Lisa, Dave, Libby, Sophie, Leo and Peggy

Spring 2021

In their words

“The first photo Marge took of us below was about 4 weeks into the initial lockdown. You can see a family who have no idea of what is to come. We were happy enough with the situation - happy with each other. Lockdown was still a novelty. The shut down of our business operations had given us an unexpected weeks holiday.

The weather had been lovely - we'd had the paddling pool and bouncy castle up already. ‘Mum being teacher’ was still fun. But, as it does, time passed - the enormity of the effects of the pandemic have affected us all.

Work could not pause forever, and it has become a juggling act with homeschooling (our children are some of the statistics who will have had only 73 days in school since the March lockdown). It is no longer a novelty, it is more of a chore and motivation has gone out of the door - everything gets done, but with little excitement.

The children miss learning in the classroom with their schoolmates and teachers. We miss our friends. We are all very sociable, the children are used to having friends round for tea and to play numerous times a week and we never need an excuse for a get together under normal circumstances.

We REALLY miss our friends. We've lost someone special to us to Covid. A year ago we were a family who were on their happy path through life, but the pandemic has opened our eyes to so much pain and suffering. We are so thankful for what we have - even on the days where we do feel sad that we are not able to do what we want, see who we want, live how we want - we know we are still so lucky to have each other.”

Spring 2020