.

Leafy green kale makes a delicious accompaniment. Remove any tough stalks, drizzle with oil and give it a scrunch to soften. Dress with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Summer vegetable and halloumi kebabs

These easy kebabs are great for summer barbecues, and perfect for using up stale bread (we cut it into cubes and pop into the freezer: perfect for croutons or whizzing into breadcrumbs). Make sure that you cut all the ingredients a similar size so they cook at the same time. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water first to stop them scorching.

Serves: 4

You will need:

1 red pepper

1 red onion

1 courgette

1 pack halloumi

A couple of fat slices of stale bread

For the dressing:

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper

Handful of mint, finely chopped

Halve the pepper, scoop out the seeds and cut into roughly 3cm pieces. Halve the onions (try to leave both ends on, this will keep the slices together) then slice into wedges. Slice the courgettes into 2cm rounds, and cut the halloumi and bread into 3cm chunks.

In a large bowl, mix together all the dressing ingredients. Pop all the vegetables, halloumi and bread into the bowl and toss very gently together.

Thread alternate chunks of courgette, halloumi, pepper and bread onto skewers. I try and keep everything as flat as possible to make sure it all gets even heat on the grill. Lightly oil your barbecue, then grill the skewers for a few minutes each side until everything is starting to char.

Chunky potato salad

This potato salad is lighter than the usual version. Use whatever herbs you have: we had tarragon in the garden, but dill, mint or parsley would also be perfect.

Serves 4

You will need:

1 small pack new potatoes

2 tbsp plain yoghurt

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp chopped tarragon

Cut the potatoes into equal chunks, pop into a pan, cover in cold water, salt generously and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until just tender. Drain and allow to cool. Mix the yoghurt, mayonnaise and tarragon and toss through the cooled potatoes. Season well.

Tiree: alluring island of majesty and wonder

LINDA AITCHISON reflects on her recent holiday on the peaceful Scottish island of Tiree.

Looking out over pure white sands and sapphire sea waters, my view is interrupted by a cow roaming past. I can hear whistling wind and lambs bleating as they trot away from the Charolais heifer.

Am Port Ruadh, the bay at Tiree, remains untroubled by crowds. One of 18 beaches on the island, bordered by impressive houses in, what locals call “Millionaires’ Row”, this could be the Caribbean, or should that be the Pacific? Tiree is known as the Hawaii of the North, after all.

It feels like a secret I’m lucky to be in on.

There’s not a gift shop, arcade nor, around here, public toilet.

Little wonder then that Tiree, in the Inner Hebrides, has been named among the best islands in Europe “for getting away from almost everyone” by CNN Travel.

This picture-perfect spot is ideal for de-stressing, maybe taking a gentle walk to the broch at Vaul or its famous ringing stone, said to be thrown by a giant in nearby Mull. It’s a wildlife lovers’ heaven, with dolphins, seals, and hares.

It’s serenely peaceful. Make no mistake though, Tiree remains a working island. Crofters and fishermen still build livelihoods alongside growing tourism businesses. Boats fish out of Milton and Scarinish, mainly for velvet crab, lobster, crayfish, and brown crab.

Summer boat tours visit Staffa and the Treshnish Isles with bustling seabird colonies including puffins, as well as Skerryvore lighthouse, home to roosting seabirds and storm petrels feeding offshore.

A ten-minute stroll away at sweeping Gott Bay, a dog walker takes in the majesty of their surroundings.

abundance

wild flowers dotted along the coast add to the allure.

Beautiful Tiree shores

Tiree landmark!

An

of

Inland, at Hebridean Roast Coffee, four customers jostle for space in a takeaway. There’s crab, fish and chips and falafel in surrounding units. In Tiree’s Co-op (its only supermarket) prices make me wince. Savvy island shoppers fill up at a Tesco in Oban, any time they’re heading for the mainland.

Back in Caolas, my friend Ally plans a wild swim, as she has for the eight years she’s been visiting here.

“I don’t bother with a wetsuit anymore, you don’t get the same effect I like on your extremities from the cold,” she confides, smiling, as she gives me and my companion a lift to an airport where hour-long flights to Glasgow run twice daily and check-in staff chat amiably with passengers. Visitors also arrive on a four-hour ferry from Oban. Both services fit around unpredictable weather. Today, a ring and ride isn’t running. There are no taxis or other buses. Nor is there

a hospital, a cashpoint or a pub, if you don’t count two hotel bars.

