I’m really relieved the members of the House of Commons Commission have decided that the proposed £500,000 needed to get Big Ben to chime in Brexit on January 31st, is money that would (obviously) be better spent elsewhere... Namely, the NHS - something we need to protect and prioritise with all our might, because you never know how much you rely upon it, until suddenly, you’re really bloody relying upon it.
8 days ago, I arrived at the hospital my mother had been brought to... We are still sitting tight in ICU, and taking each day, with their varying complications and long words, as they come, but I was totally blown away by the rapid response of the emergency services - the paramedics even came to check on me at the end of their shift, despite, I imagine, having had pretty exhausting days themselves. Similarly, the nursing staff, despite being run-ragged on their long shifts in a desperately underfunded arena, have been consistently compassionate, skilled and reassuring. These everyday heroes, deserving of our raised voices of support, see hundreds of people every week, but their faces are the ones that stay with us forever.
A happier day by the sea…
Photography: Ollie Ali