People and The Pandemic The inside story of St Andrews during the greatest challenge of our generation By Matt Hooper
“Covid19 has changed the direction of my life and career, but I am still alive”
“I began 2020 with hope for the future. After a pretty traumatic 2018 which included my housemate passing away, leaving a job after 5 years and consequently moving into 2 further jobs in the space of a month, I couldn’t wait for the year to end. Things could only get better in 2019. They did. In June I started seeing my girlfriend of the last 18 months, Victoria. I was in a decent job, even if it wasn’t my dream career and for the first time in a long while I had certainty in my life and direction. I even made a list of things I wanted to achieve in 2020. I couldn’t wait for this year to begin. In January myself and Victoria went down to see my parents, a daunting step in our relationship, introducing her to my family and then we went to London for a few nights. We stayed in the Premier Inn at London Docklands. Each day and night we would walk past the Excel Centre. Little did we know the future that building was to have over the coming months. On Valentine’s Day I moved out of the house I had been in for four years and to Cupar. It was the first of many things I had planned for this year. Then the world turned upside down. I was due to have a minor operation in March, but predictably I received the phone call to tell me it had been postponed due to the increase in Covid19 cases. Then on March 20 the order came for bars and restaurants to close, so began lockdown for me and 3 very long months in my 1 bedroom flat in Cupar. In July I was anticipating a return to work, and had contacted my employer to ask about procedures when we retuned. Within days I received notification that I would be made redundant. It was a very upsetting moment, not so much for losing the job but for the consequences. Would I be able to pay my rent? Would I have to leave Scotland altogether and go and live with mum and dad in Wiltshire again? After days and nights applying for jobs, 50 in total, I finally got one, back at the Scores Hotel, where I had worked some 9 years previously. I got myself back together again and decided to apply for college. I was accepted and everything was splendid again. Then on November 1 I was made redundant for the second time this year. Covid19 has changed the direction of my life and career, but I am still alive, which is something to herish in a year where so many have perished.”
“It has been a really diifficult year for us, having to close and implement all the processes to make us Covid-secure, but it is necessary. We opened back up in July but then one of the stylists got Covid and we had to close and we each had to self-isolate. I wear a face shield, a mask, apron and gloves to undertake each treatment, but all facial or treatments such as massage, which involve physical contact, has had to stop during the pandemic. We’ve seen a steady increase in trade but its obviously restricted in terms of numbers which we can safely accommodate.”
“Whilst it was difficult for all of us being closed from March to June, Zest has bounced back. I don’t market the business to tourists anyway, so the lack of tourists in the town hasn’t harmed the business too much. The students have a fondness for the cafe and return year after year, so I have focused on marketing to locals and creating a loyal community. If we all work together we can get through this terrble time.”
“Being pregnant during the pandemic was obviously very difficult for me and all of us, and the normal things I did during my first two pregnancies were not possible or very different.
The midwife kindly face timed James at home and showed him the screen explaining everything and then asked if he would like to know the sex of baby.
James got to come to one midwife appointment right at the start and my first scan at twelve weeks.
It was so lovely for her to do this. As he should have been there to share it with me.
After that he was not allowed to come into any of my check ups and the most important one which was my twenty week scan and the gender real. It was so upsetting as its his first child and I just needed the support.
It was so scary going into hospital with mask on and everyone in PPE. For the birth James was not allowed to be with me until I was ready to push the baby out! The most incredible moments of having a child and I was going to do most of it alone. Luckily my birth was so quick we never made hospital and had her on the floor so he seen it all.”
“It was so scary going into hospital with mask on and everyone in PPE. “
www.matthooperphotography.co.uk 2020