Characterful homes make for a fascinating sight. I’d never seen a “pudding” or spotted house before … like Dalmatians in building form. The upmarket second homes on Millionaire’s Row lie empty much of the year … while you don’t have to look far for dilapidated structures where there’s no chance of living as the wind whooshes through.

Britain’s 20th largest island, Tiree is just over ten miles at its longest, five miles at its widest, and a little more than half a mile at its narrowest. It’s said to bask in the most sunshine in the UK. Around 650 people call Tiree home.

Tiree solace

Spring lamb at Rhoda Meek’s croft

After a week on the island, I’ve met wonderful people, passionate about their heritage and their future. I’m energised and refreshed, having walked miles each day. But I won’t be joining Ally without a wetsuit just yet.

Getting there

Tiree airport has several flights a day from Glasgow and twice weekly from Oban. There are also ferries from Oban. At the time of writing, Loganair return flights could be booked online for prices starting at around £130. A return ferry journey costs around £12 each way. Both means of transport are subject to delays and being called off in bad weather. My plane from Glasgow was cancelled due to heavy rain and the airline provided a taxi to Oban, a night in a Premier Inn and an outbound ferry journey the next morning. Quite an adventure, but all handled very efficiently and courteously by the airline.

Deserted beaches

A working island

Tiree: alluring island of majesty and wonder

Tiree Tea Crofter Breakfast Tea gift

Giveaway: Tiree Tea Crofter Breakfast Tea gift set

Includes a mug and coaster as well as 20 tea bags.

Tiree Teas are a range of high quality, unique blends inspired by the Scottish islands. They are refreshing and uplifting, served with a dash of humour! Click here to learn more.

To have the chance of winning a copy, please click here to submit your name and email address. We will be adding all entrants to our mailing list but you may opt out later if you wish.

For full giveaway terms and conditions, please see page 73.

Giveaway: Stay in a luxurious shepherd hut close to nature

Statistics show that in 2023, staycations have continued to trend as they did post-pandemic. Holiday makers are not automatically rushing to enjoy an overseas break. They are just as likely now to stay closer to home and explore hidden corners and gems across the United Kingdom.

According to RSM Consulting, while 98 per cent of consumers surveyed were worried about the current cost of living crisis, holidays were one of the last things they wanted to cut back on.

According to Go Outdoors, 42 per cent of its customers surveyed said they would be taking a UK break during 2023. Many cited concerns about overseas travel around delays at ports and airports and also being able to control their own

expenditure more easily within the UK. The brand has also seen dramatic increases in the sales of certain “outdoors” products including camping chairs, walking boots, fishing equipment, bikes and horse-riding gear.

The appetite to stay closer to home, even if it’s for a shorter break, and explore the outdoors is healthier than ever as we move through 2023 and into 2024.

A luxury stay with a difference does not don’t come much better than being able to relax in a luxurious shepherd hut which is handcrafted by the team at Greendown Shepherd Huts, based near Bath.

Their Herdsman, Double and Bespoke huts are increasingly popular in the travel and tourism sector, for outdoor glamping

sites, secluded wedding venues, boutique hotels as well as offering an alternative income stream for farmers and landowners looking to diversify. A stay in a high-quality shepherd hut like these can cost from upwards of £200 a night.

Employing carpentry skills of exceptional quality, the Greendown team pride themselves on creating huts which are luxurious and beautiful, made to order and they all complement the venues in which they are situated.

Greendown Shepherd Huts can be found at Heathy Lea on the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire, at Forbes of Kingennie in Dundee,

Scotland or at Avon Farm Cottages and at Saltford near the World Heritage City of Bath, to name just a few of their locations.

Jordan Franklin, the young entrepreneur who is a director of Greendown, said: “Since the pandemic, we’ve seen demand for our huts rise dramatically and we’re working extremely hard to increase production whilst maintaining the same quality.

“Our huts provide people with a taste of luxury, peace and tranquillity allowing them to enjoy a break away from the norm, slowing down their pace of life and bringing them close to nature and outdoor living.”

Run by Sally and James Ashton, you will be stay in one of five Greendown shepherd huts at a mutually acceptable time in late September through to the end of October.

