THE BIG CLAP!

PauliLenney, surely walking home in the uniform you have worked in as a nurse carries a risk?

maddyone thank you, stay strong too for your family

More people came out last night than the previous week and i think more will join in next time. I think this will be a weekly event now. Since the clocks went forward, we can now see out neighbours and wave to them. It's a shame we can't get together and chat!

Caramac keep strong for your daughter

I’m so pleased so many people really appreciate our NHS staff, and all those who are out there doing their jobs to help us all. My nephew, who is a driving instructor in normal times, has volunteered to be a dustbin man, or refuse collector to be correct. He’s ex police so is healthy and strong and so is doing this as a temporary measure whilst he can’t teach driving. I was clapping for him and all refuse collectors. Good on him. I was also clapping for my darling girl and her husband who are GPs and will probably have to soon be giving palliative care to the dying. I’m proud of them, but find myself feeling very teary when I imagine them doing this work. And we can’t even help out as we usually do with childcare for their three little children. A young woman, a nurse, who was my daughter’s age died yesterday, leaving three little children. I so wish we could do more than clap. It’s a very emotional time.

Lots of people down our street out. Some who weren't out the week before.

I did but only saw one other on my street. I clapped especially hard for my daughter caring for Covid patients in ITU and my son covering extra shifts in hospital on the maintenance department. I know near my daughter that lots of people were clapping and she really appreciated it.

My street was decidedly muted last night. Either the novelty is wearing off or people are finding it pointless and cringey.

We went out with several other neighbours and the general feeling was 'see you all again next Thursday!'
We can never thank our NHS, all other caring professions and our emergency services enough. We cannot do it in any other way at the moment so let's show them we appreciate them.
The time for arguing the politics will be after it is all over.
Thanks to all who are working so hard to get us through and thanks also to all who are obeying the requests to stay at home, self isolate or distance themselves.

Lots of clapping bell ringing and cheering here in our otherwise very reserved Close. All retired and think its boosting our morale as well ???

I will be clapping everyone who is working to keep the country going during these unprecedented times.

And a special cheer for frontline NHS staff, as well as those keeping the normal NHS services going too.

We will too, like you polly I found it very moving too.

We shall be out clapping ????

Yes, will be joining in. I found it very moving last week that even in our little village street people came out and clapped and cheered.

Big clap again tonight. On TV I saw some nhs staff clapping us for staying at home, it was very moving.

Eloethan please be nice!

Eloethan couldnt agree more

Grannyjay What an unpleasant post.

I’m feeling quite discombobulated today; a can’t be a***d type of day, only just got dressed and was nonchalantly scrolling through the threads. Just read ‘The Big Clap’ (which I’ve already posted on) I read into it something else. Oh well, made me laugh ?

??Oldgimmerl I’ve just noticed that!

"bin Laden neglected garden paradise"....

Poetic that....

I live in a small cul-de-sac where over the years for some reason or other a private landlord has bought up the houses as cheap as he can get them as I have heard from a previous seller that he makes an offer and starts the process but then asks for it to be reduced and backs out if they don’t. If he gets a lucky-result he rents them to those who came to the UK to work. I do not have any problems with that but some are multiple occupancy and some have no English. Myself and another neighbour who has lived here for many years were out clapping and we watched the neighbours look out and then firmly shut their curtains. It’s such a shame as our once pretty cul de sac is now turning into a bin laden neglected garden paradise with people who do not seem connected to what is happening.

Let’s end the thread on a high ...
My daughter was walking home from her NHS shift in Critical Care in her uniform. She ended up being clapped all the way down the Main Street long after the clapping had come to a close. Lovely. X

Although pce612 's comments aren't strictly connected to this thread, I think she makes a pertinent point.

I went outside to clap and cheer in support and appreciation of our NHS workers. However, though it shows appreciation - and it appears to have been very much welcomed - it does nothing in practical terms.

When NHS personnel needed the support of the general public in demanding their pay be brought into line with inflation, and staffing levels be properly addressed, they received very little public support, apart from what some would witheringly refer to as "the usual suspects". Hand clapping and cheering is possibly the best we can do for the moment, but never again should we allow our nurses, doctors, and other hospital staff to become so overworked and demoralised as they have been in the last eight or so years - especially now that we have seen how they have risked their own physical and mental health for the sake of us all.

pce612 a good point, perhaps for another thread at some time in the future.