PRESS RELEASE

1 YEAR ANNIVERSARYSINCE LOCKDOWN BEGAN

It is almost eery to look back on this day one yearago, when our Prime Minister addressed the nation with grave news, in a mannernot seen since 1940.  It is not only thatour lives pre-COVID have begun to morph into memories of a different era, butthat each and every one of us has been impacted by the realities that havesince unfolded.  We remember the 126, 429countrymen who were struck down by this novel virus, oftentimes alone ordistant from their loved ones.  Weremember the elderly, deprived of the joys of fraternity, family and affectionin the last years of their lives.  Weremember the lonely, and the isolated, whose own company may have been too muchto bear at times.  We remember thebusinessmen and women who have put one foot in, one foot out and had to do itover again and again in an uncertain and volatile economy.   We remember every job lost. We remember allthose people who have had routine and emergency scans delayed, and theconsequences for them and their families. The consequences of this pandemic are all around us, and yet when welook around our community, county and country – we should also remember theforce of good.

We remember the NHS frontline staff, who haveendured a year which many of us cannot imagine. We remember every supermarket worker, delivery worker, taxi driver,cleaner, corner shop owner, chemist, factory worker and anyone who had nochoice but to carry on and put themselves at risk every day.  We remember the tens of thousands ofvolunteer hours put in to ensuring the vulnerable residents of Melksham hadsomewhere to go for help and assistance. We remember every person who telephoned someone who needed a call.  We remember the paramedics, police, fireservice and social workers – the entire civic infrastructure – that carries onwhether or not individuals are put at risk. We remember everyone who took food to a neighbour, anyone who put a boxof books outside their house for people to borrow, and anyone who drew apicture and put it in their windows.  Weremember the civility at the Black Lives Matter protest last summer, and theexcitement of the children who got to enjoy the splashpad, albeit in a small 6week window.  We remember the workers whomade it happen, and every person who has been out and about emptying litterbins, or picking up rubbish on the streets. We remember the incredible speed and effective rollout of this vaccineand everyone who has been involved, from the PM down to the cleaner at theMelksham vaccine centre.  

A huge Thank you to every member of ourcommunity who has stepped up and continues to step up as we chart our waythrough the final stages of the pandemic. With so much work done and so many lessons learned, the result is thatwe now live in an even more connected and responsive community.  A proud legacy for our town.

It has indeed been a torrid year for our country,with much to mourn.  We can also bedeeply proud of our community and our country.  If you can, take a moment today to reflect.Not just about the people we have lost but also about how we endured and how wecame together.

Melksham Town Council

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