thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--US Billionaires Want People Back At Work, Even If It Kills Them

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As President Donald Trump pushes for an end to the nationwide social distancing practices that health professionals say are essential to saving lives during the coronavirus outbreak, incredibly wealthy Americans are eager to get employees back to work ― and some say they’re OK with people dying if that’s what it takes.
A number of the country’s richest businesspeople spoke frankly about the matter for a Bloomberg story published Wednesday. Dick Kovacevich, who ran Wells Fargo until 2007, said he wants healthy people under age 55 to return to work in late April if the outbreak is contained enough.
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“We’ll gradually bring those people back and see what happens. Some of them will get sick, some may even die, I don’t know,” he said. “Do you want to suffer more economically or take some risk that you’ll get flu-like symptoms and a flu-like experience? Do you want to take an economic risk or a health risk? You get to choose.”
That’s a false choice, ethicists and economists have pointed out. Keeping businesses closed across the US on the advice of scientists and health professionals will do economic damage. But rushing people back to work ― thereby prolonging the outbreak, straining the hospital system and adding to the death count from the virus ― would also be disastrous for the economy. Moreover, testing still isn’t available enough in the US to determine who doesn’t have COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and so determine who could theoretically return to work.
But Tom Golisano, the founder and chairman of the payroll processor Paychex Inc, thinks he can prove that wrong ― dead workers be damned.
“The damages of keeping the economy closed as it is could be worse than losing a few more people,” he told Bloomberg, saying he expected businesses would have to fold. He wants states that haven’t been hit hard by the virus to return to normalcy.
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“You’re picking the better of two evils,” he said. “You have to weigh the pros and cons.”
Forbes estimates Golisano’s net worth to be $3 billion.
Conservative pundits are beating the same drum. Radio and TV host Glenn Beck, whose Forbes-estimated net worth in 2014 was $90 million, said this week that people may have to get sick or die for the sake of economic prosperity.
“I would rather have my children stay home and all of us who are over 50 go in and keep this economy going and working,” Beck, 56, said on his show “The Blaze” Tuesday. “Even if we all get sick, I’d rather die than kill the country.”
Billionaire Tilman Fertitta, the magnate of a casino, hotel and restaurant empire, has also told Bloomberg that people need to get back to work soon.
“I think what we are doing with the shutdown is good but in a few weeks people will need to be around people,” he said Tuesday. “Otherwise you are going to go into an economic crisis that is going to take us years to dig ourselves out of.”
Fertitta, whose net worth Forbes estimates to be $4.4 billion, temporarily laid off 40,000 of his employees this week.
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Lloyd Blankfein, the billionaire who ran Goldman Sachs until 2018, took his grievances to Twitter on Sunday.
“Extreme measures to flatten the virus ‘curve’ is sensible-for a time-to stretch out the strain on health infrastructure,” he wrote. “But crushing the economy, jobs and morale is also a health issue and beyond. Within a very few weeks let those with a lower risk to the disease return to work.”
Trump has signalled that he’d like social distancing efforts to lift as soon as possible, despite public health experts urging him not to rush those plans.
His focus has been on returning to business as usual by Easter, which falls on April 12. During a Tuesday press conference, Trump said it would be a “beautiful timeline” to have it done by then, because of the day’s religious significance.
But Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, pushed back on that, saying at the same press conference that “you can look at a date, but you’ve got to be very flexible on a literally day-by-day, week-by-week basis.”
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Public health experts have indicated social distancing measures may need to go on for months in order to avoid overwhelming the nation’s hospitals with COVID-19 cases.
As of Wednesday, more than 20,000 people have died of the coronavirus worldwide, with more than 900 of those deaths occurring in the U.S.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--Doctors At 20: 14 Surprise Celebs Who Have Guest Starred On The Daytime Soap

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Let’s be honest, within the world of soap, Doctors tends to get a bit of a raw deal.
The BBC serial drama is celebrating 20 years on air, but still it often doesn’t manage to receive the same recognition as its primetime rivals, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders, despite it having a loyal following from daytime viewers.
However, one thing Doctors can definitely shout about, is its impressive roll call of guest stars.
After doing a bit of digging, we were surprised to learn just how many big names have appeared in the soap since its debut on 26 March 2000.
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Among the stars who have appeared include stand-up comedians, high-profile British actors, thespians and even one particularly impressive Oscar-winner...
Eddie Redmayne
BBC
Yes, he may now have an Oscar under his belt, but everyone has to start somewhere, right? Years before the Burberry modelling deal that first put him in the spotlight, Eddie had a small role in Doctors, playing Rob Huntley in one episode, back in 2003.
Denise Welch
BBC
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Denise has actually played two roles in Doctors, first in 2004, where she played Jane Howard over a two-story arc. Over a decade later, she returned to the soap with a new character (and a new camp hat, we might add), to play “house-guest from hell”, Judith Whitney, back in January 2015.
Brian Blessed
BBC
No, we never had him down as a soap fan either, but Shakespearean actor Brian Blessed has enjoyed not one but two roles in Doctors. His most recent appearance was in 2011, playing Micky “Rebel” Becket, in the episode, The Devil’s Daughter.
Richard Armitage
BBC
He may best known for his more serious roles in the likes of Spooks and The Hobbit, but Richard’s CV also boasts an appearance on Doctors. Back in 2001, he played Dr. Tom Steele for a two-episode run.
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Sheridan Smith
Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Shortly after Doctors launched in 2000, Sheridan played Claire, in one episode of the soap. Like Denise Welch, she’s played two different characters on the show, coming back four years later with a totally new role.
Nicholas Hoult
Vera Anderson via Getty Images
A year before landing his role in About A Boy opposite Hugh Grant, a 12-year-old Nicholas appeared in one episode of Doctors. He’s now best known for his appearances in the X-Men franchise, as well as Max Max: Fury Road.
Kym Marsh
SOPA Images via Getty Images
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Before she landed the role of Michelle Connor in Coronation Street, Kym was known to the public for being one fifth of Hear’Say, the pop band put together on the reality series, Popstars. Her one-episode stint in Doctors marked the start of her acting career, eventually leading to her appearances in Hollyoaks In The City, and eventually Corrie.
Tom Ellis
Getty Images
Ooooh. In the early days of Doctors, Tom played Ricky Adams, before going on to have success in Merlin, Rush, Miranda and Lucifer years later.
Rustie Lee
Ben A. Pruchnie via Getty Images
Sadly, Rustie Lee’s stint in Doctors wasn’t a recurring one (producers were missing a trick not signing her up for longer, if you ask us). Rustie played Joan Preston back in 2001, just one year after the show first hit our screens.
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Davood Ghadami
Karwai Tang via Getty Images
Before becoming Albert Square’s resident heart-throb as Kush in EastEnders, Davood had two stints in Doctors, the second one being as recently as 2013, playing Tariq Kalbasi.
Claire King
Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
Given her various soap appearances over the years, starring in Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and its spin-off In The City, and, of course, playing Kim Tate in Emmerdale, it’s probably no surprise Claire also enjoyed a stint in Doctors. Her role lasted just one episode, playing Jenny Hennessey in 2002.
Lisa Riley
PA
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Lisa is another former soap star who has played multiple roles in Doctors. After appearing as Laura Mowbray in 2003, she returned almost a decade later to play Sandra Reynolds in 2012, the same year she wowed us all with her performances in Strictly Come Dancing.
Phill Jupitus
Simone Padovani/Awakening via Getty Images
He might be best known for his work as a comedian and TV personality on various panel shows, but Phill also starred in a two-episode story arc back in 2007. Apparently, medical shows are something of a recurring theme for Phil, as he’s also starred in Holby City.
Helen George
Lia Toby via Getty Images
Call The Midwife actress Helen George starred in Doctors for just one episode in 2011.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--Workspace Firm Regus Under Fire For Charging Start-Ups Rent On Empty Offices

