Lockdown Lovelies - Winners Announced

Lockdown Lifesaver
Winner: Valerie Davies (nominated by Nicola Jones) 

"I would like to nominate my neighbour Valerie Davies and a Lockdown Lifesaver.

As a nurse at St Leonard's Hospice I was required to start working long days on the IPU from mid April. I thought that needing to be out for 13 hours a day would make it impossible for me to keep my dog Winnie at home with me. The only option seemed to be for her to go and stay with relatives who live 200 miles away.

Then I was talking to my neighbour Val who said she was going to be working from home during lockdown. She volunteered to go in several times a day to let Winnie out and go back in to feed her in the evening. As well as giving her a few treats and throwing her ball for her! All I need to do is message her my shifts each week. Val has been a real lifesaver - without her help I couldn't have kept Winnie at home. And I don't  know how I would have coped with work and lockdown without Winnie." 


Lockdown Laughter
Winner: The Asparagus Picking Team (nominated by Liz Foote) 



















"This team has been fantastic. We have all laughed so much and supported each other through the past few months, all while doing key work and helping supply fresh quality local food for the nation."

Lockdown Lunges
Winner: Jason Moreton of Moretone Fitness (nominated by Becky Holmes, Catherine Whitehead, Colin Moreton, Helen Liddle, Helen Moreton and Tegan Moreton)

Here is a selection of comments from the nominations:

"When lockdown started Jason quickly moved his training classes online and even provided additional classes during the daytime to help people cope with having to stay indoors. He always listens to his members and tailors sessions to what they are looking for. He has been so adaptable throughout this difficult time and regularly checks in with us all just to chat and see 

how everyone is feeling, both mentally and physically. He has provided so much more than just fitness classes, he has provided a support network that has been so valuable. He has done all of this while juggling busy life with a young family and I think he is such a worthy nominee. Thanks for all your hard work Jase, we can’t wait to get back to classes properly. 
Thank you, Becky Holmes."

"Despite having his own lockdown challenges, with regards to looking after premature baby twins - he has gone above and beyond to help others. To try and cater to us all, he has offered so many different types of sessions at all different times of the day. In particular, he has created bespoke programmes to help those of us who are really struggling with the work/life balance. He always asks for our ideas and input and has helped to create a community feel to our sessions, despite not being able to see people in person. He also makes a point of touching base with individuals and how each of us are getting on. After being stuck in a rut for a few weeks, I know a lot of people he has engaged with who have since become more energised and proactive. He genuinely cares about the wellbeing of the people he interacts with and this comes across in his personal approach. 

Thanks, Helen Liddle"

"I want to nominate Jason Moreton of Moretone Fitness. He has continued to run classes and motivate people who are struggling to keep going by continually thinking of motivational workouts during lockdown. On top if this he has baby twins who are shielding.  
Helen Moreton"

"I would like to nominate Jason Moreton from MoreTone Fitness as he has provided online fitness classes for us during lockdown. He not only got everything up and running online very quickly but he went above and beyond checking in with us all and keeping the positivity high. He has created a supportive community which has really helped me during a time I have found lonely and difficult. Jason is a truly exceptional individual and his attitude to life is an inspiration to me. 
Thanks, Catherine Whitehead"

Lockdown Learning
Winner: Miss Wilson of The Mount School (nominated by Vicky Stott and Key Stage One parents)

"We nominate the utterly amazing Miss Wilson, key stage one teacher at The Mount School, York.

On Friday 20 March, the schools shut. We picked up our daughters and wondered what was going to happen and how we were going to get through the challenges of work, children, the future…. The unexplored life yet unknown.

But we did not account for Miss Wilson!  She became our unwavering, guiding light through the murky, misty circus of juggling our other children, working from home, battling on the frontline, and our new lockdown lifestyles.

As we left the school building that Friday, we were armed with packs of passwords, access to applications, clear instructions and back up paper schoolwork if all else failed.

The Monday morning arrived, and the schoolwork had been seamlessly switched to an online platform. There was a myriad of daily tasks, maths, English, projects, inspiring and innovative learning. We could dip in, dip out, go at our children’s own pace and delve into their areas of interest. Miss Wilson filled our days virtually with focus and structure allowing the parents as well as the children into her classroom environment where the teaching layers fell away. We had explanations of the learning aims along side detailed instructions of exciting tasks. The home teachers were taught too!

Each day and week we went on a wonderful learning journey. We had online teaching, playtimes, story times, virtual show and tell and individual listening to reading books. Year one started only knowing when it was time for online school to begin, by the end they could all tell the time. Year two went on a story writing adventure from space to friendships with everything in between. All the girls were learning and developing against the home-schooling odds. This was all due to the dedication of their teacher.

Miss Wilson was cheery, upbeat, positive and consistent each day. We started with an individual daily greeting asking how we were as a positive start to each morning. She never trivialised or belittled any situation and was supportive and understanding. She displayed empathy and intuition to the various home situations. She rolled her sleeves up, adapted overnight and got stuck in.

We all relied on her and when the girls went back into school as restrictions were eased, there were no feelings of intrepidation from the children or nervousness from the parents. Miss Wilson was there our rock and lockdown guiding light.
She is our daughter’s teacher and one of those special individuals that they (and us) will remember as being a key part of the lockdown experience.

“Do you remember when the schools were closed for covid? Miss Wilson was my special teacher”
Thank you, Miss Wilson."

Four-legged Friend
Winner: Nellie (nominated by Fiona Harris)


"I would like to nominate my cocker spaniel Nellie. She gets me out everyday to explore, and even on those rainy and miserable days when you don’t want budge, she said makes sure I get my shoes on and is just happy to be in my company. Nellie is always there where i need her. The recent locked down days would have been a lot slower without her around. Nellie used to visit the Hospice frequently to see her Auntie Natalie who sadly passed away in June 2018. She genuinely loves spending time with anybody and showers them with hugs. She can lift anyone’s mood with her hugs and waggy tail.

Attached is a picture of her enjoying one of the many beautiful sunsets during lockdown, and also visiting her Auntie Natalie at SLH.

Me and Nellie have been through so much together since I got her in 2017, and she really is my best friend."