Your Greendown Shepherd Hut stay is complimentary and you can check in from 3pm on the day of your arrival and check out by 11am on the day of your departure. To have the chance of winning a stay, please click here to submit your name and email address. We will be adding all entrants to our mailing list but you may opt out later if you wish. You can browse the Greendown Shepherd Hut site here.

We’re delighted to be able to offer one lucky reader and their partner a two-night stay in one of Greendown’s luxury huts on the Heathy Lea site which is part of the impressive and historic Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire.

Giveaway: Stay in a luxurious shepherd hut close to nature

Jordan Franklin

And relax . . . how to find top deals on top spa breaks

Can you really bag a bargain at a posh UK spa? Wellness writer JANE ALEXANDER dives in to find out.

Nothing beats a good spa day, yet so many of them fall flat. I’ll never forget the time I booked a supposedly sumptuous spa day as a treat for my best friend … the pool was freezing, the lunch limp, the bubbles flat. I was given the wrong massage while my poor friend didn’t ever get her facial. We were not happy bunnies.

Yet I know people who always hit the spa jackpot, boasting about the incredible deals they find online. I go back to Groupon (groupon.co.uk) but it’s still as hard to navigate as I remember, and the pickings are meagre. I try Red Letter Days (redletterdays.co.uk)

and shudder when a well-known spa brand pops up ... remembering the time I went into the steam room and found a couple having sex ... the image is burned into my retinas. I get side-tracked by a Pet Portrait photo-shoot for £20 (not sure why it’s coming up in the spa category but it sounds like a great deal).

Onto the more specialist deal sites. Spa Seekers (spaseekers.com) is blissfully easy to navigate with a pull-down menu that lets you customise your search way beyond price, date and location. Excellent if you need disabled access, require treatments tailored for cancer,

prioritise sustainability … or simply want a pool of a certain size. There are some cheap deals here (from £30) but they’re mainly in spas attached to pretty standard hotels and you don’t get a shedload of swish.

So I turn to Spa Breaks (spabreaks. com). Now we’re talking. Bigger names (Hoar Cross Hall, Chelsea Harbour Hotel, The Lowry) and way more pampering. Yet call me picky but it’s still hard to find one that does everything … and everything in my book means access to a whole bunch of yummy facilities (including at least one kickass pool); a decent treatment (no, a

posh shower doesn’t count); some kind of delicious grub, preferably with a glass of something fizzy attached. Fluffy towels and robes go without saying (but please take your own flip-flops I wince at the thought of all those spa slippers going into landfill). A nice location with friendly staff and no hidden extras. Is that really too much to ask?

Apparently so. I find one deal that looks wonderful … except no swimming pool. What kind of spa doesn’t have a swimming pool? Or there’s a lovely one in a scrummy setting but no treatments included. Seriously?

So I go back to the old-fashioned way … phone a friend (or four).

The deals below are, in our humble opinion, some of the best spa days currently on offer in the UK. Prices are per person (correct at time of writing). Take it as read that they all offer fluffy towels and have great facilities. They are also the starting packages – check out the websites

The ASPA at Auchrannie Resort, Isle of Arran Island Escape, £120

It’s a fair schlep to get here but what a spot and what a wholehearted deal. All packages include the extensive spa facilities (two swimming pools, sauna, steam rooms) and lunch served with prosecco. Not just your average post-treatment herbal tea but a sorbet if you prefer (fancy). Two 25-minute treatments are included (back massage and mini facial for me please). They will even pick you up from the ferry.

auchrannie.co.uk

for other offers.

Nàdarra Spa at The Coniston Hotel Country Estate, Skipton, North Yorkshire

Stay Grounded Spa Day, from £139

This place ticks all the boxes: gorgeous setting, big smart hotel, great treatments and grub, fabulous facilities. Sip a smoothie before your spa session (two outdoor infinity pools, a bevvy of saunas and steams and plunges). Lunch is Yorkshire meets Asian (odd but it works) and then a dose of forest bathing. The 45-minute body treatment uses superlative Aromatherapy Associates products. You’re packed off home with a parting gift (I love that bit).

