Shining a light in the darkness as NI battles coronavirus pandemic

Just as stars shine brightest in the darkest skies, people throughout the Province have sought, in their own small ways, to offer hope and support to those struggling to come to terms with drastic changes to their way of life.

A four-year-old from Portadown has painted dozens of pictures to let elderly and sick people in nursing homes and hospitals know she is thinking about them.

Poppy Ashton, who is a pupil at Hart Memorial Nursery and has a little brother Jude with an immune deficiency, got the idea when she was concerned she couldn’t visit her great uncle Billy at Mahon Hall Nursing Home.

Her mother Kirsty Hannah said: “This kid makes me burst with pride. In the midst of all the madness this little four-year-old just wants to be kind to people.”

Creative ways to lift the gloom were in evidence at local schools.

At Downshire Primary in Hillsborough some of the parents have left chalk outside the front door to allow children, no longer able to attend the school, to write messages of support for the teachers.

At Orangefield Primary in Belfast a banner outside the school which read ‘Until we meet again’ was being signed by pupils as they left the school for what many fear could be the last time this school year.

In light of the school closures, NI restaurant chain Bob and Berts is offering free meals to children who would normally be entitled to them in school.

Musician Paul Hull has lit up his house in Aghalee to “add a little light to these dark times” while Siobhan McKinney, a taxi driver in the Moy, has offered to drive door to door free of charge delivering goods to vulnerable people who are housebound.

In order to provide open public spaces for people to get fresh air the National Trust has pledged where possible to keep its properties open to the public free of charge.

Health Minister Nadine Dorries gave the following advice:·”Exercise is essential for both physical and mental wellbeing. Get out into the fresh air. Walk, bike, run. Regard every surface as contaminated and don’t touch gates, fences, stiles, pelican crossing buttons etc. If you stop to talk, keep a good two metre safe distance.”

Businesses and organisations across Northern Ireland have reached out and offered help and support to the vulnerable and elderly amid the coronavirus crisis.

Major supermarkets are providing dedicated hours during which those who are vulnerable, those of state pension age and above, or those who are family carers can shop.

Many smaller supermarkets are offering free deliveries to anyone who cannot make it to their stores or are wary about venturing out.

In Londonderry, Marble Hill Skincare has donated, free of charge, 500 hand soaps to charities across the city including the Simon Community, Foyle Foodbank and Women’s Aid.

L’Occitane, which has a boutique in Victoria Square in Belfast, has had to close down all of its store but will support UK NHS & Ireland HSE Staff by donating hand creams to soothe their sore hands from frequent handwashing.

Following a marked increase in grocery retail and subsequent demand for poultry produce due to COVID-19, Moy Park has listed hundreds of temporary job opportunities at its sites across Northern Ireland and GB.

Many other stores, including Tesco, have advertised for temporary vacancies. For the Tesco jobs as customer assistants and delivery assistants there was a three-day application window due to the urgent need to recruit.

In Lurgan, Irish Premier League club Glenavon, whose season has been interrupted indefinitely, are pulling together.

Manager Gary Hamilton explained how the club planned to help: “We will be opening Mourneview Park as a drop off point for vital supplies such as food and other every day needs.

“No matter how big or small your donation we will make sure it is donated to those who need it the most. Players, staff and other club volunteers will be there to help facilitate this.”

They will be at the club on Tuesdays from 10am to 12pm, Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm and Saturdays from 10am to 12pm.

The Freemasons say there has never been a time when the true meaning of the organisation has been more important.

The Crumlin Road Masonic Hall has purchased and arranged the distribution of toilet roll to be delivered to a total of 300 elderly people within the local area this weekend, with each receiving eight rolls.

Freemason Leslie Weir, who is driving the project, said: “Our hall is part of the fabric of this community and we wanted to show people that, whilst we are of course not meeting as we normally would, this great organisation we belong to is here to help and cares about everybody in our local community.

“There has never before been a time where the true meaning of being a Freemason has been more important, as humans first and Freemasons second we are here to support our communities, we hope that this small gesture will help to make life a little easier for the vulnerable people in our community as they face the difficult challenge of self isolation.”

The packs will be distributed through both the Falls Road and the Shankill Road community groups and also through the younger Freemasons who will deliver the toilet rolls in bags, whilst wearing gloves to the elder members within their lodges.

On Sunday past, volunteers from Carrickfergus Defenders Flute Band delivered more than 100 care packages to elderly and vulnerable people in the Carrickfergus area.

And in a move to beat the social distancing blues a Co Down man has set up an online pub quiz.

Mark Hughes from Rostrevor will start streaming The Big Nerd Pub Quiz on YouTube at 8pm tonight.

The winner will collect a £50 Amazon gift voucher.