To a New Dawn: Letters of Solidarity Anthology

MATTHEW BENTON-SMITH, 16 To Key Workers, This letter is from me to you, but not directly. This letter comes from a whole nation that you have fought for through unprecedented times, and, where possible, kept the land of hope and glory smiling.

To the NHS staff rushed off their feet with hospital admissions, fighting daily for people’s lives throughout some of the toughest and most testing times in the history of the country; through the unbearable beeping of lifesaving machines and the deafening cries of patients.

Being the first and sadly sometimes the last friendly face that far too many people saw during their battle with Covid-19. You gave the population a reason to come together, albeit at a distance. Every Thursday night at 7pm the streets would be bursting with pride, as we all put a hand together for you. Although we can sadly never fully repay you for your work like we wish we could, we all came together to show you how thankful we are, that we cared, and that you were in our thoughts at this loathsome time.

To the shop workers braving the possibility of exposure to the virus that stopped the world but couldn’t stop you from keeping a fragmented United Kingdom stocked up. Speaking to us with a smile as we queued outside the store, that short period of social interaction that we were 17