theconistonhotel.com

And relax ... how to find top deals on top spa breaks

Rowton Hall Hotel, Chester, Cheshire

Classic Spa Day, from £85

You’re greeted with a glass of fizz and then have plenty of time to bob around in the pool, whirlpool and sauna, or stretch out at the gym. Your choice of a 50-minute “ritual” (various combinations of massage, scrub and facial) comes from delicious spa brand Elemis. Then it’s up to you whether you opt for a bento box or afternoon tea in the health club lounge.

rowtonhallhotel.co.uk

Lifehouse Spa and Hotel, Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex

Love Life Spa Day, from £112

Lifehouse is boisterous and bustling with great therapists, set in gorgeous gardens. No time restrictions here: you can float around from 8.30am to 6.30pm. Just a 25-minute treatment (which is a bit disappointing) and the £20 lunch menu allocation also feels a tad stingy but, hey, you get to take

your Lifehouse flipflops home with you. Pay an extra £22 and you get a longer treatment and a glass of bubbles.

lifehouse.co.uk

The Spa at St David’s, Cardiff

St David’s Signature Spa Day, from £120

St David’s is solidly city central Cardiff but looks out over the gorgeous waterfront. Swim it, sauna it, or gym it, or just loll around between the water beds and hot tubs. A 50-minute treatment comes via lovely organic seaweed bran ishga (or opt for two 25-minute treatments). The two course lunch majors on scrummy Welsh produce (sadly no bubbles included).

stdavids.vocohotels.com

Bedruthan, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall Find your Balance, £130

Something a little unusual from this lovely retreat perched above a Cornish cove. Your hour-long treatment starts with an Ayurvedic consultation followed by a bespoke massage and facial. Take your choice between a three-course lunch at Plant, Fish & Grill or afternoon tea at Ogo. Then just chill out: the ocean view spa has all the usual lovelies (pool, sauna, steam, caldarium, hydro).

bedruthan.com

For the chance to win a £250 Champneys Spa voucher, check out our Giveaway on the next page.

Giveaway: Champneys voucher

Giveaway: Champneys voucher

Following on from our previous article on the benefits of a spa stay, we are delighted to be able to offer one lucky reader a £250 Champneys spa voucher.

Champneys are renowned for wonderful pampering experiences, with a leading reputation for boosting relaxation and well-being.

They say that after being founded on the philosophy that health, beauty and well-being are inextricably intertwined. Their pioneering concepts have inspired generations.

A spokesman says: “Trends have come and gone, but our unwavering commitment to encouraging wellness endures.”

The winner of our voucher can use it in a variety of Champneys locations.

Please note that, depending on your choice of location, length of stay and treatments, it may be necessary for you to make a supplementary payment beyond the £250 voucher as required.

To have the chance of winning a voucher, please click here to submit your name and email address. We will be adding all entrants to our mailing list but you may opt out later if you wish.

For full giveaway terms and conditions, please see page 73

For a complete list of all the giveaways featured in this edition of Key Worker Magazine, please see page 73.

Why pre-loved is a perfect option for care equipment

HANNAH MONTGOMERY, one of the Founders of Grace Cares, explains the benefits of re-using care equipment.

We are all conscious of the need to reuse and recycle these days, not only for environmental benefits, but also for the cost advantages.

Health and care-related equipment is no exception.

The provision of high-quality health and social care is vital to the wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole.

And in order to achieve this, health and social care workers and those receiving care need access to the best tools and equipment available.

However, that equipment can often be hugely and prohibitively expensive, not only for us, but also for the NHS.

Pre-loved care equipment is an excellent alternative, and it’s vital that it is taken into account.

Pre-loved care equipment which has been professionally refurbished can be a much cheaper, and more environmentally friendly alternative. These pieces of equipment can range from mobility aids such as wheelchairs and walking frames, to more complex medical equipment like profiling beds and rise and recliner chairs. They can also be issued with an infection control certification.

Pre-loved care equipment is much more cost-effective than buying new.

It allows people to save money without sacrificing quality or safety. By investing in pre-loved equipment, care companies can reallocate their financial resources towards other important aspects of care provision, such as staff training, building upgrades, or community outreach programs.

carbon footprint is reduced, waste is minimised and the planet’s resources are preserved.

Another advantage is that pre-loved care equipment is readily available. It can be delivered quickly, ensuring that care providers can meet the needs of their patients and clients promptly as they aren’t waiting for the item to be made to order.