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A workspace provider is facing criticism for charging rent on deserted offices to start-up businesses that have been ordered to shut by the government.
As the UK battles to contain the coronavirus outbreak, Regus, a global office space provider, continues to chase and charge clients for full rates, and has refused requests to terminate contracts.
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It has sparked concerns that the organisation is putting “profit before welfare” in the wake of an ongoing global health crisis.
The head of partnerships at one company still coughing up for rent told HuffPost UK: “It’s deeply worrying, distressing and disappointing that despite the challenges at present for many businesses across the UK, Regus have offered no formal or official communication to tenants, who are mainly small businesses, during this time.
“They have offered no reassurance that rent breaks will be considered. It is also worrying that, despite government advice and requests, their offices remain open and [their own] staff have to work.”
This marketing firm, which HuffPost UK has agreed not to name, said its office shut at the end of March 12, and it told Regus it didn’t require the space any more.
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NORRIE3699 via Getty Images
A consultancy firm that also uses a Regus office has been charged, too.
Its founder slammed the workspace business’ “greed”, telling HuffPost UK he has been hounded for cash despite working from home.
“To say we are disappointed in Regus’s lack of support is an understatement,” he said. “During recent years I have been increasingly concerned with the lack of customer service from them but this is a whole new level of greed from an organisation.
“They have said little to nothing about how they are dealing with this and have only responded with requests for full payment, not even acknowledging that they are going against all government recommendations.
“I for one will be terminating agreement with them as soon as humanly possible.”
In correspondence seen by HuffPost UK, Regus tells a customer that its current priority is “ensuring continuity of service wherever possible including meeting our obligations to our landlords”, adding: “Therefore is it is important that we do not have a gap in payments during this time.”
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JoaBal via Getty Images
Another Regus manager wrote to a client on Wednesday: “While many businesses are choosing to send their workforce home to work, this is not our choice to make for our customers. This is up to each individual organisation to make for their individual employees.”
Disgruntled staff from various companies across the UK have complained on Twitter echoing similar concerns.
One person tweeted: “We are in one of these offices and it has been a nightmare. We are having to move to a smaller office to save money but that means the lease having to be extended so they don’t lose money – and charging us £20 per loss of square foot....even though we can’t go to the office!”
We are in one of these offices and it has been a nightmare. We are having to move to a smaller office to save money but that means the lease having to be extended so they don't lose money - and charging us £20 per loss of square foot....even though we can't go to the office! — Kim Hardiker (@KHardiker) March 24, 2020
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Another user posted: ”@Regus_UK why are you still charging rent fees with no deferral for clients when we all have to work from home. I’ve contacted the support team re-billing due to Covid-19 issue and the unprecedented times but was told rent is still [due].”
@Regus_UK why are you still charging rent fees with no deferral for clients when we all have to work from home. I’ve contacted the support team re-billing due to covid-19 issue and the unprecedented times but was told rent is still — ricki (@ricki67368945) March 18, 2020
Even in the US, one firm claimed that their business had been charged rent. “In the US also! Here in Santa Monica, CA we received one memo telling us to wash our hands. Can't get anyone on the phone for days. Can’t get a reply to emails.”
@RegusGlobal in the US also! Here in Santa Monica,CA we received one memo telling us to wash our hands. cant get anyone on the phone for days. Can’t get a reply to emails. — RIGBY (@RIGBYrigb) March 24, 2020
RDLC, a membership network of CEOs and business owners, added: “Dear @RegusGlobal. I have 300 members and all those who occupy your offices are about to stop paying you so that we can have a grown up conversation with you!! Are your phones down or don’t you give a shit to return a call?!?! Want to engage with us/me.”
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Dear @RegusGlobal I have 300 members and all those who occupy your offices are about to stop paying you so that we can have a grown up conversation with you!! Are your phones down or don’t you give a shit to return a call?!?!
Want to engage with us/me
GG@RDLCPirates.com — RDLC (PIRATES) (@RDLC_PIRATES) March 24, 2020
The prime minister put Britain on lockdown on Monday as he outlined strict new measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, ordering people to only leave the house for a few specific reasons.
On March 16, Boris Johnson formally advised people to avoid “non-essential” contact and take precautions against spreading the virus.
The latest official figures show that 463 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus.
The Department of Health said as of 9am on Wednesday, 9,529 people had tested positive, up from 8,077 at the same point on Tuesday.
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A total of 97,019 people have been tested with 87,490 negative results.
IWG plc, Regus’ trading name, said “this is new territory for all of us and we want to help”.
“IWG supports millions of workers. We provide many services to help our customers work efficiently and we are keeping these running using small groups of dedicated volunteers from our team members,” a spokesperson told HuffPost UK.
“We have a large number of customers that are providing numerous critical services during the current crisis, including the ambulance service, doctors and medical research companies, along with over 250,000 people that we are supporting working at home.
“We have seen enormous growth in support needed in recent weeks, particularly for our mail handling, internet, and technology services with so many people working remotely.”
“If any of our customers are experiencing financial difficulties, we are working with them to provide assistance where we can,” the spokesperson added.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--12 Camp Classics We Need Back On TV To Inject Some Fabulousness Into The Schedules

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There’s no way of getting around it, the outside world is pretty bleak at the moment, and never before have we needed some escapism on the telly more.
While there’s a whole host of stuff to keep you entertained on Netflix, and a plethora of free boxsets on BBC iPlayer and All4, there’s an increasing amount of gaps in the regular TV schedules owing to the fact many of our favourite shows have either halted production or had to reduce the amount of episodes they’re showing.
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In order to inject a little bit of fabulousness back into our lives, we’ve come up with a list of camp classics TV bosses should think about repeating immediately...
1. Footballers’ Wives
ITV
One of our biggest gripes about BritBox when it launched last year was that it had one glaring omission – Footballers’ Wives, otherwise known as the most iconic British drama ever produced.
Some TV purists reading this may be turning their noses up, but with their coke-snorting, baby-swapping, bed-hopping antics, the outrageous characters of the ITV series offered a proper dose of weekly escapism for millions of viewers during the early 2000s.
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While the WAG culture parodied by the show has calmed down over the last decade or so (with the exception of the WAGatha Christie scandal last year, of course), repeats of Footballers’ Wives would transport us back to a simpler, chiffon-clad time.
2. Bad Girls
ITV
Likewise, Bad Girls is another show that has been brutally left off the roll call of classic shows on BritBox, and short of shelling out on a DVD boxset (how very noughties), there’s currently no way of catching up with the ladies of Larkhall.
The prison series was much grittier than its sister show, never shying away from some of the grimmer aspects of life behind bars, but it had plenty of melodrama and camp mixed in too, thanks to characters like Sylvia “Bodybag” Hollamby, Shell Dockley, the Costa Cons and the Two Julies.
With a cast of strong women, we’d love to see the show make a proper return to our screens, but failing that, we’d settle for a full re-run of its original eight series.
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3. Dynasty
Spelling/Abc/Kobal/Shutterstock
How brilliant would it be to have the pithy putdowns of Alexis Colby and Krystle Carrington in our lives again?
Admittedly, they are technically still on our screens in the reboot, which airs on Netflix in the UK, but we’re talking about the original 80s “superbitches”, played deliciously by Joan Collins and Linda Evans.
Plus, it’s about time we saw shoulder pads back on our screens.
4. Keeping Up Appearances
BBC
The BBC recently announced that Gavin & Stacey and Outnumbered are coming back to Saturday nights to keep the nation smiling, and while we’re always grateful to see Nessa, Smithy and the gang, there’s plenty more in the broadcaster’s comedy archives that’d we’d love to see right now.
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For years, Keeping Up Appearances had TV audiences howling with the antics of indomitable snob Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet”), and we reckon her “executive” way of living would be a real tonic. We’d kill to go to one of her candlelit suppers right now – especially if she got her Royal Doulton with the hand-painted periwinkles out.
5. Crossroads
ITV/Shutterstock
After all big four soaps slashed the number of episodes airing each week to ensure they don’t run out during the pandemic, we’ve already suggested they start airing classic episodes in their place.
Failing that, we’d love to see some re-runs of a soap that didn’t quite command the adoration it deserved at the time – Crossroads.
Now, we’re not talking about the original series, which featured hammy acting and wobbly sets, or indeed the short-lived 2001 reboot, but the final incarnation of the soap that was dreamt up in 2003, which saw the fabulous Jane Asher take over the Midlands motel and turning it into gaudy hotel, complete with even more garish residents.
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It would also be a chance to relive the completely ridiculous final episode, which revealed that the glamorous hotel had been a dream of supermarket worker and Crossroads fan Angela, with all the other characters revealed as shoppers.
Iconic doesn’t even begin to cover it.
6. Eldorado
Nick Skinner/ANL/Shutterstock
On the topic of old soaps we’d be like to see return, the ill-fated Eldorado would certainly prove to be an interesting one to revisit.
For the uninitiated, Eldorado was a soap from the creators of EastEnders that was set in a fictional Spanish town and followed the lives of British expats. The BBC hoped it would replicate the success of EastEnders, but with the added sunshine that made Australian soaps Neighbours and Home And Away popular.
Sadly, it wasn’t to be, and the show was cancelled after less than a year on air due to poor critical reception and less than impressive ratings, but could it capture a whole new audience now?
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7. Sunburn
BBC
A slightly more obscure show on this list, but a goodie nonetheless.
Sunburn was a late 90s/early 00s BBC drama that followed the lives of a group of British holiday reps working in the Algarve, starring Michelle Collins, Sharon Small and Sean Maguire.
And with us all not going on holiday for the foreseeable, we could do with a bit of sunshine, and this could be just the ticket.
8. Sunset Beach
NBC
We can remember skiving off school specifically just to try and keep up with the ridiculous goings-on in this US soap, which aired on Channel 5 back in the late 90s.
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Who could forget the time Virginia drugged Vanessa and – using a turkey baster and some stolen sperm – impregnated her with the child of Tyus, to make it appear Vanessa had been unfaithful to Michael, who was sterile?
Or the time several of the show’s main characters were stranded on an island with a masked serial killer, who was later revealed to be an evil twin of Derek’s?
As soaps go, it was pretty out there, and re-reuns would certainly fill a void in our lives right now.
9. Cutting It
BBC
Three words: Mandy Holden acting. Do we need any more reasons to want to revisit this classic BBC drama about two rival hair salons? We think not.
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10. Hotel Babylon
BBC
If you cross Footballers’ Wives with Crossroads, you get Hotel Babylon.
Starring the likes of Tamzin Outhwaite and Max Beesley, the BBC drama was set in the sexy world of a luxury five star hotel, taking viewers behind the smiling facade of the reception desk and into the scandalous lives of the staff and guests.
The show was brutally cut short after four series when ratings started to fall, leaving things on a cliffhanger that remains unanswered 11 years on. But we’d let that one slide just to have the entire thing to watch again.
11. Secret Diary Of A Call Girl
ITV
Secret Diary Of A Call Girl is one of those shows that you wonder whether it would ever get commissioned in this day and age, given just how outrageous and explicit it was, but we remember it always made for hilarious viewing.
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ITV2 will likely have some gaps in the schedules with filming on the new series of Celebrity Juice impacted by coronavirus and the summer series of Love Island hanging by a thread, so the channel could do worse than repeating one of its original big hitters.
But they’ll probably just give us more Family Guy instead *weak thumbs up*.
12. Are You Being Served?
BBC


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--12 Classic Loose Women Moments That ITV Probably Won't Be Repeating Any Time Soon

