Beth Whitaker – My Lockdown Story

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Today’s lockdown story comes from Beth Whitaker, a current Public Health and Community Wellbeing student at the University of Bradford. Here she shares how she’s making a positive difference in her community in a way you might not have considered…

As soon as it was obvious that a lockdown was on the way, I applied for a paper round. I knew that I would hate to be stuck inside all day every day and the money would help too.

Beth Whitaker, photo credit: Boomerang Studios

I also applied for loads of supermarket work when they were looking for temp staff because I wanted to be able to help out.

I got a job at ALDI that lasted for four weeks. It was hard work and some of the customers were really very stressed, but it was good to know that I could help by being a key worker and we got lots of thank yous.

Having a paper round has been absolutely wonderful. Having a routine that means getting up and out of the house every morning has been a Godsend, I’ve got lots of lovely people to wave to every day which seems like such a little communication but it means so much, I love looking at all the rainbows in everyone’s windows and one lady has said that me bringing the paper round each day is keeping her going.

I make sure that I check in with the people on the paper round that I have seen face to face, knowing how lonely lockdown must be on their own, so now I’m on first name terms with a few of them and get a little chat with someone most days which has been lovely.
It’s nice to be contributing at such a weird time. I’m now applying to do some support work at a residential home through the university of Bradford as part of my placement so I can keep making a difference.
Thanks very much Beth!