At the end of March, I was told about a Londoner called Annemarie Plas, who was calling on people to come outside their homes to join in a round of applause for NHS workers and everyone on the frontline. Much as I liked the idea, I have to admit, standing by the door with my family just before 8pm that night, I was worried we might look silly if we were the only ones taking part. Two minutes later, our city came together to show our appreciation. I’ll never forget the hairs on the back of my neck standing up, listening to the clapping.
As we went into lockdown, it was clear that the world as we knew it was about to change forever. My first priority throughout this crisis has been to support the effort to protect the NHS and save as many lives as possible. I was, however, extremely concerned about what lockdown would mean for many Londoners. I still am. Without the right support in the months ahead, many could face unemployment, poverty or homelessness. I’ve been working on initiatives that will help us during what’s going to be an extremely difficult time and ensure that we recover.
I’m lucky. I have a decent-sized home, a garden and my family, who all get on, around me. But like all of us, I need to work to maintain my mental health and keep my spirits up. My walks with our dog Luna are a lifesaver but, to be honest, I’ve found the last few weeks really tough. Talking to my wife and daughters helps. None of us are superhuman.
Whether it’s donating food or phoning lonely or isolated neighbours, the acts of charity, kindness and solidarity we’ve seen have been playing a key role in fighting this virus and keeping our communities strong. That’s why we launched #LondonTogether – which is about sharing positive news of community and volunteering efforts in response to this crisis. Last week, the campaign focused on food banks, and this week it’s the Pay it Forward initiative – set up to help small businesses struggling due to the impact of the coronavirus. We know that people highly value their local and independent shops, restaurants and other small businesses and we are giving them the chance to pay for goods and services now, in advance, so that they can continue to enjoy them in the future.
Life won’t return to what it was before. Coronavirus has exposed the fragility in our society and deep flaws in our economy – such as the number of people in low-paid, insecure work. This crisis gives us the opportunity to ask ourselves what kind of future we want – and to act to ensure we create a society that is fairer, more equal and more secure for all.
The coronavirus outbreak has impacted every aspect of life, and this includes our culture, creative industries and night-time economy. These industries are the glue that binds us together. Our pubs, cafés, cinemas, theatres and music venues not only bring people together and help to inspire and entertain us, they contribute billions to our economy and support thousands of jobs. We need to support them through this.
As someone who thrives on interaction, I’m looking forward to visiting my coffee shop. These are incredibly challenging times, but London and our country have been through testing times before, from plagues to fires, from the Blitz to terrorist attacks – we have come through these stronger afterwards, and we will do so again, together.
Sadiq is supporting the Pay It Forward initiative as part of the #LondonTogether campaign launched by the Mayor, which invites Londoners to highlight great examples of positive community action and gives much deserved appreciation for the work of our health and care staff, emergency services, key workers and volunteers through the Coronavirus crises. Through Pay it Forward, the initiative allows businesses and supportive members of the public to pre-pay for goods and services to help small businesses manage their cash flow and stay afloat during lockdown. To find out more, visit https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/
READ MORE: Revealed: The Mental Health Cost Of Lockdown