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The coronavirus pandemic continues to have a devastating effect across many industries, including entertainment.
One area that has been hit by the outbreak is ITV’s daytime schedule, with filming having been halted on both Lorraine and Loose Women.
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As a result of this, Lorraine Kelly is now a temporary presenter in the last hour of Good Morning Britain each day, while ITV is showing “classic” episodes of Loose Women in their 12.30pm slot “to give viewers something to smile about each day at lunchtime”.
But while we can think of plenty of Loose Women moments guaranteed to brighten up your lunch hour for those who are working from home, there are also a fair few we imagine ITV won’t be in a hurry to remind everyone of.
Here are just a few of those moments...
1. That time that Joan Rivers called Russell Crowe a “piece of fucking shit”, right in front of Jane McDonald
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Joan Rivers later claimed she’d been “dragged out” of the studio, suggesting that she hadn’t intended to swear (less than a minute into her interview, no less), but didn’t realise the show was being broadcast completely live. “I was wrong,” she later told Richard and Judy. “I meant to say Mel Gibson.”
2. When Rupert Everett dropped the F-bomb live at lunchtime
The actor realised what he’d said just a second too late, but at least Lisa Maxwell was able to think quickly and laugh it off.
3. But, of course, they weren’t the most famous expletives uttered on Loose Women
No, that honour goes to Katie Price’s teenage son Harvey, who held nothing back when he told internet trolls exactly what he thought of them, leaving a flustered Andrea McLean to apologise on behalf of the show.
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4. When Penny Lancaster gave Sarah Harding an absolute grilling
Poor old Sarah was only on the show to talk about her stint on The Jump, but ended up getting bombarded with questions for almost two minutes straight about everything from her unsuccessful solo career, to her relationship with her father.
5. When Fathers 4 Justice invaded the studio, and the show was briefly taken off air
We have to say, Coleen Nolan handled this situation brilliantly, quickly diverting attention away from the protesters, and back onto the subject at hand, which happened to be her own weight loss journey.
6. That time Ruth Langsford struggled to hide her emotions during Katie Price’s live vocal performance
We still prefer Free To Love Again, tbh.
7. Not to mention when Coleen Nolan had to physically drag Katie off the panel after a pre-watershed sex chat got a little too explicit
ITV
Katie later told HuffPost UK that this was the one time she found herself getting a “telling off” from producers during her stint as a Loose Women panellist.
8. That time Penny Lancaster paid tribute to Burt Bacharach, even though he’s not actually dead
ITV
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She later explained: “I think what it was… he’s 90, and I saw a recent tribute and I got the wrong end of the stick. And so happy birthday. And I hope you carry on writing that wonderful music.”
9. This chaotic episode the day after Margaret Thatcher’s funeral
From Andrea being caught telling a producer not to talk in her ear while she’s presenting, to a rude slip-up from Janet Street-Porter, this day is probably best kept in the Loose Women vault.
10. Kim Woodburn being Kim Woodburn and – you guessed it – swearing live on air
“Why didn’t we see this side to you in the Big Brother house?” Linda Robson asked. “Because they were bastards,” Kim replied, nonchallantly.
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11. And let’s not even get into Kim’s most infamous appearance on the daytime show
This interview attracted thousands of complaints to Ofcom, with Kim storming off in tears at the end of it, and Coleen Nolan taking an extended break from TV as a result of the attention she received.
12. And finally, on a lighter note, here’s Saira Khan pretending to have fantasised about a dog
We still can’t believe this made it to air. Incredible stuff.
Loose Women airs every weekday at 12.30pm on ITV.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--How To Make Kids' Birthdays Special In Spite Of Coronavirus

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As families practice social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, kids are dealing with disappointment over cancelled trips, school events, sports seasons and more. For children celebrating their birthdays in the coming weeks and months, the absence of a fun party with friends may also be a letdown.
Of course, parents are prioritising health and safety right now, but just because we all have to stay home for a while doesn’t mean kids can’t have memorable birthday celebrations. We asked the HuffPost Parents Facebook community to share their ideas for making children’s birthdays special during this time, and they delivered.
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“Our daughter just celebrated her 7th birthday yesterday. We thought it was going to be a bit of a letdown having her birthday during quarantine, but thanks to so many people, she has declared this her best birthday EVER!” wrote Emilee Mooney.
“From chalk drawings in the driveway, Easter Bunny deliveries, seeing friends, virtual hugs, social distance visits, homemade cards, presents, video chats, singing from patios, cards in the mailbox, texts, video texts, Facebook messages, drive-by wishes, horns honking, it was an all day celebration!” Mooney continued.
“She asked us for a campfire in the backyard to roast marshmallows and a birthday cake. But our friends and family came together to make her day even more amazing than she could have imagined! I got a bit teary-eyed after every single thoughtful moment, knowing how loved our little girl really is and how many people care and are kind and oh-so-loving. We are so very blessed. Our friends really stepped up to make her day special.”
Ippei Naoi via Getty Images
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“Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for. Just make it the best you can with what you can.” - Shelby Brown
Many other parents shared similar stories, with some noting that they’ve eased the blow by telling their kids they’ll get to celebrate twice ― once on their actual birthday, and again with a bigger party after social distancing ends.
Others emphasised the value of keeping things in perspective.
“Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for,” wrote Shelby Brown. “Just make it the best you can with what you can. Love and happiness is all they really need. A cute cake is a bonus.”
Below, find more ideas for making kids’ birthdays special in the age of Covid-19.
Balloon Surprise
“A balloon waterfall! I tape a sheet up to their door frame and stuff balloons between the sheet and door while they’re sleeping. When they open their door in the morning, they are greeted by balloons falling on them. I did this for my kids when they were 4 and 3 ... They’re almost 10 and 9 now and still ask for this every year, even though it’s no longer a surprise!” ― April Lynnae
“Tape an open rubbish bag to the top of their door and the ceiling to create a ‘bag,’ filled with balloons. When they open the door, the tape rips off and they have a ‘balloon waterfall!’” ― Nicole Desaulnier
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“Every year, I blow up balloons the night before and wake her up the next morning by tossing them into her bed while I softly sing ‘Happy Birthday.’ She loves it and asks for it every year. We also have a special plate we use for special holidays that says ‘You are special.’” ― Mehgan Jeffers Boudreau
“My son is celebrating his 9th birthday tomorrow. His birthday sleepover last Friday was canceled. We are surprising him in the morning with a yard sign and we are just going to try to make the day as special as we can regardless of the circumstance. We always fill their rooms with balloons on their birthday and decorate the doors with streamers, so we will do that (thanks to Amazon for the delivery of balloons and streamers).” ― Sarah Cothren
skynesher via Getty Images
Car Parade
“Ask friends, neighbours and relatives to make signs and drive by your house at a designated day and time to honk and yell well wishes out the window while you are on your lawn at a safe distance.” ― Kristen Craig Carle
“Put a sign outside for people to honk for their birthday.” ― Abby Johnson
“One local town said their fire department will come by and ring the siren and shout out ’Happy birthday’ to the birthday kid! So fun and special!” ― Cindy E. Kim
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“We had an impromptu parade ― neighbours, classmates and friends gathered at a designated time and paraded past our home, windows open, horn honks, homemade signs ... it was beyond amazing. No one got out of their cars, and my twins still got to see all of their friends! EPIC birthday despite canceled party and no fam gathering!” ― Sarah Burch Wiseman
“Someone in our community had to cancel their son’s 9th birthday. They sat out on their front lawn while friends and family drove by and had a parade of sorts with signs and balloons. The police and fire department even came and sang ‘Happy birthday’ from their fire trucks.” ― Jennifer Moore
Zoom Celebration
“Zoom! I’m a kindergarten teacher and we started distance learning last week. On Friday, it was one of my student’s birthdays, so we threw him a ZOOMing birthday party with all the classmates who were able to join in on Zoom. It was super cute. His mom even baked a cake at home and he blew out his candles. They were all so happy, including him!” ― Maria Berisso-Santos
“My son is turning 6 and loves to video call. I’m trying to put together a group call with some of his friends to sing him ‘Happy Birthday.’” ― Stephanie Moran
“I’ll be having a Zoom surprise party next week for my daughter with all her friends who would have been at her party on the call.” ― Kathy Shurtz Steele
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“We had a virtual singing of ‘Happy Birthday’ on Zoom with her cousins. A few days before, we shipped cupcakes from a bakery that had closed its storefronts but is still shipping nationwide. Everyone had a treat after we sang, and we supported a small business.” ― Jane Incardone
Scavenger Hunt
“My daughter’s Sweet 16 was on Saturday. We did a scavenger hunt of riddles to find all of her hidden presents.” ― Tricia Slaton Williams
“We are planning a home scavenger hunt for our almost 4-year-old. And a virtual ‘party’ for her extended family to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ together while she blows out her candles.” ― Anne Colvin
“My granddaughter will be 6 tomorrow ... Since I have four gifts for her, I’m going to wrap them a few times, each in a bigger box and then hide them in their yard and leave her a map with hints to find them.” ― Monica Donajkowski Urban
“My daughter’s birthday was last Monday, right when everything closed down here in Dallas. We had to cancel her party and stay home. Family members sent her gifts via Amazon Prime and she loved having packages with her name on them. I made a scavenger hunt for the presents and hid them around the house.” ― Amber Griffith Autery
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Video Message
“My son’s birthday is today and he’s a huge ‘Ghostbusters’ fan. A bunch of fellow GB enthusiasts have made and sent videos in full gear to wish him a happy birthday. It’s such an awesome community!” ― Amanda Kirkland
“I created an online gallery where friends and family could upload photos and videos of birthday wishes.” ― Tricia Slaton Williams
“The princess company I had hired to entertain is sending a personalised birthday video because we had to postpone kiddo’s party.” ― Tami Lptn
“There is a local business that has amazing actors/singers who dress up like princesses and superheroes for parties. They are doing personalised videos and FaceTime calls, so my daughter is going to get to chat with Elsa and Anna for her birthday.” ― Kate Paradise-Taylor
“Older kids might not want a birthday wish from a princess, but there might be a famous person that could send them a birthday wish on Cameo.” ― Sara Petrick
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Baking Treats
“Have some fun in the kitchen together. Make a cake decorating video together and watch it later.” ― Shonda Bowser
“This was the first year my son was going to get a birthday party. He is adopted and has autism. He was so excited to get a party with his friends. We’re going to make a cake and have fun at home, and then hopefully plan a larger ‘make-up party with friends’ over the summer!” ― Jennifer Moore
“My daughter celebrated her 15th birthday on St. Patrick’s Day. The school is closed and our family is trying to protect their dad for Covid-19, so I baked her a homemade chocolate cake [and] also made a cake with a girl all dressed up using fondant (quinceañera since she’s 15). We made corned beef and potato soup and shared some [with] our elderly neighbours with a slice of chocolate cake. We spent the day looking at her old photos when she was so little. What a fun time!” ― Bam Korzan
kate_sept2004 via Getty Images Kids can take part in fun baking projects and even help make their own birthday cakes.
Yard Decorations
“My daughter had her birthday yesterday. Neighbours wrote happy birthday messages in sidewalk chalk on our porch. Also, balloons delivered to the house. It made her feel special.” ― Christy Fitzwater
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“Today is my son’s birthday. I asked for beeps if people drove by, videos, FB posts or text me pictures of cards the kids make. The most hilarious was our friends’ two boys dressed in their inflatable dinosaur costumes and went for a walk to personally deliver a birthday yard sign. They are entertaining so many adults with their dino antics!” ― Michelle Geller
“In my neighbourhood, a kid’s mum asked people to write happy birthday messages in sidewalk chalk.” ― Danielle Esterley Fischer
Special Meals
“We made her favourite breakfast and got takeout from her favourite place.” ― Christy Fitzwater
“We did a Texas Roadhouse dinner at home. Dressed up like waitstaff and made the complete meal ― rolls and all.” ― Angela Hoffman
“We decorated her door, so she was surprised when she woke up. We made birthday pancakes, and she wanted to make her own cake, which she did.” ― Cheryl Rastelli
“We had a special birthday breakfast and I recreated her favourite meal from her favourite place to eat (mac and cheese and orange slices, people, I am by no means a chef). We also FaceTimed with friends and family throughout the day. We tried our best to make the day all about her. While I don’t think this was her best birthday to date, I do think and hope that it is one she will never forget.” ― Amber Griffith Autery
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Yes Day
“Yes day! Ice cream for breakfast? Sure! Popcorn for lunch? Why not! Also, if allowed, we will either drive by her friends’ homes so they can shout or sing ‘Happy Birthday’ from a very safe distance or have her friends drive by our house for the same thing. If that’s not allowed, we will do the same but with Zoom!” ― Andrea Thomas Botham
“The biggest thing is making it a ‘yes’ day. Want ice cream for breakfast? sure! Watch the same movie two times in a row? Sounds awesome! We also will have lots of video chats throughout the day.” ― Molly Harris
“My son turns 10 on Thursday. We plan a day where he gets to choose all meals, ordered a decorate-your-own-cupcakes kit, will make a fire in the chiminea and roast marshmallows, plus rotting our brains on YouTube, Switch and TV.” ― Denise Eckels Busch
Cards In The Mail
“My birthday boy will be 9 at the beginning of April. I’m going to ask family and friends to send him a card or letter in the mail. He loves getting mail.” ― Hayley Welch
“My 6-year-old daughter is making birthday cards for her classmates, and we are mailing the cards out to them. It was her idea to try to help brighten the day of her friends.” ― Jenna Schaefer
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“We requested friends and family to mail cards. She has gotten a bunch and feels so loved!” ― Ashley Noveck Ortiz
“I asked everyone I know to send a birthday card, email, or note to my son. I’ll print the notes and put them in a jar. All of the letters I’ll save for him to open at once. My son is very sentimental and not big on toys. I’m very excited!” ― Kyley Dehler
Movie Screenings
“Movie Day! My daughter has a full day of movies planned instead of her family adventure to Great Wolf Lodge. A day full of junk food and movies is not what she wanted, but she is enjoying the thought of making her siblings sit through her favourite movies!” ― Laura Michalik-Giacobbi
“You could borrow or buy a projector and project a movie on the back of your house using a sheet. Make popcorn over the fire, too!” ― Olivia Hair
svetikd via Getty Images Let the birthday boy or girl pick out their favorite films for a family movie night.
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Themed Day
“We will celebrate my daughter’s birthday this weekend. We’re going to do an ‘inside beach day.’ We’re decorating, bringing our blow-up pool in the living room to fill with pillows and lay in while watching a movie, doing some beach crafts, and making snow cones!” ― Justine Gibbon
“For my daughter’s birthday, she wanted a princess party, so we all dressed up as princesses or characters from a fairy tale or movie and had a tea party. She absolutely loved it.” ― Sarah Christian
“My daughter is turning 13 this Wednesday. We are putting up the Christmas tree and decorating it as a birthday tree with the ‘Friends’ theme because that is the theme she chose, ‘The One When Kylie Turns 13.’ I thankfully ordered party supplies a few weeks ago and picked up ‘13’ balloons last week. She also has a themed T-shirt we ordered weeks ago. We are having ice cream sundaes for breakfast, playing Minute-to-Win-It games, watching the 13th episode from all 10 seasons of the show, and surprising her with a Zoom conference call with family and friends from as far as Thailand to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ all together!” ― Sonja Brown
Family Slumber Party
“My son’s 7th birthday is today! We celebrated with a sibling slumber party in the living room with lots of pillows and blankets. We made cupcakes and had a video conference with family as he blew out his candles. He loved it!” ― Melissa Roldan-Stills
“Depending on where you live and the weather, if you own a tent you could have a backyard campout as a family. If you have a small fire pit, you could even make hot dogs and s’mores over a fire. Otherwise, you can buy those small Sterno cans and roast them over a smaller flame. My son loved doing this.” ― Olivia Hair
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--How To Cut Your Own Hair, If You Absolutely Must

