How we battled through the dark days of pandemic
AS what has now been dubbed ‘Freedom Day’ approaches, we are taking a look back at how life has changed since the pandemic arrived in March 2020.
We have seen the best and worst in Rochdale, from people losing loved ones, to others who did all they could to help others, from shopping and deliveries for those who are shielding, and the live-streaming of events, to Zoom parties with friends, and the arrival of testing vans, and now, the vaccine.
Man of the restrictions are set to be lifted in England on Monday.
THE First lockdown measures began on March 16, 2020. The rules required people to stay home, avoid contact, and to only leave the house for food shopping or for one hour of exercise per day.
Pictures showed Rochdale streets totally deserted as people followed the “stay home and save lives” mantra.
On April 2,
Rochdale’s MP Tony Lloyd spent 25 days in hospital, and was put in an induced coma - he managed to make an almost full recovery, however, at this point it was not known that ‘long covid’ existed.
At first people were optimistic, as PM Boris Johnson said the UK could beat the
Leo Pouler received a community hero award in November 2020 for making others smile and collecting selection boxes for families in need virus “in 12 weeks.” Councillor Allen Brett, then leader of Rochdale Council, reassured residents saying he expected lockdown to last for up to 12 weeks and the council was using its reserve to support its workers and keep services running.
Despite this, some residents continued to try and keep people’s spirits up.
A Norden man praised his wife’s kind-hearted efforts to keep her community smiling through the challenges of lockdown.
Jo Nixon put in an extra effort to brighten customers’ days at her home-run balloon decoration company Perfect Balloons, even if their planned celebrations have been cancelled due to the virus outbreak.
Husband Howard said she was a “wonderful, selfless lady” who had been dedicated in adapting to social distancing measures in order to deliver to customers, as well as making donations to healthcare workers.
On May 10
the PM announced plans for schools to reopen on June 1, and for people to take unlimited exercise. People were encouraged to go back to work if they could.
However in Rochdale, concerns were raised.
Councillors feared that low-paid staff could be forced to return to unsafe workplaces for fear of losing their jobs.
As people began to venture outside again, masks became mandatory in shops and most public areas.
As people got to grips with the new normal, many events moved online - in Rochdale, that happened with Dippy the Dinosaur.
More than 110,000 people had visited Dippy in Rochdale before the exhibition was put on hold due to lockdown. Organisers teamed up to create an online walkthrough of the exhibition, meaning you could see Dippy without leaving home.
Covid tests also became a regular thing and testing centres popped up in the town centre and at Hopwood Hall College.
pubs, restaurants and hairdressers were allowed to reopen.
Pubs in Rochdale expressed their joy but some introduced their own additional guidelines to manage demand - including Littleborough’s Wheatsheaf, which decided not to take bookings after some people called up trying to reserve a table for the entire day.
At the time, landlord Matthew Shaw said: “Some of our regulars will come and spend the whole day in the pub just for the company. We didn’t want to be in the position of having to turn out people who support us all the time.”
Tom Mcneeney, one of the directors of The Lancashire Hospitality Co-operation, which re-opened its venues the Flying Horse Hotel in Rochdale town centre, the Hare on the Hill in Littleborough and the Red Lion in Whitworth, said: “People want to come out and support us and see us back in business - the response has been amazing.”
However, he added that pubs had ‘absolutely not’ had enough time to prepare for reopening, with less than 10 working days notice to ensure they could oper
On July 4, 2020
ate with social distancing, table service only and with measures in place to record customer data.
Tiers were also announced in July, and Rochdale spent most of the lockdown in Tier 3, which was the toughest level of restrictions, as did most of northern England.
After a summer which saw a surge in littering, illegal lcokdown parties and a huge surge of cases, new measures came into force on
The ‘rule of six’ was introduced, which made it illegal for more than six people to socialise in any setting.
The rules for the borough remained unchanged for a few weeks. There was a ban on two households mixing indoors - and in gardens.
just in time for winter, another firebreak lockdown came into force in a desperate bid to clamp down on cases.
The same rules applied as in the first lockdown, and was intended to be for a month.
Some local residents still made the effort to lift spirits.
A visually impaired sixyear-old boy received an award for his efforts to brighten up people’s lives in the pandemic.
Leo Poulter, from Whitworth, received Rochdale Style’s Young Community Hero award in November.
Leo, a keen dancer, broke his arm around the start of the pandemic, which prevented him from doing his favourite activity.
As a result, he created an obstacle course out of chalk on his road, originally for himself, but when other people began taking part, he extended it all the way up the road. He also grew sunflowers and laid them outside for people to take.
Not done there, he also collected more than 200 selection boxes to give to families in need and foodbanks for Christmas.
His mum said: “He did the sunflowers just to make people smile.”
The pandemic delivered another blow in Rochdale when it was reported on
that the Wheatsheaf shopping centre would not reopen after lockdown was over.
September 14. On November 5, November 25
MCR Property Group, which managed the struggling centre, indicated that the pandemic has been the final nail in the coffin.
was a strange event for many, with a planned week of mixing suddenly scrapped and people told they could only meet each other on Christmas Day.
Planned events hurriedly went online.
Wardle bands hosted a virtual carol service.
As we reported: “The bands are currently rehearsing, so those who enjoy their annual carol service on Christmas Eve around the village Christmas tree will still be able to take part.
“Youth bands from Wardle Academy, have previously raised over £1,000 for Rochdale Hospice through donations for the carol sheet.
“This year, a link to a fundraising page for the hospice so well-wishers are still able to donate.”
Virtual lights switch-ons had already been planned,
Christmas
with Rochdale’s free to watch on the council’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Rochdale also remained in Tier 3 the entire time.
Speaking as council leader last December, Coun Allen Brett, said: “We believe that remaining in Tier three is necessary until there has been a bigger fall in our infection rate.
“We are still very concerned about the infection rate, and how the recent decline in the number of cases has slowed.
“Remaining in tier three gives us the best chance of limiting the impact of a third wave of infections which the experts are telling us to expect after Christmas.
“We know it is incredibly difficult for our businesses who are already suffering but it is vital that we continue to control the virus at this crucial stage.”
England went into a third lockdown on and a sense of apathy overtook the country, with no more clapping for carers
January 6,
and fewer socially tanced events.
The plan was to reopen the country on June 18, which was delayed by a month due to the surge in cases caused by the Delta variant, a mutation of Covid-19 which first surdisfaced in India.
At the beginning of 2021, after a cold, dark, wet winter in lockdown, a ray of hope appeared as the biggest ever vaccination programme in the UK began its rollout.
Care home workers and those aged over 80 had been receiving the jab at the council’s Number One Riverside offices from December 16.
However, in Rochdale, it wasn’t a smooth process - on January 14, we reported: “People in Rochdale have had their coronavirus jab appointments cancelled due to a delay in the delivery of the vaccine.
“To date more than 3,000 first doses have been