Liverpool photo wins National Lockdown Photography Competition

ENTRANTS to the competition were asked to share photos of their daily walks during Lockdown, on social media. The competition ran for 7 weeks during February and March 2021, and each week had a different colour for inspiration.

Jemma Street from Liverpool won for yellow week, with an image taken of her daughter on a local walk. The rest of the winners hailed from Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Portsmouth.

Living Streets helped people stay active during Lockdown by providing free walking resources and activities for all ages, along with advice on how to walk whilst following Covid19 restrictions. The charity launched the competition to help people keep their local walks interesting by taking the time to stop, look and connect with their surroundings.

Jemma Street, Liverpool (Yellow week winner) said:- "Taking my 6 year old daughter for her daily walk around the local neighbourhood during Lockdown has been a real lifesaver for us, both mentally and physically. We have always walked to our local shops and parks, as well as to School every day, but somehow getting outdoors has felt much more precious since the Pandemic began. Seldom a day goes by when we don't bump into a friend on our walks. These brief points of contact, even a quick wave or a 'hello' from the other side of a road, have really helped keep our spirits up and lessened the inevitable feelings of isolation brought on by Lockdown."

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said:- "Staying local has meant we have discovered new places, met new people and explored our local area as never before. These winning photographs are a celebration of the rich visual landscape which is right on our doorstep. As Lockdown eases and we travel further afield, we hope these photographs act as a reminder of the quiet, everyday joy that a short walk can bring."

May is Living Streets' National Walking Month and the charity wants people to keep up their new walking habit and make a pledge to 'Walk this May.'

Living Streets has launched an online pledge, asking people to swap a number of short car journeys to walking during May 2021. After completing the pledge, people will be shown the cash savings they have made from reduced fuel costs, the carbon dioxide reduction of fewer car journeys and the health benefits they've made from walking.

Find out more at:- LivingStreets.Org.UK/WalkThisMay.
 

Paper gives voice to those bereaved during the Pandemic

THE 1st paper to give voice to those bereaved during the Covid19 Pandemic has been published in Palliative Medicine. Researchers, at the Universities of Liverpool, Oxford and Sheffield, explores the impact of restricted visiting to Hospitals and Care Homes due to Covid19 on relatives’ experience of their loved one's final days.

The study makes important recommendations for Health and Social Care professionals providing end of life care during a Pandemic:-

► Prioritise connectedness between patients and relatives using video and telephone calls.

► Provide relatives with regular telephone updates about personal aspects of care (such as what they had eaten and if they had been able to communicate).

► Offer advice and guidance about how to prepare children for the death of a loved 1.

► Facilitate opportunities for relatives to:- "say goodbye" in person before death wherever possible.

The research team says that adopting these recommendations is important as previous research shows when the needs of relatives are addressed at the time a family member is dying, they cope and adjust better in bereavement with improved psychological outcomes and satisfaction with end of life care.

During the Pandemic, relatives report that they are aware of the multiple demands on Health and Social Care professionals and felt they are:- "doing their best given the situation," but identify practical changes that could have made a difference to their experience of bereavement and loss.

Study co-lead, Dr Stephen Mason, Research and Development Lead for the Palliative Care Unit, University of Liverpool said:- "Our analysis of the experiences of bereaved relatives and Health and Social Care professionals continues, with the hope of providing further insights in how we can maintain and potentially improve care within the limitations of necessary Pandemic Public Health Restrictions."

Lead author, Dr Jeff Hanna, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, said:- "This timely research reports important recommendations for Health and Social Care professionals as they provide end of life care during a Pandemic. They have a pivotal role in facilitating vital interactions between relatives and their loved ones. The vast number of deaths in the UK means this work provides salient lessons for supporting families at end of life."

Study co-lead, Dr Catriona Mayland, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, said:- "Health and Social Care professionals had very little time to prepare or train for the impact of the pandemic. They faced an increased workload with competing demands and heightened complexity."

This research is funded by Westminster Foundation and Yorkshire Cancer Research.  The full paper can be found here.