You’re scared. You’re bored. And with each passing day, you’re increasingly shaggy. Should you trim your hair at home? Not getting a haircut before the coronavirus pandemic hit has been on a lot of people’s minds.
Stylists’ advice differs, no matter the length of your hair. One stylist who advocates for waiting it out is Sophia El Alami of the Brian Graham Salon. “I strongly advise against [cutting your hair at home]. Your stylist will be here when it’s all over, so if you possibly can wait, you really should,” she told HuffPost.
She suggested delay tactics you can try before you pick up scissors for yourself: “Now could be the time to try some new styles. Brush it back, swoop it to the side ― experiment a little. Use some texturing hair spray to give it more texture and body as it’s growing in.” Another idea is to dig deep in the closet for hair accessories you haven’t used in a while. “Tie a scarf around your head, or use barrettes,” she said. “Barrettes are big right now.”
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Perhaps after reading El Alami’s advice, you’ll work on cultivating patience with your follicles. On the other hand, perhaps you just can’t stand your hair for one more minute. Could it be that all the worrying you’re doing has supercharged the blood flow to your scalp, leaving you looking like an Einstein bobblehead? If so, it is possible to take matters ― and scissors ― into your own hands with the help of some expert advice.
We talked to stylists and prowled the internet for the very best advice on giving yourself a home trim. Even if things don’t turn out the way you wanted, remember that it’s only hair. For most of us, it’s a renewable resource. And in the meantime, you can wear a hat during Zoom calls.
Step One: Arrive at “the salon”
Step outside your front door. (Don’t forget your key.) Now step back inside. Ta-da! You’re in the salon! Sit on the fanciest chair in the house and page through an old gossip magazine. Accept the receptionist’s offer of cucumber-infused water. (Hint: You might want to make some cucumber water.)
Step Two: Set up your station
It’s time! Move to your stylist’s station. Wondering where that should be? According to stylist and colourist Tim Foster from The District on 50th Salon + Spa, you’ll want to work in a small, enclosed space in which you easily can see what you’re doing and can sweep up when you’re done. For most people, that’s the bathroom.
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“To make cleanup easier, you can lay down a few towels and shake them out after,” he told HuffPost. “Hair is very lightweight, and it goes everywhere when you’re cutting it, so be prepared.” Pro tip: While it may seem smart to snip away in the shower, it’s probably not a good idea. “You really need to have a well-lighted mirror in front of you to keep checking your work,” he said.
You should cover up your clothes, even if it’s only that sweatshirt you’ve been wearing for the past six days. If you have a rain poncho stowed with your camping gear, try that. Otherwise, try a tip from Maryam Maquillage (see below): Cut a hole in a plastic garbage bag and slip it over your head for a salon cape that gets the job done.
It’s ideal if you have hair clippers, a razor or hair-cutting scissors. But these are desperate times, and it’s possible to make do with what’s on hand. “If you have sharp scissors that you only use for cutting cloth, those will work,” Foster said. “With old scissors, the tips are usually the dullest, and you need the tips for haircutting. And don’t use the scissors you use to cut your toenails, because that’s just gross.” If in doubt, Foster suggested testing your scissors by snipping a tiny bit of hair as a test. If it cuts easily without having to saw away at it, you’re good to go.
Step Three: What are we doing today?
Have a conversation with your stylist (yes, it’s yourself, but it’s still fun to pretend) about what you’re looking for. Do you need to keep bangs from falling in your eyes? Hoping for a trim around the ears for your short cut? Want to cut a couple of inches of split ends off the bottom? We’ve got you covered with expert videos below.
The stylists we interviewed and the videos we watched all said the same thing: Take it easy. “You’ve got nothing but time right now, so leave it a little longer at first, and you can always go back and trim off more,” Foster advised.
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Bang trim
Enjoy the company of the most straight-talking stylist in all the land, Amber. She is sure to win your award for “Person I’d Most Like to Have a Beer With When This Is All Over.” In the meantime, view this as your virtual happy hour and bang trim all in one.
Her 12-minute tutorial is a guilt-free zone. “It’s OK if you trim your bangs instead of going to your stylist, because everybody’s got the right to see,” she earnestly says. “There’s not just one way to do anything, including bang trims,” she adds philosophically. By the time you’ve watched the video through once, you’ll be ready to follow her dictum to “cut a little and check it, cut a little and check it.”
You’ll laugh, and possibly do a spit take, when she tells you to “be careful not to poke yourself in the eyeball or cut your eyelashes.” She even offers a texturing tip that’s “only for professionals,” in which she cautions amateurs not to be “going and doing this and then telling me you cut your bangs off.” When you’re done, you and Amber will have finally conquered those bangs.
Trim ends on long, straight hair
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More than 3 million people have viewed this video, whether just to soak in the glamour of Maryam Maquillage herself or to actually trim their hair. She offers clear step-by-step instructions on trimming straight, shoulder-length hair. She’s also refreshingly honest, admitting that she ended up cutting off 2 1/2 inches when she only wanted 1 1/2 inches off, but, as she says with a shrug, “That’s OK, my hair was dead anyway.” She uses her fingers, not a ruler, but the final result looks absolutely perfect ― which might have something more to do with her own fabulous hair than with her expertise, so keep in mind that your mileage may vary.
Trim curly hair
Mell, otherwise known as #ManesByMell, is a stylist with super-curly hair. In this 14-minute video, she dispels the myth that you can’t cut curly hair yourself and offers steps to removing thinned-out, broken-off and scraggly-looking locks. She also provides plenty of sass and wit along the way, delivering a performance that’s a combination of a hair tutorial and “My Cousin Vinny.”
Yes, Mell is funny, confident and laid-back, but, like the coolest teacher you loved in high school, she drops plenty of knowledge along the path to the perfect “trimmy trim,” as she calls it. If you’ve been seeking an exact definition of “hair maintenance,” or some sidebar tips on keeping your hair so healthy that you won’t have to trim as often, Mell is the person to help.
Trim short hair
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Just want to fix what’s happening on your neck and above your ears? Not interested in hearing someone’s life story before you get this job done? This is the video for someone who selects a barber based on the dual criteria of speed and silence, not artistic flair. In a little over 11 brisk minutes, Mr. Tips for Clips teaches you how to trim and fade a short hairstyle, including a special trick for cutting the back without the help of a three-way mirror. Note: You do need to have an electric clipper to follow these instructions.
Trim natural hair


