3 minute read
A Circle of Care
At this time, we are surrounded by hats. They take different guises, from authoritarian to protection and a vast number of areas in between.
Our key workers have the most hats to wear. We are all adapting to life in the confinement of our own homes. Each member of the household has to make an effort to create harmony for all. A new ‘virtual’ hat for every unfamiliar scene, as tempers fray and we reach the last straw, breathe, we can take a drum roll and run with it.
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‘Lockdown’, it came upon us all. No one was prepared for it. We didn’t expect it. Our lives have changed forever. Our hearts go out to the grief stricken. Condolences are sent to the families and friends that have been touched by Covid-19.
We are all within reach of its persistent grasp. The current crisis has created a wave of loneliness with vulnerable groups more likely to need our help and support. People are focused on getting through this time. Life will not be the same at the other end of the tunnel.
Nurses have cared for patients for over 200 years, associated with a stiff white cap and white apron; they look after the sick in this recognisable and cherished uniform. Doctors began to wear masks and gloves to guard against the
Spanish flu epidemic in 1918. Our medical staff wear hats and scrubs now. This began in 1940, when anaesthesia and operations were carried out in sterile settings. Use of a complete kit was formalised in the 1950s with a whole outfit including surgical caps, hair and beard covers and bouffant caps.
As stocks of these essential items are running low, a cry for help has been launched for clothing manufacturers and the general public to help. Barbour™ was quick off the mark as they, and many other designer brands, ship scrubs to the hospitals in need. Different fabrics support particular jobs in the health service. People all over the country have taken on the stoic task of making individual scrub sets to stem the the circle of care increasing demand.
“They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace,” from the poem by A.A. Milne, this hasn’t changed since the time of ‘Winnie the Pooh’! The Queen’s crown and jewels are housed in the Tower of London and, more recently, the ‘church plate’ from all London centres of worship for safety at this time when churches are closed. These are looked after by the Yeoman Warders nicknamed, ‘Beefeaters’ from the French, ‘buffetier’. The Queen’s Guard are trained to look after the royal household and their bearskin hats date back to Napoleon and the Battle of Waterloo.
The police and army use hats and caps to distinguish themselves as bodies of authority to uphold the law and contain unrest. Rank is defined with caps, motifs and uniform, while protective clothing is worn when deployment is required. These change over time. Police helmets for the Bobby on the beat created a distinctive silhouette back in the day.
Key-workers have come to the foreground, from medical personnel to supermarket staff and everyone in between, too many to mention, in this cycle of living. We are all so grateful; so many services put themselves at risk everyday to help their community. Their hats are sometimes visible but often hidden from view. Tucked into their world, we should add a halo, for their compassion, humility and strength.
As individuals we are small, together we are a force to be reckoned with. In isolation, we have new jobs to adapt to. It is not easy, each part of our lives need a ‘new virtual‘ hat, a large spoon of patience, a giant helping of humour, with a sprinkling of hope. It’s a huge step for neighbours to rally together, friends unite, while key-workers toil on and on with twelve hour shifts. Our children have lost a little piece of their childhood. No one knows what the future will bring.
We all clap for our carers and take our ‘invisible’ hats off to them.
