Magdalena's Piddlehinton Story: But actually, I am a very positive person. I feel that after the bottom line there will be an up – but I don’t know where will be the bottom line for the world yet.
oral history
“What I have now realised is that inactivity creates low points for me, particularly when it’s forced.”
Rupert's Piddlehinton Story: Although, while I hate saying there there’s ever a positive to a deal falling through, absolutely 100% I wouldn’t want to be in a big-rent pub at this particular moment.
“I wonder if life will just go back to how it was before. I think there’s the risk that we don’t remember how lovely it was when things slowed.”
Tracey and Pete's Piddlehinton Stories: We still dance in the kitchen. We put on our Country and Western music and dance around the island, usually on a Sunday morning.
“I did enjoy going on the BBC, although I thought I made a right boob of it.”
Jim's Piddlehinton Story: I think it’s wonderful that they all took notice, I couldn’t believe it.
“Wearing the PPE hood meant I had a constant wooshing noise in my ears, as well as trying to listen to the hand-over or my patients’ vital signs. It was claustrophobic and exhausting.”
Abi's Piddlehinton Story: But things like the village leaving flowers on my doorstep? Hell yeah, that made such a difference to me.
“I suppose I’d say, with St Paul, that with whatever situation I find myself in, I’ve learnt therewith to be content.”
Alan's Piddlehinton Story: Mary and I met when I was... probably sixteen? I guess we’ve now been together more than sixty years.
“Whenever there’s been a disaster, in re-forming the pieces one does have the opportunity to make the world better.”
Imani's Piddlehinton Story: Although I think probably the hardest thing for young people is wondering, ‘Am I ever going to have sex again?'
“Re-opening in July, we’d worked out we’d lose £60,000 by the end of the year.”
Emma-Jayne and Michal's Piddlehinton Stories: But when we see what's happened to friends in the trade, we know we're the lucky ones.
“I was so worried, thinking we’d kill each other. But it was all actually ok.”
Elise's Piddlehinton Story: We're a strange bunch really. We do fit in but we're always... we're not rural, we're not second homers, who are we?
“Although I feel that Covid took my business away from me, at the same time I feel it’s what we needed.”
Tracey and Holly's Piddlehinton Stories: I have been very materialistic - very orientated towards earning money to provide, to give the kids as much as I could. The virus has made me think, actually there's more important things than work.
“I’m probably the best-known opera singer ever to come out of Barnsley”
John's Piddlehinton Story: Sadly, I think that the opera I knew won't exist post Covid. No more spending £5 million on a new production of just four or five shows.
“Having to do everything on our own has made us feel empowered as new parents.”
Juno's Piddlehinton Story: I was on a ward that was eerily quiet, with every person I saw wearing full PPE. So I was really touched when a nurse took her mask off at the doorway so that I could see just one person's face.
“Now I’m on the bandwagon, I’m ready to make more banners.”
Sarah's Piddlehinton Story: Lockdown has made me stronger. I've always been a person who'd say yes to everything, but now I've also learnt the benefits of saying no.
“Covid’s Given Me the Perfect Excuse to Do What I’ve Always Wanted.”
Vickey's Piddlehinton Story: Covid has also been a complete leveller. It's out to get everybody but it's also out to show us how we've got to live: more fairly, more justly and in a more community-based way.
19 Silver Linings 