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--Clap For Our Carers: The Story Behind The NHS Supporting Initiative – And How To Get Involved

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On Thursday evening at 8pm, thousands of people up and down the country stood in doorways, on balconies and at windows, applauding, whooping, ringing and tooting for the key workers fighting at the frontline of coronavirus.
Annemarie Plas, who lives in south London, was one of them – she’s the woman who kickstarted the idea. “It was a very emotional moment for me as I heard my neighbours that I haven’t seen for days on our (normally busy) road,” she tells HuffPost UK. “It went from clapping behind windows, to hanging out of them, to people – in safe distance – outside shouting.”
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Plas says the reactions of NHS and frontline workers has been heartwarming. “They felt that we, as a nation, stand behind them and appreciate their hard work,” she says. “So this is just the beginning, I hope. I will use this weekend to go through the messages I got to see how we can make this a weekly event and how we can increase the group of people we want to thank.”
Speaking to HuffPost UK the day before the event, Plas said she planned to hang out of her living room window and hit pots and pans to make noise for those working hard, so the rest of us can stay safe.
Very happily, she was joined by people in flats, houses and streets across the nation in a collective show of support the likes of which we’ve rarely seen.
The 36-year-old decided to orchestrate #ClapForOurCarers after she heard friends and family members in her home country, the Netherlands, were doing something similar. And, having seen footage of people coming together for the same purposes in Spain and France, she thought: why not do this in the UK, too?
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“It’s really been inspired by what I’ve seen at home,” she says. “I saw what was happening there and I thought: ‘wow, this is amazing, let’s see if I can pull it off.’”
Supplied Annemarie Plas: 'Hopefully it give some strength and boost to whoever needs it.'
LeoPatrizi via Getty Images
Plas, who works in sales and as a yoga instructor, FaceTimed her friends last Friday and floated the idea of ‘clapping for carers’ – including NHS workers, care workers, pharmacists and supermarket staff. Her friends were all on board.
So, she made a graphic for social media, set up a website, and started sharing it online. Over the weekend, the campaign blew up – the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Victoria Beckham were among those who pledged support. And thousands of people shared the campaign online and in group chats, committing to taking part.
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Plas, who lives with her partner and two-year-old, encouraged everyone to stand where they can while respecting social-distancing etiquette – be it doorways, windows, balconies, gardens or living rooms – at 8pm on 26 March. All you have to do is clap, make noise, and show your appreciation.
Times are fraught for those on the frontline right now. As the UK descends into an lockdown, NHS staff say the standard of protective equipment they’ve been given makes them scared to go to work – and terrified they might infect their families.
“Hopefully it can give some strength and boost to whoever needs it.” - Annemarie Plas
Meanwhile supermarket staff have been subjected to abuse from angry customers. One worker said she was spat at by a shopper, while another was told: “I hope you get the virus and die”.
In such dark times, there have been glimmers of kindness for key workers, with hospital staff receiving free coffees, flowers and groceries from the retail sector, and members of the public showing appreciation with thumbs up as they head to work.
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But Thursday night’s round of applause was the biggest show of support yet. “Hopefully it can give some strength and boost to whoever needs it,” says Plas, adding that it also creates a sense of togetherness in communities during a time of isolation.
“I hope that it will give that boost to the frontline people, people that we’ve often taken for granted,” she says. “They can see how much we appreciate them.
“Without them we are no one.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--Group Chats Making You Anxious? Us, Too. Here's How To Manage Them

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You look at your phone and there are 50 unread Whatsapp messages. You barely bat an eyelid. In this new era of digital-only interaction, group chats have become frenzied hubs of hour-by-hour activity.
For some, these small but regular interactions with friends are curbing those feelings of anxiety, isolation and boredom we’re experiencing while in lockdown. But for others, the constant flow of messages is having the exact opposite effect, preventing any respite from the C-word. Throw in some questionable memes and fake news about a Covid-19 ‘cure’, and the anxiety can bubble into frustration at those who we know, deep down, are just trying to help.
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The way friends and family are using Whatsapp – and the way we’re reacting to it – can tell us something about how each of us handles uncertainty, explains psychotherapist Lucy Beresford. When life feels out of control, sending information, GIFs, jokes and distractions can make us feel proactive.
“For the person sending material, they can feel both purposeful (which can flatter our ego) as well as momentarily in control. It’s also a way to feel like you’re staying in contact, even though the contact is actually quite impersonal,” she tells HuffPost UK.
However, if you’re on the receiving end of unexpected or unwelcome material, it can “arouse the very sense of helplessness we’re trying to avoid”.
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Something the sender thought was a good connection can, unintentionally, end up driving a wedge between members of a Whatsapp group.
“We can also feel guilty, for being annoyed, or for not finding the material hilarious or useful,” Beresford adds. “And of course we get stressed, believing we need to respond ASAP – and perhaps more wittily than the previous responder. Gah, who needs the pressure?”
So how do you stay connected while looking after your own wellbeing?
tomass2015 via Getty Images
Digital detox consultant Martin Talks says if you’re finding the flow of messages too much, try to ration your use of the app.
“Only participate in any WhatsApp group once a day and not first thing in the morning or last thing at night. You do not wish to start your day feeling anxious or try and go to asleep anxious,” he suggests. “Keep your technology out of the bedroom altogether to prevent you checking your smartphone and finding yourself sucked down the rabbit hole of scary coronavirus stories.”
Turning off notifications will help you to cut down your usage. “As humans we find alerts almost impossible to resist and one glance at your phone can lead to an anxiety inducing exchange of communication,” Talks says.
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While group hangout platforms such as Zoom and Houseparty are booming, Beresford recommends the power of a one-to-one interaction – especially if you’re using faceless technology like Whatsapp as your primary mode of communication.
“The problem with Whatsapp is you have no other cues to guide the interaction. The sender can’t see your distaste as you open yet one more GIF about alcohol being the only solution to Covid-19,” she says. “Nor can they see the anguish on your face, or any other facial or body language cues that would alert them to your preference to not be exposed to this material.”
“One-to-one, you can convey your differences more freely without fear of judgement.” - Lucy Beresford
Sharing jokes – or indeed distress – with one trusted friend, rather than posting in a group, not only protects others who may be feeling anxious, but also allows someone to attend to our needs better, she adds. “One-to-one is much easier because it’s more personal,” she explains. “Whatsapp assumes everyone in the group will have the same reaction to the material sent. At least in a one-to-one you can convey your differences more freely without fear of judgement.”
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If you do want to partake in group chats during this time, Talks recommends trying to be a positive influence when doom and gloom hits. “Steer your WhatsApp group to a more positive theme by encouraging everyone to post about a pleasant and calming topic, such as nature – as we are having fine spring weather at the moment – or cooking,” he suggests.
Beresford says that if you’re the serial poster in your group, pause to think about your intention and the potential impact of a comment or piece of information before hitting send.
“It’s tricky, because some groups exist to lighten the tone, or are built around a shared hobby. But once the material starts being about medical issues, recognise that some people might feel overwhelmed or triggered, or might be squeamish,” she says. “The motto is: if in doubt, don’t post.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--All These Gorgeous Animals Have Now Been Rehomed – Here's What To Know Before Adopting

Battersea Animals rehomed from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home this month.
During a time of unprecedented stress, we’re also seeing unprecedented kindness as huge numbers of shelter animals found new homes ahead of the UK-wide lockdown.
More than 150 dogs and cats from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home were rehomed last week – more than double the figure for the same period in 2019.
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The Cats Protection charity has also witnessed a rise year on year. In the three weeks leading up to the temporary closure of its 37 adoption centres, 980 cats and kittens were adopted, 63 more than by this point last year.
The RSPCA has also reported “quite a large spike” in visits to its fostering pages in recent weeks before the lockdown was announced.
One of the lucky pooches rehomed from Battersea this month was four-year-old mongrel Tulip, who had been at the rescue centre for 110 days.
Tulip arrived as a stray and was very anxious, so needed some TLC from the team. Her story had a happy ending, however, when she finally got the call that there was a suitable home for her prior to the lockdown.
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Battersea Tulip
Battersea’s head of operations, Rob Young, said: “We want to thank all these new owners for thinking of rescue pets at such a challenging time.”
While its centres are now temporarily closed to the public, Battersea says that people wishing to rehome a dog or cat are welcome to fill out an application on its website.
A Cats Protection spokesperson told HuffPost UK the charity is not currently rehoming cats due to the latest restrictions but is “very grateful to everyone who has adopted a cat from us recently”. Details of how to continue helping Cats Protection can be found on its website.
Battersea Smudge, a 10-year-old gentle giant cat, who found a new home after two weeks at Battersea.
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Adopting a dog or cat is a big commitment and, as such, Battersea’s Rob Young urges people to think carefully about whether they’re in a good position to adopt another furry family member.
It shouldn’t be a snap decision, he says, “Pets not only require food, vet visits and daily exercise, but also lots of love too,” he tells HuffPost UK.
“Having a pet is a huge commitment and can take up a lot of time, resources and energy. However, the rewards that we can get from pets, and the love that they give, often make it all worth it.”
Here are some other furry friends who have found homes just in time for lots of love and cuddles throughout the lockdown.
Alfie
Battersea Alfie rehomed from Battersea
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Chester
Battersea Chester rehomed from Battersea
Cupid
Battersea Cupid rehomed from Battersea
Diesel
Battersea Diesel rehomed from Battersea
Marvin
Cats Protection Marvin before and after being rehomed from Cats Protection.
Dora
Battersea Dora rehomed from Battersea
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Jack
Battersea Jack rehomed from Battersea
Nelly
Battersea Nelly rehomed from Battersea
Quatro
Battersea Quatro rehomed from Battersea
Harry
Battersea Harry rehomed from Battersea
Morris
RSPCA Morris rehomed from RSPCA
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Maple


