Good morning everybody!
I hope that you all enjoyed your Bank Holiday weekend and that many of you were able to join in with the VE Day 75th Anniversary celebrations. During the celebrations you may have seen a few faces that are familiar to us all at this current point in history but who also had a vital role to play 75 years ago too, including Captain Tom and Her Majesty the Queen.
I am sure that if you did get a chance to join in or to watch the celebrations, that you will have found many links between the care that was shown within communities during a time of global conflict 75 years ago and what is happening in our world today. Two very different events, but two significant points in history when communities have witnessed ‘Oneness’ first hand and have seen acts of bravery, sacrifice, strength and resilience all around during the most difficult of times.
During the celebrations I am sure that you will have heard stories of ‘Hope’ and just as the rainbow is our current symbol of hope, in 1939 a popular singer, Dame Vera Lynn, released one of the world’s most popular wartime songs ‘We’ll Meet Again’. This became a source of optimism, strength and hope for many during wartime broadcasts and has become popular again during the Coronavirus crisis. You may have seen this performance of the song on Friday which beautifully draws the links between the two points in history and also celebrates many of the key workers who are currently showing their care for others through the work that they do every day.
I know that as a result of the work that some of you were doing on your class blogs last week, that many stories of ‘unsung’ WW2 heroes emerged such as the story of one of our friends’ great grandfathers Kenneth Sanderson, who played an incredible role on the frontline during the war. These stories remind us that the true heroes in difficult times aren’t always the most celebrated or the most famous but that their contributions can make such a difference to the lives of many and their worth will live on in the hearts of others forever. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
This week, I would like us to think about and celebrate all the ‘real-life’ helpers and heroes that are caring for us during the current crisis. Real people who are showing true bravery and sacrifice, taking increased risks to keep others safe.
Do you know of someone within our community who is going above and beyond to look after or care for others at this time? Maybe you have someone in your own home who you are bursting with pride for and want to tell their story? Maybe you have noticed someone who is quietly helping others without being celebrated or noticed? Our very own ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
I know that I am surrounded by many unsung helpers and heroes at the moment. I see school staff in school every day, willing to do anything that is needed to support our role within the community response to Covid 19 without question. There are also staff who are now based at home but are working incredibly hard to ensure that they are still supporting children, families and colleagues relentlessly during this difficult time. I get to see some of our key workers every day too, all smiling and all doing their absolute best to keep so many of our vital care and support services going at this time. And then my own very personal heroes – my treasured family.
So – your task this week is to share with me an image or a drawing of your ‘real-life’ hero or helper that you feel should be celebrated at this time and the reason why. You may have seen the piece of artwork above by Banksy that appeared in Southampton Hospital last week, beautifully depicting the role of ‘real’ heroes too.
I can’t wait to ‘meet’ your own personal heroes and who knows, in 75 years time when our own grandchildren and great-grandchildren are marking this point in history, they may be telling stories of the actual heroes and helpers that made a difference in 2020, so let’s start telling those stories now.
I think Her Majesty The Queen summed up our celebration of helpers and heroes beautifully at the end of her speech to the nation on Friday.
‘But our streets are not empty; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other. And when I look at our country today, and see what we are willing to do to protect and support one another, I say with pride that we are still a nation those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen would recognise and admire.’
Enjoy your week and your reflections on your very own ‘real-life’ heroes and helpers, people that we possibly took for granted before but now see in the light that they have always deserved. A huge thank you to all our key workers and unsung heroes from us all!
With warm wishes and my heartfelt hope that you too will ‘keep smiling through, just like you always do, til the blue skies chase the dark clouds far away …’
Mrs Smith 🦋
