Thanks To All Of Our Front Line Workers: Your Efforts Are Truly Appreciated

27/04/2020

The UK entered lockdown on 23 March this year; pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and other places where people socialise in close quarters with each other were closed at very short notice.

Since that date, we have been required to stay at home except for certain allowable exceptions. At the same time, countless of others have been asked to carry on working. Those working in supermarkets and other essential stores, lorry drivers and other delivery drivers, those who are working in the factories and warehouses, teachers and other local council employees, including (just as an example) refuse collectors. Our police officers, fire fighters, armed forces personnel, pharmacy workers, paramedics, doctors and nurses are all working in challenging and difficult environments. All these workers are carrying on working. Many of them are, by working, increasing their personal risk of catching COVID-19

Whilst I applaud all of those people who are continuing in performing their vital roles, our emergency services workers are under extreme pressure.

The Health Secretary has just announced that the families of NHS workers and those working in social care who die as a result of catching COVID-19, will receive a life insurance payment of £60,000. This is another offer of support from the government in this time of national and international uncertainty.

There is no doubt that £60,000 isn't going to replace a loved one, or reduce the pain of that loss. However, it will at least be some help with any initial cash flow issues and may help them avoid additional financial stress at a time of extreme emotional turmoil.

My thanks to Ben Walton for allowing me to use his superhero NHS artwork

I offer my very sincere gratitude to all those working to help try and allow us to live our lives with some small degree of normalcy, in these completely abnormal times. My biggest thanks go to those working within our National Health Service.