The purchase of new equipment is contributing to the growing problem of waste and pollution. By choosing pre-loved equipment,

Care providers can be confident that the equipment they purchase is of high quality, and that it will perform as expected.

Health and social care workers should give serious thought to the advantages of pre-loved equipment.

By investing in pre-loved equipment, care providers can save money, reduce waste, provide care to those who need it most, and improve the quality of care they provide.

As the health and social care sector faces increasing pressure to do more with less, pre-loved equipment is an essential tool for ensuring that everyone receives the care they need and deserve.

In today’s world, where environmental sustainability is more important than ever before, it is essential that the health and social care sector plays its part.

Finally, pre-loved care equipment is safe and reliable as long as it is professionally refurbished and tested to ensure that it meets safety standards and is fit for use.

Why pre-loved is a perfect option for care equipment

Hannah Montgomery

Book review: The Chimp Paradox

The Mind Management Programme for Confidence, Success and Happiness by Professor Steve Peters

Professor Steve Peters is a Consultant Psychiatrist who specialises in optimising the functioning of the mind and who has served as Resident Psychiatrist with Sky Pro Cycling and Consultant Psychiatrist for Liverpool Football Club.

In “The Chimp Paradox”, Professor Peters explains that the human brain is a mixture of (1) our genetic heritage as a primate and (2) the more human-specific parts of the brain which have allowed us to evolve further as a species.

Professor Peters’ view is that often our primitive brain acts more quickly, as it would have needed to do back in times when humans had to be on guard against other humans and animals.

This instantaneous “chimp brain” can often overwhelm or take over our more rational, human brain, with negative consequences of various types.

“The Chimp Paradox” therefore sets out a detailed and practical approach to help you deal with situations involving high levels of stress, emotion or exhaustion to prevent your “Chimp” winning!

Just to note: the book is not saying that there are different personalities or “voices” in your head. It is rather saying that parts of your brain evolved before other parts and, unfortunately, it is the “Chimp” parts

which evolved first that can tend to dominate within your thoughts, feelings and emotions.

But don’t just take our word for it. Multi-Olympic Gold medallist cyclist Sir Chris Hoy has commented that the book is based on “The mind programme that helped me win my Olympic Golds”. Not even your “Chimp” can argue with that as an endorsement!

Why we love this book

Compared to many self-help or mind management books, “The Chimp Paradox” provides a very practical approach, which is grounded in real science and so provides a much more effective approach than simply trying to “think positive”, “summon your inner winner” or similar.

The book provides a number of practical checklists and approaches to help the reader break any negative habits.

For a book that is written based on academic research, “The Chimp Paradox” is very easy to read and digest, with regular recaps and highlighting of key points. Each chapter ends with practical exercises to complete. An example quote is:

“Whenever you want to stop the Chimp, always actively slow your thinking down. This will work in ALL situations. It is another excellent way to manage the Chimp.”

The paperback edition of The Chimp Paradox can be purchased here. The Kindle edition can be purchased here.

Understanding that you, as a human, are never identical with those thoughts, feelings and emotions, but rather a consciousness that can stand separately is a very powerful lesson that, for us, is captured perfectly by the device of the “Chimp”.

Giveaway: new children’s book explains why we love the NHS

Giveaway: new children’s book explains why we love the NHS

Author ELLIE LEVENSON examines the importance of teaching children about the reasons behind the creation of the NHS as well as what it does now.

During the pandemic, on the second or third clap for carers, I thought to ask my children, then aged 9, 7 and 4, if they knew why we were clapping. It turned out they knew the letters “NHS”, but not what made it special. I remember explaining to them that healthcare hadn’t always been free at the point of use, how it is paid for from taxation, and that this isn’t the case in every country.

Unlike the home schooling we had attempted, they listened and showed an interest in this subject. After all, they had each experienced the NHS in their lives, from trips to A&E for the usual childhood scrapes to vaccinations at the GP, sight and hearing tests and, as toddlers, pointing at “nee-naws” when ambulances passed.

Now we were clapping for it, they wanted to know more.

It made me realise that kids don’t just know by osmosis which of the things in their lives happen all over the world, and which are unique to where we live. Telling them that “some people have to pay to go to hospital” is as shocking to a child who has grown up knowing they can see a doctor for free as telling them that “in some places, kids can’t go to school.”

