Care workers' 2020 sacrifices remembered forever in British Library

The sacrifice made by care workers in 2020 in the fight against COVID-19 is being remembered in a book of personal stories to be included in the British Library for future generations.

The book ‘Caring in COVID’ launched by the National Care Forum (NCF), which represents not-for-profit care providers, is a collection of stories revealing how care workers and local communities rose to the challenge to support people who needed it most.

When some of her staff tested positive for COVID-19 at Guy’s Court care home in Lancashire, the home's manager Sally Gregory made the sudden decision to leave her 10-year-old and 13-year-old children with family and move into the care home for 10 weeks.

Sally Gregory, the manager of the care home, run by Sanctuary Care, said: “I have the most wonderful family, who are very understanding. They were fully behind me. Even though I was pleased to return home. If I had to do it again I would do so in a heartbeat.”

Her words made it into the new book and have been read out by Care Minister Helen Whately on Day 16 of the NCF’s digital advent calendar.

Somerset Care’s care home Rowden House also made it into the new book and the Day 8 of the calendar after staff and residents made a music video to Tom Jones’ ‘Delilah’.

'Caring in COVID' can be downloaded from the NCF website.

Vic Rayner, executive director of the NCF, said: “Through the collection of Caring Heroes stories, the reader peeks behind the closed doors and experiences what it was really like for care staff, residents in care homes, and people needing support in their own homes during lockdown.

“This book is more than just a nod to social history; it demonstrates how people’s lives are enriched by the role of those working in the care sector through their creativity, dedication and passion, and through their many skills and talents.”

A care home manager’s poem written and read by Quantum Care’s care manager Claire Doherty about her pandemic experience, is also highlighted on Day 2 of the advent calendar.

In it she talks about “leading her care staff through the dreaded COVID-19”.

Below is an excerpt from her poem:

A Care Manager’s Ode

A lot of people have asked me ‘How has it been?’

Leading my care staff through the dreaded COVID-19.

Not knowing what was coming,

Was one of the scariest parts.

Then when it came into our care home,

It truly broke our hearts.

You see these residents aren’t just people,

They are those whom we’ve grown to love.

So when we saw what was happening,

We began praying to whoever’s listening above.

My staff were scared and coming to me,

For reassurance and to just cry.

I didn’t have the answers for them,

When they kept on asking me ‘Why?’

When it came to our care home there was no testing,

But now it’s every week.

The numbers are still rising in the country,

And the future’s looking bleak.

You see at times it nearly broke me,

But I strengthened for my team.

Now with courage, love and hope in our hearts,

We will fight this COVID-19.