COVID-19 Thursday 9th April 2020

Today is a strange one. I’m not a skier. (I’ve done it before but I don’t see it as a must do in the first months of a year), and I’ve yet to do it with the family (have you seen the cost of a half term week skiing?), so therefore the Easter weekend typically marks my first ‘holiday’ of the year.

I say ‘holiday’ but since 2001 and for 17 years since I have spent Easter week in Lourdes France, as a volunteer helper for a charity called H.C.P.T who take group of disabled and disadvantaged children for a week-long life-changing holiday. It is a connection to my faith as a practicing catholic, and a big family connection for me as my family have been involved since the early 1960ies with my Uncle and Aunt leading one of the hundreds of groups involved in the pilgrimage and I took over from my Mum as our representative nearly 20 years ago. My youngest also had (until this year) an impressive record of more trips than his age as this year would have been his 5th pilgrimage and he has just turned 4 and I’m fairly certain that at 5 weeks old, in 2016, he became the youngest ever H.C.P.T pilgrim.

For the first time in 65 years, this pilgrimage has been cancelled, having fallen foul of COVID-19, and I fee a sense of irony that the founder of H.C.P.T, Brother Michael Strode, who as a young Doctor took 4 children to Lourdes all those years ago, passed away very recently almost highlighting how important he was to the whole thing which I believe now annually has over 5000 people go to Lourdes with this charity in Easter week from across the globe.

I guess the point of this story, beyond that fact that it is a week I will miss badly, is that what I get from it is a sense of perspective. I’m on record as saying I could probably do with going twice a year as the feelings do wear off, battered by the hustle and bustle and stress of life, but certainly for a month or two afterwards you get a reset, dare I say it a mental or spiritual cleanse which I find a great benefit.

As a ‘big fella’ who has no other talents (can’t sing, play an instrument, not a doctor etc…), I’m usually tasked with looking after a child who is wheel-chair bound (lifting is my ‘talent’) and the purpose is for them to stay in a normal French hotel, without the typical aids to bathing/ nursing feeding them as many live in hospices or purpose built accommodation and don’t have a week like it where they are constantly with people, going out, being stimulated, going on coach trips to the beach and to the mountains and hopefully having the time of their lives.

When I get back, having spent this week with people where I’m not running a company or selling or in charge of anything (we are told when to eat/ sleep/ dress/ where to go and when) I can see thing differently, being bumped into on the train or bus bothers me less, I ‘m more tolerant for a short time (I did say it wears off), because I see how lucky I am.

And that brings me back to the overriding message of the last few weeks…

Staying indoors with one walk a day is not a challenge. Watching TV or reading for a month or two is not a challenge. Cooking or baking or listening to music for a month or two is not a challenge.

I’ve had the privilege to meet many children and young adults over the last 20 year who can’t go anywhere without assistance. Who have been sat in front of a TV for 5 years. Who can’t read or use their hands. Who are 15 and know they won’t make 20!

Yes, it might be warm this weekend, but if you don’t have a garden, stay indoors and book a holiday for 2021 to get your suntan! I’ll end with a ‘Boris’…Stay Indoors, Protect the N.H.S, Save Lives!

Happy Easter Everyone!