Therefore, we need to ensure that we both explain how society works, and the principles behind the parts

of our society that we hold dear … what is called in schools, in a rather cringey way, “British values”.

Marek Jagucki working on the book “We Love the NHS”, aimed at kids aged 3-8. After all, no one should be clapping for something if they don’t know what it is.

It is true that the concept of “free at the point of use”, the rationale behind National Insurance, and the findings of The Beveridge Report, the publication of which in 1942 led to the foundation of the welfare state, are not traditional kids’ book fodder. But having worked together previously on a book about how elections work, Marek and I knew that children respond well to having things explained to them, and that parents appreciate the help in explaining them. After all, when I’ve been into schools to talk about my books, I have never been asked by a child why I have included information, only the answers to

things I have left out.

We also felt that if we want the next generation to cherish the NHS, then they need to understand why it was created in the first place. This is particularly important as they become less and less likely to meet anyone who remembers a time before the NHS ... only one of my kids’ grandparents was born before it was founded.

However, we wanted to create a book that didn’t just talk about frontline heroes. They are important of course, but there’s already plenty of books featuring the “neenaws” and the people who work in them. So, we tried

This realisation, and the need to produce something creative –anything – in lockdown, led to me (writing under my full name of Eleanor Levenson) and illustrator

Ellie Levenson

Giveaway: new children’s book explains why we love the NHS

our best to also include the people we rarely see in kids’ books ... the scientists researching new treatments, the logistics staff ordering the toilet rolls, the administrators making appointments, the porters getting patients to the right place and the cleaners working through the night.

Over three years on from those evenings spent clapping, I still get messages from people who have been reading “We Love the NHS” to their kids. My hope is that by understanding what the NHS is, and why it is such an important part of the United Kingdom’s soul, kids will grow up to instinctively want to protect it and vote for those who will fund it and look after it.

“We Love the NHS” by Eleanor Levenson and Marek Jagucki is published by Fisherton Press and is available to order here.

We have five copies of “We love the NHS” to give away.

To have the chance of winning a copy, please click here to submit your name and email address. We will be adding all entrants to our mailing list but you may opt out later if you wish.

For full giveaway terms and conditions, please see page 73.

Giveaway: win a copy of bestselling author’s gritty new saga

The new novel from bestselling and award-winning author Glenda Young is now out and we have three copies to give away to readers.

The Sixpenny Orphan takes us back to Sunderland in 1919 and tells the heart-rending story of two sisters torn apart by tragic childhood events. Ten years later, they reunite, but their lives are very different.

The book was published in paperback in May and has already had a celebrity seal of approval from Eurythmics star Dave Stewart.

After posting about the book online, Glenda said: “A pinch-me moment happened when Sunderland-born Eurythmics star, Dave Stewart, liked and commented about the book. I couldn’t believe it ... sweet dreams really are made of this!”

Glenda has sold hundreds of thousands of books around the world. Her Sunderland-set sagas are filled with drama, tragedy and

romance, ideal for fans of authors such as Catherine Cookson, Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin.

Inspired by her lifelong love of soap operas, Glenda’s gritty and dramatic books have a feisty young heroine at their core, showcasing strong northeast women in times of adversity and putting female empowerment centre stage.

She already has seven successful sagas under her wing including Belle of the Back Streets, The Tuppenny Child, Pearl of Pit Lane, The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon, The Paper Mill Girl, The Miner’s Lass and her first festive saga, A Mother’s Christmas Wish.

The Sixpenny Orphan is published by Headline and is available in paperback at all good bookshops as well as online.

As well as writing saga novels, Glenda also has a book deal with Headline to write cosy crimes set in Scarborough. Her first two books under this deal (Murder at the Seaview Hotel and Curtain Call at

the Seaview Hotel) were shortlisted for the prestigious Dead Good Reader Awards 2022.

Glenda also writes Riverside, the first weekly soap opera for The People’s Friend, the world’s longest-running women’s magazine. Her fiction is regularly published in The People’s Friend, Take a Break, Best and My Weekly.

She has also written official tie-in books for ITV’s Coronation Street and runs two popular Coronation Street fan websites.

To find out more, visit Glenda’s website here.

We have three copies of the Sixpenny Orphan to give away to readers.