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--Lockdown Doesn’t Mean My Mental Illness Will Suddenly Stop. Here’s How I’m Managing

HuffPost UK Getty Images
I rely on my family and friends to pull me through difficult times. I’m sure that’s the case for most people, but when you live with a mental illness, like I do, it’s especially true.
My bipolar type 1 and psychosis mean human connection is vital – it’s as important a part of managing my mental illness as a sleep routine and taking medication. Having like-minded people in support groups to share concerns with, to lean on when times are rough has positively moulded my sense of self after diagnosis, and my family and close friends have been there when mental health services haven’t. It’s not an exaggeration to say they’ve saved my life countless times, often spotting the warning signs of a depressive or manic episode before I do.
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But now that’s all changed. With lockdown in place, I can’t see my family and friends, who can no longer play that pivotal role in keeping me stable and healthy when I’m stressed. My work has dried up, with clients cancelling, and projects postponed indefinitely – and that financial anxiety adds another layer of stress to the stress everyone is feeling right now.
Stress is a major trigger for many people with mental illness. For me, stress can morph into a manic or depressive episode, sometimes at the snap of a finger. Family and friends are constantly phoning me to see how I am, but the behaviours they usually pick up on happen most often when we’re socialising in person. Nuances are lost over the phone, or on a quick video chat.
“Being at home, constantly, when you’re mentally ill is exhausting. It feels like you’re trapped, isolated and there’s nothing to look forward to”
Being at home, constantly, when you’re mentally ill is exhausting. It feels like you’re trapped, isolated and there’s nothing to look forward to. I live for the little victories, the small steps, that I can build on. One day it might be just getting out of bed and getting dressed. When you feel you can face this, you know you can do more, and achieve more.
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Now, though, with coronavirus bringing months of lockdown, it feels like there’s nothing to build towards. A big part of mental illness is a loss of control – either because of your own actions, or feelings and emotions that you can’t seem to regulate. The covid-19 crisis, naturally, feels entirely out of my control – and that brings back those feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.
I have a real fear that this situation will bring on a negative spiral that could potentially make me severely ill. The constant news cycle – which normally affects my anxiety – has gone into overdrive at the moment, so right now I’m trying to ration the amount of time I spend on social media, and deleting news apps from my phone.
For many, though, the biggest concern of the coming days and weeks, centre around accessing medication. I, and many people like me living with severe mental illness, rely on daily medication to function – without it I could become seriously ill, not to mention the effects of going through withdrawal can have. If I do become very mentally poorly, I worry I won’t be able to access the support I’ll need; frontline staff in mental health services were already stretched before covid-19, and though I completely understand they’re needed to help overwhelmed areas of the NHS, I can’t help but feel anxious for what this means for mental health patients like me.
“I’m spending time every evening with my partner, with no TV, no music, just talking about how we’re feeling. It makes me feel like I have some form of control”
All this means it’s vital right now to stay in touch with anyone you know living with mental illness. Isolation and loneliness are major triggers, and if someone you know is vulnerable to mental health problems, I can tell you it’s not going to suddenly get any easier. Don’t wait for someone to reach out when they’re already at breaking point; reach in, contact them, lend a listening ear. Our conditions aren’t going to take a break during this pandemic, and it’s more than likely they’ll be exacerbated.
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If you live with or have a partner with mental illness, they’re going to need your support more than ever. Make sure you talk through their concerns and anxieties. Help them put together a self care box that will help them if they become ill – I have a ‘crisis box’ that includes soothing items like candles, comfy socks, favourite music and more practical items, such as helpline numbers. As for me, I’m spending time every evening with my partner, with no TV, no music, just talking about how we’re feeling. It makes me feel like I have some form of control over my emotions, and helps keep me calmer.
Mental illness doesn’t take a break, and we mustn’t feel guilty for that – we’re all deserving of support. It’s going to be tough, but we can get through this if we support one another.
Katie Conibear is a freelance writer and mental health advocate. Follow her on Twitter at @katieconibear.
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--We Won't Forget The Businesses That Treat Their Staff — And Us — Badly

Mike Ashley’s insistence that Sports Direct should stay open because selling fitness equipment makes it an essential business was met with anger. Getty Images
The social media reaction to Sports Direct’s public letter to Boris Johnson asking whether they could stay open after the ‘lockdown’ announcement was as damning as it was swift. Chief Financial Officer Chris Wootton and CEO Mike Ashley’s insistence that the company should stay open while other retailers closed because selling fitness equipment makes it an essential business was met with contempt and anger.
It’s an example of how attitudes towards brands have altered rapidly since coronavirus took hold in the UK. But this change has been on the horizon for years, if not decades.
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A quarter of a century ago, author John Elkington coined the phrase ‘triple bottom line’ to describe an approach to business that goes beyond the accumulation of wealth.
It refers to a business philosophy that encompasses social responsibility (people) and environmental impact (planet), and positions these as equally as important as the almighty dollar (profit). In recent years the ‘environment’ point has come to the fore, with companies judged by customers, investors and keyboard warriors alike on their carbon footprint, their impact on deforestation and their use of natural resources.
“At a time when, without exaggeration, people will die if companies do the wrong thing, altruism and social capital are now currency.”
But with Covid-19 it is the social responsibility element that has come rapidly into sharp focus. In the space of just two weeks, companies have had to adjust to being judged on the way they treat people. And by people we’re not even talking about customers, we’re talking about society as a whole. Brands are having to demonstrate that they know how we feel, that they’re as scared and vulnerable as the rest of us.
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At a time when, without exaggeration, people will die if companies do the wrong thing, altruism and social capital are now currency.
Sports Direct either doesn’t understand this or, perhaps worse, doesn’t care. Even after it bowed to government pressure to safeguard workers and the public, and agreed to close, reports emerged of staff being instructed to go to work as normal. And thousands of employees on zero-hour contracts have reportedly been told they won’t be paid while stores are shut.
It’s a similar story at pub chain JD Wetherspoon, which has been accused of abandoning its 43,000 staff, saying it cannot afford to pay them until it is reimbursed by the government’s ‘furlough’ scheme, which pays 80% of employees’ wages. Chairman Tim Martin, who previously played down the risk of people gathering in pubs, instead advised staff to seek work in Tesco.
As I write this, the hashtag #boycottWetherspoon is trending on Twitter. A picture is circulating of The Postal Order, the Wetherspoon’s pub in Crystal Palace, with the slogan ‘Pay your staff’ daubed in paint across the windows.
Both companies are examples of extreme arrogance, selfishness and corporate greed.
In this environment — and in the one that will follow Covid-19 — that approach of valuing profit over people simply doesn’t cut it. People have long memories, and we will not forget the way in which companies treat their staff throughout the next few months.
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But while Sports Direct and JD Wetherspoon have failed, plenty of other brands have stepped up to the mark.
Supermarkets including Tesco and Co-op are hiring thousands of people who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus, with Amazon hiring an additional 100,000 workers and giving raises to current staff. But without wishing to downplay these moves, it’s easy to explain away this activity as the stores that remain open ramp up to cope with demand for essential food and household goods.
Perhaps more charitable are the likes of Pret a Manger, which was one of the first to offer free hot drinks and half price food for NHS staff prior to having to close, and was closely followed by Dominos offering free pizza. Zipcar is providing free car journeys for NHS staff to get to and from work, while BrewDog has started manufacturing hand sanitiser to provide for free to hospitals in need.
Starbucks has extended its mental health benefits, offering its partners personalised and confidential mental health care to help them deal with the stress and anxiety we’re all feeling. Apple and Amazon are both providing unlimited paid sick leave to those testing positive for Covid-19, while Uber is extending 14 days’ sick pay for delivery drivers even though they’re classed as independent workers.
Meanwhile, Disney has promised to continue paying employees despite none of its theme parks being open, and it is joined by Hilton in giving refunds to those who planned to visit with no cancellation fees.
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What does all this activity have in common? Altruism.
The world of commerce and business is changing for good in ways we don’t yet fully comprehend. But when this pandemic is eventually over, it is the brands and companies who go out of their way to help who will come out of it on top. Those that treat their workforce poorly or who resort to meaningless virtue signalling will not last long in the new world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-26--I'm A Grocery Store Worker On The Frontline Of Coronavirus – And I'm Overwhelmed

