Cancelled Big Events

It is no exaggeration to say our lives were turned utterly upside down by the coronavirus pandemic. On a global scale, but also on a personal level. We woke up every morning with a sense of dread as to what terrifying developments the days held. And as more and more restrictions were imposed, it was almost impossible not to feel stings of fear as we saw the world we had once known descend into COVID induced chaos and confusion.

In March, Boris Johnson announced what once would have been unthinkable – that we must leave our homes only when essential. In those dark days it seemed the only thing that was certain was that events which used to simply be part of life, like birthday parties, sitting exams and just the basic act of being able to have a haircut, would not be going ahead. And we had no idea when, or if, life would ever be the same again.

Keyworker Kelly Tizzano faced a number of challenges during this time. Not only did she have to continue lessons virtually for her Boston College students during the global emergency, Kelly also assisted her son with his own home learning, helped relocate the hair salon she co-owns and coped with the disappointment of having to cancel a surprise birthday party she had organised for her lifelong friend.

Kelly, who is a Business Management Lecturer at Boston College, spent three months teaching her 80 students online in the unprecedented circumstances that we were all thrown into due to COVID.

And because the whole country was plunged into Lockdown, enjoying a Friday to Monday break at Centre Parcs, which was to double up as a meticulously planned surprise 40th birthday treat for her best friend Becky Lillie, was absolutely impossible.

‘We were supposed to go on April 3,’ Kelly explained. ‘Becky and I have been friends since we were three, and it was her 40th birthday on April 10. We were supposed to be going away on the last weekend of her 30s. Planning for it started in November, without her knowing, and there were supposed to be eight of us going in total. We were just going to have a girly giggle – a really good time. I’d even got her 40 little presents!

‘A couple of weeks before we were due to go away, we all realised it wasn’t going to go ahead. It was so disappointing. It’s also been impossible to rebook, because we have to find a date that suits us all – a new date will have to fit in around the hockey season, and everyone’s jobs, for example. The weekend in April was the only one we could all do!

‘Becky had already done the same thing for me in September, the month before my 40th birthday. We both love Center Parcs! It’s our special place, because when it first opened, I think when we were eight years old, our mums took us there.’

So much planning had gone into the girls’ three night getaway, especially as it was a complete surprise for Becky, but unfortunately, as with so many birthdays, breaks and big once in a lifetime events, it just was not to be.

It seems the saying that things happen in threes is certainly true for Kelly, because the hair salon which she co-owns, Salon Alchemy, moved to a new home during the pandemic – about a year earlier than planned.

The business had been based in Oldrids in the centre of Boston for a number of years, but as the time neared for hair salons to finally open their doors, the department store’s did not. Salon Alchemy had been planning to relocate to Boston Market Place – but not until April 2021 – so their staff and tradespeople pulled out all the stops to get it up and running in time.

Kelly said, ‘they took it from the shell that it was and totally transformed it. We were fully booked for five weeks, back to back, because our 

clients hadn’t been able to get their hair cut during Lockdown. We had to be able to welcome them for their appointments.’

And in just a short space of time, thanks to working day and night, the new salon took shape, and since opening has been greeted by a great reception from clients and Boston businesses alike.

Once restrictions were eased, across the country many people were beyond grateful to finally get their hair cut. Some salons even started snipping at midnight on July 4, the date when they were allowed to reopen. Some saw socially distanced queues snaking down the street, with people desperate for a trim – we had been waiting I were going to go to for months after all! Having a haircut became Peterborough for a very different to what it once was, however, with meal, and then to see a stylists and customers alike covering their faces, band called Red Method protective equipment being the norm, and no afterwards at The Met more magazines to flick through. Lounge. We’d got our

Another big birthday celebration that didn’t go tickets, designated a according to plan was Jo Wright’s 40th. Jo had driver, planned what we hoped that turning 40 would involve not one, but were going to wear and two celebrations. The first was set to be a civilised where we were going to meal with family at a local restaurant, followed, a stand, and were all really few days later, by a raucous night out with friends excited. which was supposed to involve more food, much ‘A couple of weeks before my actual birthday, more alcohol, and a very heavy live rock band. Jo I could see that the way things were going, there also had her fingers crossed that she would be was no way any of this would be happening. So gifted a nice new I wasn’t disappointed I necklace to mark couldn’t mark my 40th her special birthday birthday in the ways I when life supposedly had planned, because it begins. came as no surprise to be

Jo said, ‘my 40th completely locked down. birthday was on ‘Luckily, I ran a half March 24, and I was marathon in Long Sutton given a beautiful on March 15, and my family Tiffany necklace. and I had our tea out that Unfortunately, the evening to mark the fact only place I could that I made it around in one wear it for the piece! We treated that as next few months my birthday meal, so even was either to the though I didn’t get to go supermarket or out on my birthday, I felt as walking the dog. though I had already had a Not quite what I had really lovely celebration. planned! ‘But I can honestly say

‘I hadn’t organised that my Lockdown birthday a big party. My was my favourite ever. My husband, children best friend made me an and I were just going amazing cake in the shape to go to our village n Jo with her 40th birthday cake of our dog Otis, and that pub for a meal with family on my actual birthday, lasted us for about a fortnight because there was and then on Friday, March 27, my friends and no one to share it with – just myself, my husband

and my two children. ‘Our cupboards weren’t very well stocked, because we had been trying not to go out to the shops and had been eating what we already had in, so it was really lovely to have a nice cake to enjoy. I think my family were getting fed up of eating canned fruit or custard creams for pudding.

‘Randomly, my uncle gave me a huge packet of toilet rolls, which was also gratefully received because panic buying meant it was virtually impossible to get hold of any.

‘My neighbours gave me some thoughtful gifts – left at our doorstep and also passed over our fence! Their kindness absolutely made my day. Friends I would have seen out and about preCOVID took the time to ring me, which made me feel really loved.

‘Of course, we couldn’t go out for a meal as planned, but we ordered fillet steak from The Chequers butchery in Weston, which was a massive treat – because my husband cooked it, and also because I try to follow a mainly vegetarian diet, despite my love of steak, lasagne and fish!

‘I had a virtual catch up on Zoom with some of my friends a few days after my birthday. It felt pretty surreal – the idea that we had to talk to each other via a computer screen because we literally were not allowed to meet in real life.

‘I don’t think we will be able to see live bands any time soon, so from that point of view I can’t really rearrange my birthday celebration. But it’s lovely to be able to eat out again, and I will never, ever take being with my friends for granted.’