To have the chance of winning a copy, please click here to submit your name and email address. We will be adding all entrants to our mailing list but you may opt out later if you wish.

For full giveaway terms and conditions, please see page 73.

Giveaway:

win a copy of bestelling author’s gritty new saga

Giveaway: finding joy in everyday moments

We’d all like a little more joy in our lives, but sometimes it can prove hard to find.

Not so, according to author Joanne Mallon, who says it is all around us, all the time and all we have to do is look.

For some of us, that is easier said than done, but luckily for us she has penned a book telling us how we can go about finding joy wherever we are.

“How to Find Joy in Five Minutes a Day: Inspiring Ideas to Boost Your Mood Every Day” teaches us that we can all find joy in the first sip of a cup of tea, the beauty of a sunrise or in the simple pleasure of a deep breath.

It includes over 60 prompts and ideas to help us to find joy every single day.

Taking us through your morning, afternoon and evening, the tips promise to elevate our mood and liven up our routines in just a few minutes.

They include taking a cold shower, watching a sunrise, small acts of kindness, making a “let go” list and much more.

Joanne Mallon is an experienced life and career coach who has worked with clients all around the world for 20 years. The author of five books, Joanne also writes the popular healthy lifestyle blog Opposable Thumbs.

Her book is published by Summersdale Publishers and is available in hardback for £8.99.

For those struggling to find a little joy in their lives, we have three copies of Joanne’s book to give away.

To have the chance of winning a copy, please click here to submit your name and email address. We will be adding all entrants to our mailing list but you may opt out later if you wish.

For full giveaway terms and conditions, please see page 73.

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Last word

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Please include: “Key Worker Magazine possible contribution” in the subject line.

Please use no more than 100 words explaining your suggested content and let us know if you have any photos that would accompany your article. Submissions cannot be anonymous but we can withold your name from the final published article if you wish.

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If you would like to draft your article by working with our team, we can arrange a 30-minute phonecall or Zoom call to discuss the article.

One of our writers will then write a first draft for your review. This process can be a great time-saver by ensuring that all the content follows our standard approach and style from the start. This process can also overcome any nerves about writing!

Giveways directory

Giveaways directory

Page 50

Everyday Hero T-shirt

Page 58

Tiree Tea Crofter gift set

Page 59

Shepherd Hut stay

Page 65

Champney’s voucher

Page 68

We Love the NHS book

Page 70

The Sixpenny Orphan novel

Page 71

Finding Joy in Everyday moments book

Giveaways terms and conditions

1. For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, "The Promoter" refers to Key Worker Magazine.

2. By entering the giveaway you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. All entries must be received by midnight UK time on Sunday 15 October 2023. The number of winners stated in each giveaway in Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) will be selected at random by Key Worker Magazine on 20 October 2023 and the winner(s) will be notified on or after this date.

3. Winners will be chosen at random.

4. No purchase necessary. Winners will not be required to pay to enter the giveaways.

5. Entrants must be over 18 years old on the date of their entry.

6. Employees of Key Worker Magazine or their family members are not eligible to enter.

7. Only one entry per person per competition will be accepted.

8. Each entrant shall enter the giveaway by signing up to our mailing list. They can opt out at any time.

9. Key Worker Magazine will not be held liable if the named prize becomes unavailable or cannot be fulfilled.

10. Key Worker Magazine will not be held liable for any failure of receipt of entries. Key Worker Magazine takes no responsibility for any entries which are lost, delayed, illegible, corrupted, damaged, incomplete or otherwise invalid.

11. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Key Worker Magazine’s liability under or in connection with the competition or these terms and conditions shall be limited to the cost price of the prize in question.

12. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Key Worker Magazine shall not be liable under or in connection with these terms and conditions, the competition or any prize for any indirect, special or consequential cost, expense, loss or damage suffered by a participant even if such cost, expense, loss or damage was reasonably foreseeable or might reasonably

have been contemplated by the participant and Key Worker Magazine and whether arising from breach of contract, tort, negligence, breach of statutory duty or otherwise.

13. Prizes are non-negotiable, nontransferable and non-refundable. No cash alternative is available. Where a prize becomes unavailable for any reason, Key Worker Magazine reserves the right to substitute that prize for a prize of equal or higher value.