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About an hour before opening, the crowd starts to grow. Shoppers edge in as close as they can to the entrance, their carts already poised for door-busting. But we aren’t offering half-priced smart TVs or impossible-to-pass-up BOGOs. We’re in the business of cheap canned beans and seemingly the only rolls of toilet paper in town.
I work at a grocery store that’s known for wacky Hawaiian shirts, tiny cups of coffee, clanging bells and super friendly cashiers. The covid-19 pandemic has made every day at work feel like Black Friday during the Black Death.
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In the last two weeks, our stores from Portland, Oregon, to New York City have experienced unprecedented business as shoppers prepare for self-isolation, restaurant closures and kiddos at home 24/7.
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Inside the store, after clearing the floors of empty cardboard boxes and stacked pallets, we come together near a display of mandarin oranges for a morning huddle. We stretch, kvetch, air hug, sometimes cry. We give each other encouraging words as we glimpse the ever-expanding horde beyond the glass. I feel like I’m in Saving Private Ryan: “Gear up. Fall in.”
When the doors glide open at 9am, frantic shoppers, many of whom refuse to follow the six-foot radius advice, scramble to the canned goods and the paper products. I watch a masked man use his forearm to empty a shelf of refried beans into his cart. I watch a woman yank a package of toilet paper out of another woman’s cart. “Only one per customer!” she admonishes.
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“The backroom has become a place to cool off behind the scenes. To get nostalgic about events from three weeks ago. And to scream.”
Every crowded aisle makes me panic. Every cough sets me on edge. “Stay home!” I want to yell, but instead I head to the backroom where I can take a few deep breaths with less fear of inhaling somebody’s mucosal mists. A co-worker calls our backroom “the screaming pillow.”
Until two weeks ago, this area was filled to the ceiling with back stock. It was bustling with employees pushing hand trucks stacked with merchandise, shoving hands into community bags of tortilla chips, flinging cardboard into the baler’s steel maw. Now it’s empty, as suppliers struggle to meet the current demands. The baler is quiet. Shared snacks are completely out of the question.
The backroom has become a place to cool off behind the scenes. To get nostalgic about events from three weeks ago. And to scream. “Fuck everything!” I yelled to anyone listening. My co-workers nodded. “Amen to that.”
Spending hours a day in this environment has me concerned not only for my physical health, should I fall ill or become a carrier of covid-19, but for my mental health as well. I’ve been living with a base level of anxiety I can only assume is eating a hole in my stomach and weakening my immune system.
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Every day I wonder if I’m sick. Are my body aches a symptom, or are they a result of doing that PopSugar cardio video the other day? Is my scratchy throat caused by talking to hundreds of customers each day, or is it the onset of the coronavirus? Am I fatigued from overstimulation and constant worry, or do I have covid-19? Every evening I tell my husband that it’s my last day, that I’m not going in anymore.
“Working in a grocery store is an invisible job. It doesn’t have the hipness of bartending or the hustle cred that comes with freelancing.”
And there’s no reason not to. My company is encouraging us to stay home if we’re feeling even the faintest suggestion of bronchial tickle. They will still pay us in full and our absence will not dip into our paid time off, nor will it impact our benefits eligibility or employment status. Yet each morning I dutifully rise at 4:30, throw on a fresh hibiscus-printed t-shirt, grab my boxcutter and head out the door.
I’m usually embarrassed to tell people I work at a grocery store. I still list my alma mater as my place of employment on social media platforms even though it’s been nearly two years since my graduate assistantship as a writing instructor and I’ve been wading in the cold water of the adjunct pool ever since.
Working in a grocery store is an invisible job. It doesn’t have the hipness of bartending or the hustle cred that comes with freelancing. It pays too well to be some temporary gig, yet it isn’t what many people consider a career.
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“You still work there?” my friends with grown-up jobs ask. “That’s so cool. I’m addicted to their frozen mandarin orange chicken!” Suddenly, however, I’ve been promoted from hummus stocker to frontline aid worker. I’m being thanked for my service, my bravery even.
My usual at-work attitude is chipper, practically Disney. We used to have so much fun that half the time I’d be laughing from a break room joke when I signed in to my cash register. I no longer know how to conduct myself. I’m no good at pretending.
I’m frustrated by the obliviousness of the customer who wonders why our shelves are bare. I’m panicked by the patron who demands I glove up and wipe down before commencing the transaction. I’m angered by the entitled consumer who is outraged that his favourite pizza is unavailable. I try to maintain a patient, sober and compassionate face — the kind you would wear to a funeral. But I really want to be mean, to point out greed and privilege and hypocrisy. I also want to love, to hug those who are struggling because of this. I can’t do either.
The world has turned upside down in a matter of weeks. Many have lost their jobs and worry about getting unemployment checks. Small-business owners are uncertain whether they’ll ever reopen. The stock market is plummeting, the daycare centres are closed, vacations are canceled, and there are no social gatherings to look forward to. This abrupt topsy-turvy is quite possibly more disconcerting than the virus itself.
People react to and deal with uncertainty in different ways. We look for opportunities to reclaim a bit of control over our destabilised lives. For some, that’s buying all the tuna and shelf-stable oat milk. For others, it’s making cashiers sanitise their hands yet again.
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“My grocery store job is the only facet of my life that hasn’t completely changed in the last two weeks. Without it, I wouldn’t recognise anything at all and would probably sooner collapse with a nervous breakdown.”
Many of us shop to feel purposeful – buying enough for a two-week (let’s be real: two-month) quarantine, then going out and buying more (and ironically exposing ourselves to thousands of invisible germs) the next day. Maybe we’re bent out of shape over an out-of-stock pizza not because we’re entitled, but because we’re scared. That pizza was the familiar security blanket. Maybe we’re policing other shoppers as a way to uphold civilian order, not to be meddlesome and petty.
Every customer is an exaggerated personification of my own shortcomings. When I’m overwhelmed, I snap. Or I crumble. Or I worry my cuticles bloody and raw. Facing these ghosts of tantrums past at my most vulnerable, when I feel both resentful and guilty to be employed, when I fear anyone could make me extremely ill (if not kill me), is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do.
So why do I continue to go to work day after day? I wish I could say that it’s out of altruism, that it’s an act of service. But I can’t take credit for my new crisis-responder classification. I never swore the Hippocratic oath, never enlisted in the National Guard. I can’t be compared to my brother-in-law, who willingly went to Sarajevo during the Bosnian war to work breadlines.
I return to work because I’m just as freaked out as everyone else. I find comfort in routine, in seeing the same faces day after day. My grocery store job is the only facet of my life that hasn’t completely changed in the last two weeks. Without it, I wouldn’t recognise anything at all and would probably sooner collapse with a nervous breakdown.
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It’s 6 a.m. The parking lot is empty. The sun isn’t up yet. Inside the store, we listen to Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings at full volume. We dance our shoulders a little as we restock the bare shelves.
My co-workers and I talk about everything except the coronavirus: our new garden projects or our pets or what we whipped up for dinner last night. I hang packaged lunchmeat from pegs, spreading our thin inventory over several facings to give the illusion of abundance our customers will appreciate. Our goal is to keep our store from looking post-apocalyptic as long as possible. We want to be familiar.
I imagine many of our customers come into our store for the same exact reason I do. It’s one of the last vestiges of “normal” life right now. And though I’d like to think I’d never risk my life for a tub of ginger snaps or a bottle of cheap wine, I already have been.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-16--The UK Has Another Lockdown. But Does It Have A Plan?

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Lockdown, Cont.
Fresh from a G7 conference call with Donald Trump and chairing cabinet for the first time, de facto acting PM Dominic Raab was oozing confidence at today’s Downing Street briefing on coronavirus.
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He may be Boris Johnson’s stand-in but the foreign secretary has settled into his role as temporary topdog and, with apparent rave reviews from cabinet colleagues, his stock as a future leader has rocketed.
He delivered the long-expected news there will be a three-week extension to the lockdown.
But the most intriguing response was not on domestic matters, but on whether there will be an international reckoning with China over Covid-19′s spread.
Despite reports Raab had promised Beijing earlier this week he would not “politicise” the outbreak, he was eyebrow-raisingly bullish.
It cannot be “business as usual”, he said, adding: “I think there absolutely needs to be a very, very deep dive after the event review of the lessons – including of the outbreak of the virus – and I don’t think we can flinch from that at all, it needs to be driven by the science.”
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It’s hard to believe, given the US chaired today’s G7 meeting, that the US-UK “special relationship” (don’t forget Britain is in the middle of trade deal talks with Washington) played no part in this change of tone.
The president shocked everyone when he cut off funding to the World Health Organisation, claiming it had mismanaged the response and covered up for China.
Number 10 has been clear the UK has no plans to follow suit, but this shot across the bows suggests Raab will be guided by more than the science.
The spring in Raab’s step could not detract from the elephant in the room, however.
The question on everyone’s lips is: what is the government’s exit strategy?
Or as another ambitious acting leader, the Lib Dems’ Ed Davey, put it: “If ministers are asking people to stay at home, people are right to be asking ministers to get a grip on the crisis.”
Chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance bluntly stated “the way out of this is vaccines and therapeutics”.
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But with a vaccine not likely to come before September, people increasingly want to know when the lockdown will be eased, not least since Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, yesterday made it clear we were “probably” witnessing the peak of the outbreak.
With testing and tracing measures lagging behind other countries, however, it is thought the lockdown will last until at least mid-May so as to avoid a second outbreak.
Asked what Number 10′s approach would be, Raab suggested there may be “a transition” from the lockdown which “could be calibrated in different ways” – which very much suggests that, while he could one day be PM for real, right now he is not a man with a plan.
The UK's coronavirus lockdown has been extended by three weeks. Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Quote Of The Day
“If we carry on taking lumps out of each other we are heading for a loss at the next general election.”
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– Labour leader Keir Starmer on the factional warfare which continues to engulf his party.
Cheat Sheet
The number of people who have died in UK hospitals after contracting coronavirus has risen by 861 in 24 hours. It brings the working total to 13,729.
Coronavirus is killing men at double the rate of women in England and Wales, new figures published by the ONS show. The data also revealed that 91% of deaths related to the virus recorded in March involved at least one pre-existing condition.
Labour Party staff in the union GMB backed a motion saying they have no confidence in general secretary Jennie Formby after a controversial leaked report on anti-Semitism named staff and Jewish complainants. It has sparked a row with rival union Unite.
Health secretary Matt Hancock got into a spat with journalists after he was criticised over the handling of the crisis in care homes. “Let me please, let me finish the answer,” he snapped at the BBC’s Nick Robinson on Radio 4′s Today programme when he was asked about a lack of PPE and testing. “Frankly the way questions are being asked by journalists irritates a lot of the public at the moment,” he later told Talk Radio.
What I’m Reading
After coronavirus, Boris Johnson’s Tories will be a very different party – Martin Kettle/The Guardian


