Reflecting on the past 12 Months 21Reflecting on the past 12 Months

Suzanne Rankin, Chief Executive at Ashford and St Peter’ s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Over one year on from the very first lockdown of this pandemic, there is some good Over one year on from the very first lockdown of this pandemic, there is some good news. As the number of daily infections in the news. As the number of daily infections in the UK continues to decline, we have started to UK continues to decline, we have started to take the first steps out of the third lockdown take the first steps out of the third lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic. On March 23rd 2020, we were told we must stay at home to reduce transmission of Covidof the CovidOn March 2319 as the cases of both in the community and stay at home to reduce transmission of Covidthe hospitals continued to rise. In response to this, like many, we had to change our ways of 19 as the cases of both in the community and working and the ways we delivered care in the hospitals continued to rise. In response to order to keep our patients, local community this, like many, we had to change our ways of working and the ways we delivered care in and staff safe. In the past year, we have utilised technology in new ways to enable us to provide video and telephone appointments, in addition to face- order to keep our patients, local community to and staff safe. In the past year, we have utilised technology -face where necessary, so that we could continue to offer treatment to those in need. We’ve also recently introduced digital check-in new ways to enable us to provide video and points for both patients and staff entering our ASPH New Year’s Honours List to recognise Ashford and St Peter telephone appointments, in addition to face’s sites which are able to some of our colleagues internally who have -face where necessary, so that we could continue to offer treatment to those in need. detect the use of face masks and check the temperature of those entering the hospitals, to allow staff who previously manned these to truly gone above and beyond in their selfless support for patients and colleagues, with a socially distanced ceremony. Webe able to return to providing care for I’d like to extend a huge thank to our local points for both patients and staff entering our Ashford and St Peter patients. We worked closely with and received a great deal of support from our local independent community for the tremendous amount support we have received throughout the past 12 months, through donations from the public detect the use of face masks and check the partners, BMI Runnymede and Nuffield and groups such as Nourish Our Nurses and temperature of those entering the hospitals, to Health Hospital Woking, which has allowed Help Your NHS, and also Clap for Carers allow staff who previously manned these to us to continue providing elective procedures for patients at their sites. early on in the pandemic. Some of you may remember that very special evening at the be able to return to providing care for Although this has been a challenging time, start of April where we were joined by some patients. there are a number of achievements to cele- of our local emergency services partners for a We worked closely with and received a great deal of support from our local independent brate at the Trust, such as treating and discharging over 1,600 patients with Covid-19 and giving over 10,000 vaccinations to health very special #ClapforCarers in the A&E car park at St Peter’s, who simultaneously flashed their blue lights in a coordinated display to and social care workers across Surrey. partners, BMI Runnymede and Nuffield demonstrate the country’s unified approach to Health Hospital Woking, which has allowed us to continue providing elective procedures The efforts of members of our team have been recognised also nationally with numerous awards, including the Queen’s New Year’s tackling the covid-19 pandemic. As we progress through the roadmap outlined by the Prime Minister over the coming for patients at their sites.and Birthday Honours Lists for their services months, please continue to follow the necesAlthough this has been a challenging time, to the NHS, as well as in the Parliamentary sary restrictions in order to reduce transmisthere are a number of achievements to cele-Awards. We were also held our very first sion of Covid-19 and to keep each other safe. brate at the Trust, such as treating and dis-

To advertise call Monica on 07979 808991 charging over 1,600 patients with Covid and giving over 10,000 vaccinations to health 21 Or email monica@villagematters.co.uk

At last, it seems the end of the tunnel is in sight. Little by little, we will be heading back to what will be normality again. Hurrah! Time to ensure we support all our traders and hospitality venues. They really need our support now. It's been really tough for so many of them - particularly the pubs, cafes and restaurants. We all need to give them a much-needed boost as soon as we are able to do so. I guess we all want to, for our own sanity too! The pubs, restaurants and cafes have all tried to keep afloat by offering their takeaway and home delivery services over the last months, but they will all welcome you back for a "meal out" as soon as bookings can be made, if not already now, in advance of the magic opening date for INDOORS trading which is Monday MAY 17th . The High Street cafes are looking forward to seeing you all for that morning coffee with friends and relatives, much missed for so many months now. We still need to be vigilant and careful in our approach, of course and stick to the government advice. But we can embrace that and still get back to having a good and happy time again. Remember, Pubs can serve you OUTSIDE from Monday April 12th! You know where your local is … Also - on APRIL 12th - Don't forget - those shops that had to close their doors since Christmas, such as Blue, Shepperton Sports, Felicitations, Shepperton Carpets and the charity shops will be once again OPEN FOR BUSINESS. They will be SO happy to see you again. At least on APRIL 12th you can get your Hair (and Nails) done again. Are so many of us not waiting for that day?! Ecstasy! The SUMMER is coming. Let's enjoy Shepperton and all it has to offer. Cheers Everyone !!

Carl Phillips. Shepperton Residents' Association

The origins of April Fools’ Day are lost way back in time but like many traditions it probably has a number of historical roots. There was certainly a Roman festival called Hilaria which took place around the time of the spring equinox. There was also a Medieval ‘Feast of Fools’ although that took place at the beginning of the year. Throughout history there seems to be a tradition of transgressing boundaries during such celebrations: whether male and female, low class and high class, religious piety and impiety, people have enjoyed straddling society’s boundaries. The most popular theory about the ‘modern’ April Fools’ Day is that it began to take shape in late 16th century France. At that time, there was a switch to the Gregorian Calendar under Charles IX. Prior to this there had been a New Year’s week (March 25th-April1st), and under the Gregorian system, New Year’s Day fell on January 1st. As with any change (shhh no-one mention Brexit) there was some resistance, and many people stubbornly refused to accept the new system, continuing to celebrate New Year on April 1st. These people were ridiculed and labelled ‘fools’ by the general populace and were often the butt of jokes and pranks. They were known as poisson d’avril, or April fish, possibly because a naïve young fish is easily caught. Over the years the custom of prank-playing spread to the general population and eventually to Britain, where schoolboy pranks are still the order of the day, so watch out!

Who’s reading Shepperton Matters? Thanks to Alison Johnson for this photo of her dog Beano who looks very excited at receiving Shepperton Matters! Beano also bears a striking resemblance to the Mojo, the Village Matters dog you can see on p3!