As with many people, I am trying my best to follow the social distancing/ lockdown rules in order to protect the NHS and therefore do my little bit to save lives. However, my mum Sharon is one of those people working in a hospital, doing what she can to help those helping others. She is not a nurse, in fact she is not clinical in any way, but is currently redeployed out on wards ensuring that the vital PPE staff are using is being used correctly and safely, and thus hopefully no more staff will contract this awful virus. Anyone willing to put themselves in harm’s way for the sake of others is a good person in my book, but I have to say I am incredibly proud of my mum.

As well as my mum, I have lots of other people in my life that are ‘key workers’, still taking themselves off to work to ensure that we can all be safe at home. My dad, Dave, is one of these people. He is a truck driver with a small firm, driving artic tankers most commonly filled with fertiliser to farms all around. Without people like him, in three months’ time we will have no fresh food! His wife, my stepmum Sharon, is a senior in a care home (senior member of staff that is). Without people like her, dedicated to her job in a risky environment, people in care homes wouldn’t get the care they need and the virus’ mortality rate would be much higher. My stepdad, Jon, is a podiatrist who is self employed and works in the community. Whilst he has seen a dramatic decline in work through people isolating, he is still willing to visit those vulnerable people who need his skills and services.

We all take our lives for granted, whether we realise it or not. Without people like my mum, taking up the roles that were created in response to the virus, we wouldn’t have a hope in hell of ever getting back to relative normality. We have seen some incredible acts of bravery, courage and selflessness throughout this entire pandemic; from nurses and doctors carrying on working despite the risk, to captain Tom completing his walkathon and raising thousands in the process. However, I would like to dedicate this post to the unseen heroes; the people who have taken up the mantle not left by others but created through this situation. The people who receive no recognition, but still crack on through and do as much as they can. The people like my mum.