In this blog LGIU’s Kim Fellows explores the cycle of emotions associated with enduring a year during the pandemic, from the sadness of seeing grandchildren grow up through a window, to worry over the future of the country and inequality of impacts, to hope at the resilience of communities.
Realising the implications of the restrictive measures announced for lockdown, Cork City Council’s Covid-19 Response Team made an immediate decision to ensure its parks and amenities continued to remain open for public use. A park ranger programme ensured the general public could enjoy parks in a safe manner while promoting social distancing among users.
LGIU’s Alice Creasy provides a personal reflection of the past year of the pandemic, emphasising the transition from the initial appreciation of the opportunities of home working and the slow life to how the mental health impacts of lockdown and winter crept up.
Lauren Pennycook, Senior Policy and Government Relations Advisor for Scotland’s Construction Industry Training Board, talks us through Scotland’s new commitment to net zero by 2045. What changes and training will we need to see in the workforce and what will be local government’s role?
An audio exploration of our week of reflection. Interviews with Cllr Abi Brown, writer Karen Campbell, and LGIU staff. Hosted by Ingrid Koehler and Jonathan Carr-West
LGIU’s Alice Creasy talks to Jacqueline Cassidy, Director of Place2Be for Scotland and Wales. Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity with over 25 years of experience working with pupils, families and staff in UK schools.
Jonathan Silver is the Head of Clinical Engineering at a major London teaching hospital trust. These are extracts from a personal account he has been writing of his experiences in an intensive care unit throughout the pandemic.
Local government has been a key partner of both the NHS and central government in tackling the pandemic, reflects Alan Waters, Leader of Norwich City Council. He looks back on a tumultuous year and considers the direction that post-Covid recovery might take.
One year on from when COVID-19 first hit, the City of Canada Bay takes us through some of the ways they adapted to the pandemic to maintain access to community services and keep citizens connected and supported through the last 12 challenging months.
A year ago the government ordered ‘Everyone in’ and accommodation had to be found for all rough sleepers. Aline Clayson, Rough Sleeping Navigator at Southend on Sea Borough Council takes up the story for us.