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16. Key Worker Magazine's decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

17. The winner’s name may be featured in a future edition of Key Worker Magazine.

Send us your feedback on Issue 1 to win a £50 M&S voucher

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We’d love your feedback so that we can improve and ensure that the magazine is relevant and useful to Key Workers.

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1. The winner will be notified by email within a month after the prize draw is held. If a winner does not respond to Key Worker Magazine within 14 days of being notified by Key Worker Magazine, then the winner’s prize will be forfeited and Key Worker Magazine shall be entitled to select another winner in accordance with the process described above (and that winner will have to respond to notification of their win within 14 days or they will also forfeit their prize). If a winner rejects their prize or the entry is invalid or in breach of these Terms and Conditions, the winner’s prize will be forfeited and Key Worker Magazine shall be entitled to select another winner.

2. The prize will be sent to the

winner by Key Worker Magazine by post or email.

3. The first name and county of the winner will be published in a future edition of Key Worker Magazine. Key Worker Magazine will not publish the winner’s postal address nor any other information which can be used to identify the winner individually.

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11. The Prize draw is run by Key Worker Magazine, a magazine published by Paradigm Shift Innovation Limited, Front Suite, First Floor, Charles House, 148-149 Great Charles Street, Birmingham, B3 3HT.

In tribute: remarkable headteacher who inspired three generations

LINDA AITCHISON remembers her junior school headteacher, Alan Harper.

My junior school headmaster, Alan Harper, who has died of vascular dementia, aged 86, seldom forgot a pupil’s name, even decades after they left.

With Lancasterian County Primary School (affectionately dubbed “The Lancs”) five minutes from the River Severn, in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Alan took personal responsibility for ensuring all pupils learned to swim.

He also excelled at teaching adults, which developed into a teach-theteacher role, becoming one of the most highly qualified learn-to-swim instructors in the UK.

Our school was next to Shrewsbury prison, and once it had closed in 1988, Alan (Mr Harper to us) spent 10 years supporting inmates’ studies. Regularly encountering former pupils, or their parents, out and about, he always made time for a chat, enthusiastically recounting minute details of treasured schoolday moments.

Alan was born in Poole, Dorset, to William, a boilermaker, and Amy, a cleaner.

At Poole Grammar School, he was a talented sportsman, incongruously known as “Podge”. Later, he acquired another ill-fitting nickname ... “Hippy Harper” we called him.

After working briefly as a bus conductor and a banker, in 1957, Alan trained to be a teacher, starting at Poole’s Oakdale Junior School before moving in 1964 to

Cherry Orchard Primary School, Lichfield, Staffordshire, as Deputy Head. In 1968, aged 32, he became Head of The Lancs.

Throughout his 20 years as Head, Alan’s caring approach encouraged much more than academic pursuits. Country dancing, ambitious musical concerts, fancy dress parties, Abbathemed assemblies, orienteering and trips to Wales continue to spark great memories for three generations of schoolchildren.

We reminisce about a warmth and fairness permeating our childhoods. We all basked in a glow of how he worked to boost our self-esteem and lust for life, regardless of our background.

With his wife Mikki and three sons, he keenly explored Wales, France and Spain. He wanted us to also share a love of the great outdoors and led many a school camping adventure.

Alan took up golf in his 40s. As a popular member of Shrewsbury Golf Club for 30 years, he proudly sported a ‘King Hole-In-One’ tie for official school photos after achieving no less than six. Rather than solely concentrating on his game he, unsurprisingly, spent his spare time teaching fellow aspiring players.

Alan is survived by his wife Mikki, sons Paul, Ian, and Gary, and seven grandchildren.

Would you like to pay tribute to an inspirational Key Worker who has been influential in your life and is now no longer with us?

For more information, please send us a message via our website here.

remarkable headteacher who inspired three generations

Alan Harper with wife Mikki in Sydney

The final word

“Britain lay ripped right down the centre ... In one world, low-paid workers turned to their under-resourced unions for support in fending off employers pressuring them to risk their lives (and the lives of others) by returning to work, while in the other, an uppermiddle-class couple used the pages of a national newspaper to bemoan the high rate of council tax they had to pay on their £1.5 million home and how the lockdown had placed their £120,000 kitchen renovation in jeopardy.”

Darren McGarvey, “The Social Distance Between Us: How Remote Politics Wrecked Britain”