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-16--'Violent Men Are To Blame, Not The Virus’: Lockdown Sees Rise In Women Being Killed

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Abusive men are using coronavirus as an excuse for domestic violence, campaigners have warned as horrifying new figures reveal men are killing women and girls at a rate of almost one a day since lockdown began.
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Campaigners have also criticised the “lazy reporting” surrounding the deaths of women in recent weeks, arguing that coronavirus “hasn’t created more killers – it’s violent men who are to blame”.
According to the Counting Dead Women project, which identifies UK women killed by men or where a man is the principal suspect, there have been 18 suspected domestic abuse killings of females in 21 days at the hands of men since the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were introduced in the UK.
The figure represents a doubling of the average rate of deaths and highlights the extreme danger faced by women trapped in the same house as their violent person.
The killings took place between March 23 and April 12.
Karen Ingala Smith, founder of Counting Dead Women, told HuffPost UK that data collated over the last decade suggest a woman has been killed every four days by a partner or former partner.
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At this rate, Smith says the expected number of women killed by men in 21 days would be seven – but instead she revealed 16 females - including two children - are suspected to have been killed by men in the first three weeks of the coronavirus lockdown. She has information on two other dead women where men have been arrested but not yet charged.
The ages of the victims range from two to 82. The alleged perpetrators where known are mainly husbands but also include a father and a grandson.
But Smith highlighted to HuffPost UK that coronavirus hasn’t created more killers and she is angered at the way many headlines have excused the behaviour of violent men by blaming the virus.
“Coronavirus hasn’t suddenly created more killers.” she said. “It’s violent men who are to blame, not the virus.
“It is the conditions around us that have changed due to coronavirus and this has resulted in more triggers to men’s violence – although I prefer to call them excuses.”
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Karen Ingala Smith
Smith says she has been frustrated by what she calls the “lazy reporting” of some of the cases where it has been suggested the deaths of the women were caused by the men being “pushed to violence” as a result of coronavirus pressures.
She said: “One man who had killed his partner claimed he had killed her as she told him to leave the house as he had symptoms of coronavirus.
“Another report about a man’s fatal violence told how he had been pushed to kill as he had financial concerns and was worried about his business drying up.
“It is ridiculous to blame these killings on coronavirus by making out it is the virus at fault when it is actually the men.
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“Men’s controlling behaviour is the reason behind these killings. It is their domineering behaviour, their sense of entitlement and their belief that they need to be controlling and that women are there to serve them which is to blame.
“We need to look at all the reasons why men feel they have the right to treat women like this.
“There has been a sharp rise in deaths, but not an increase in the number of abusive men. For an unhealthy relationship to become an abusive one takes an abusive person.”
Smith says that while the lockdown might restrict women’s ability to escape or access to support, and might even curtail measures some men take to keep their violence under control, it doesn’t make a killer out of a man who has never been controlling, abusive or violent to the woman he is in a relationship with.
She says that while the number of women killed by men in the three weeks since lockdown is the highest it has been for at least 10 years compared to a hypothetical 21 days over the last decade, it is important to be cautious about the increase as there are always times when numbers are higher or lower.
“Although it is early days, this increase is extremely worrying.” she told HuffPost UK. “It shows the level of abuse that women are living with from men, the severity of that abuse and that we urgently need to end this violence.
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“However, it is a worry to me whether there is a lockdown or not. I am alarmed at the women who have been killed during the first three weeks of the coronavirus lockdown – but I am equally worried about the seven women who would have been killed on an average week.
“These deaths are not normal or acceptable at any time.”
Smith says that while her work centres around counting dead women, she would never say it is only the dead women that count and is also deeply concerned about the women and children who will live through the coronavirus lockdown with an abuser and survive.
“Women and girls are at an increased risk of all forms of abuse-based violence as they are trapped with their perpetrators and there is less scrutiny.”” - Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of Agenda
Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of Agenda, an alliance for women and girls at risk, says that while there has already been a spike in women seeking help and support from domestic abuse, she anticipates a bigger rise when lockdown measures end.
“Women and girls are at an increased risk of all forms of abuse-based violence as they are trapped with their perpetrators and there is less scrutiny,” she told HuffPost UK.
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“The lockdown means people are spending more time together and where a perpetrator might have been going out to work or socialising, there will be more exposure and opportunities for abuse.
“The increasing pressures of the situation can see a relationship that was unhappy and unhealthy escalate into violence.
“There will also be increased opportunities for perpetrators to exert control whether that’s about leaving the house, financial control or enforcing certain behaviours.”
Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of Agenda
She added: “It’s important to point out that coronavirus and lockdown don’t cause abuse. Don’t blame the virus as perpetrators are responsible for their behaviour.”
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Olchawski said the lockdown will be making it more difficult for women to seek help, particularly as many support organisations are under incredible pressure.
“It is difficult to even make a phone call when you are trapped in the same house as your abuser.
“The most disadvantaged women might not have access to a mobile phone or the internet and may only have been able to access face-to-face services which they can’t do at the moment.
“Support organisations are also under a lot of pressure. They were already in a very difficult funding environment and are now seeing falls in their income, an increase in demand and a necessity to change their working conditions.
“Although it is a very difficult time and the government and services are under great pressure, we need to prepare for plans after lockdown.
“Although we have already seen a spike in reporting, I think we will see a bigger one when women are eventually able to get away from their perpetrators and reach out to people they trust.
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“At the moment, it is all happening behind closed doors but when these women have the freedom to access help and escape after lockdown, we need to make sure they are not abandoned.”
The victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Vera Baird, says the increased death figures for women who have been killed by men are very troubling.
Dame Vera Baird, victims’ commissioner for England and Wales
“People who are already trapped in coercively controlled relationships will be locked up together 24 hours a day and things are more likely to escalate into violence,” she said to HuffPost UK.
“The growing levels of tension and intensity might even see those with fraying relationships which are unhappy but not actually abusive possibly escalate into abuse due to proximity and monotony.”
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She added: “No one is saying that coronavirus lockdown isn’t essential, because it is.
“However, all countries have seen an increase in domestic abuse during lockdown so we need to make sure there are strategies to protect people and we have to give people maximum opportunities to escape from this abuse.”
“I think there should be emergency provision in supermarkets and pharmacies."” - Dame Vera Baird, victims’ commissioner for England and Wales
Dame Vera welcomed the fact that home secretary Priti Patel made it clear that those suffering domestic abuse should seek help and that services are open and it is a lawful reason to leave the house to escape an abusive relationship.
However, she has called for more places where women can seek emergency help.
“I think there should be emergency provision in supermarkets and pharmacies as a controlled person might still get sent out to do the shopping,” she said.
“Supermarket staff could be given basic training about what to do if someone came to them and either said they were in an abusive relationship or used a code word to highlight they need help.”
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Helen Victoria, who lives in Birmingham, told HuffPost UK that she was involved in a highly abusive and controlling relationship between the ages of 15 and 23 and can understand what it must be like to be trapped in a home with an abusive partner.
The 31-year-old said for the first few years of the relationship, everything was fine. But life changed after they bought a house and moved in together when she was 19.
She described how it was the incidents of manipulation and control which were far worse than the huge rows.
“I was controlled and manipulated and made to feel like I was crazy. I felt trapped in that house and as if I could not reach out to anyone.”” - Helen Victoria, Living Liberte
“It would start off with lots of questions and playing on my insecurities. If I was going out with friends, he would ask why I didn’t want to stay at home with him.
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“I was training to be a dancer and he would question why I wanted to wear leotards and would say I was selfish and things like: ‘I thought you were a nice girl.’
“Once you put that element of doubt in someone’s mind, it is easier to further manipulate them.
“He knew me very well by that point and recognised the things that made me feel insecure such as my weight. If I put a spoonful of mayonnaise on my plate, he would raise an eyebrow and I would feel terrible.
“It took me a long time to be able to eat properly and not question myself even after the relationship ended.
“It is the little things that devalue you that stay with you and are worse than the big blow up rows.”
Helen Victoria Helen Victoria
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Helen said it is the manipulating and confusion that is the hardest thing to deal with in an abusive relationship and it takes a long time to recognise it is conditioning of your psyche and not love.
“He had financial control over me and wanted to know exactly what I was spending my money on. If I did something like move his phone from the table, he would give me Chinese burns.
“I was controlled and manipulated and made to feel like I was crazy. I felt trapped in that house and as if I could not reach out to anyone.”
Helen says she used to constantly search on the internet and type in the words: “Is it normal when he …?” She even searched for refuges and support groups but found they were aimed at people older than her.
Since leaving the abusive relationship, Helen had a lot of therapy and is now in a healthy relationship.
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She now runs a social enterprise called Living Liberte in Birmingham that aims to prevent future domestic abuse by providing relationship education to young people.
Helen told HuffPost UK she has seen a rise of almost double in new enquiries for mentoring she offers through her social enterprise since lockdown began and has also been contacted by young women who are trapped in lockdown with abusers.
She said: “It is very common for victims to feel like it is all their fault and also to feel like they don’t want to lose someone they think they love.
“During the coronavirus situation, we need to be aware of people who are affected by abusive relationships.
“When there are so many people dying of the virus, some women may feel they can’t ask for help. This can leave people in very dangerous situations.
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“I only survived my abusive relationship as I had outlets and went out dancing and was able to get out of the house.
“The idea of being on lockdown in the same house with nowhere to go would have been horrendous and my situation would have escalated very quickly.”
Home secretary Priti Patel launched a public awareness campaign to ensure those at risk of domestic abuse during the coronavirus lockdown know where to turn for help.
She also revealed talks were ongoing to provide charities with an additional £2m to bolster helplines and online support.
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Refuge has reported a 25% increase in calls since lockdown began.
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On the first Saturday following lockdown alone, the helpline saw a 65% increase in calls compared with the same day the previous week.
Many domestic abuse charities have also reported a surge in traffic to websites and online services since the lockdown conditions were imposed.
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact: