‘At last we can sit in the garden together’

Lawyer and mother of two shazia Vento is excited to be reunited with her sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew

Sisters Shazia and Farah Vento have only been able to meet up twice during the past year, and the separation has been tough for them and also their children, aged three to nine.

“We video call each other, but it’s just not the same,” says Shazia, 43. “Now at last we’re able to meet in our gardens again, and I’m hoping for some good weather over the Easter holidays so we can try to make the most of that.”

While they’re also glad they can meet friends outside, Shazia and her husband Cosma, 47, who is also a lawyer, are most keen for their daughter Sofia and son Zak to be able to socialise and have outdoor play dates once again. “Being three and six, they have completely different interests in terms of what they play with,” says Shazia. “You can tell that they miss the interaction. It’s so important at their age.”

Sofia returned to school earlier this month, but Zak is yet to start nursery, and hasn’t had the chance to play with other children. “It’s Zak who I feel has really missed out,” says Shazia. “He’s never really had the chance to socialise with other children, even things like learning how to share and play nicely. He’s had two birthdays in lockdown and I don’t know if he remembers a time when we did things. Sometimes I wonder, ‘Does he think this is life?’ ”

Now that her mother Farida, who’s 76 and living in the family home, has received both doses of the vaccine, Shazia feels more confident. And Farah will be the first person invited over. “She’s my priority,” says Shazia. “I’m going to order one of those home-delivery cream tea boxes and we’ll sit in the garden and eat and drink tea together.”