The Coronavirus pandemic has brought the whole of the United Kingdom to a standstill. As of the 24th March, there were a reported 6,650 cases in the UK, with the number of deaths standing at 422. Birmingham and the West Midlands are among the places that have been worst affected by the outbreak, with 137 cases and nine deaths in Birmingham. Meanwhile, there have been 163 cases and 29 deaths in the Black Country.
Even in the darkest of times, Birmingham has shown its strength by rising in unison to combat the risk of the invisible killer. Throughout the pandemic thus far, there have been examples of ordinary Brummies showing the best of the area by supporting local charities and supporting the elderly. Here are some of the best ones that have stood out.
Family Members Play Chess Through FaceTime
One of the most difficult aspects that Brummies have needed to get used to during this tough period has been avoiding their elderly relatives. However, Mick Phillips and his seven-year-old grandson Ruben found a way to maintain their relationship. The self-isolation is likely to have a greater impact on the older generation, which makes Ruben’s idea for a game of chess over FaceTime one that we could see spreading. Both of them clearly enjoyed the game, and we will be trying it out for ourselves.
Tesco In Hodgehill
The NHS have been doing an incredible job at maintaining the health of the local area. They have gone above and beyond through the pandemic, and they deserve to be applauded. One Tesco in Hodgehill decided to show their gratitude for an NHS worker by giving them free flowers as a way of saying thank you. Lucy Rivers has been drafted in by the NHS as the service has become stretched. Fair play to Tesco for honouring the incredible work that Lucy and the entire NHS are doing during this tough time.
Young Sisters Write Letters To Elderly
Everybody needs to stick together during this tough period, but if we follow the lead of Hannah and Sophie Taylor then we will be on the right track. The two girls are aged eight and ten respectively and have been doing their part by writing letters to older people who will not be able to rely on visits from the outside to socialise during this tough period. The sisters send letters to residents of care homes who will have no visitors, with their mother seeking recommendations online. Let’s all follow their lead.
Aston Villa Donate Food To Homeless
Even the bigger organisations have been getting involved during the pandemic, with Aston Villa spending their weekend a few weeks ago feeding the homeless, who will be among those that will be most impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Villa’s fixture against Chelsea was postponed due to the outbreak, and the club reacted by giving all the food prepared to the homeless. Even in the darkest of times, Birmingham is sticking together.
