Looking Back At Lockdown Archives

Introduction The Coronavirus pandemic has been a life-changing event for everyone across the globe. It’s defined our recent shared experiences and filtered them into ‘before’ and ‘after’ categories. Before – when we thought nothing of hugging strangers and being shoulder to shoulder in crowds of people, when working from home was the domain of a few self-employed people and when we could plan ahead with certainty. And after. A whole new vocabulary – lateral flow testing, Zoom calls, social distancing, lockdowns and bubbles. We all became trainee virologists, epidemiologists and statisticians. We took walks, appreciating nature more than ever, made banana bread and took up new hobbies. Or we buckled down in our key worker jobs, committed to keeping the country going. We home schooled, volunteered to vaccinate, reimagined our businesses online and found new ways to keep in touch with old friends. And though the pandemic, and the various lockdowns, affected everyone, they did so in very different ways. We all have different physical and mental health, different jobs, and different families, creating unique personal circumstances. Each of these things influenced our experiences of the first lockdown in March 2020, and those that followed as the pandemic shifted and changed and new waves came. In celebration of that, Looking Back at Lockdown was a chance to interview 5 individuals and 1 family, about their experiences. I spoke to each of them (on Zoom, of course!) to find out how the events of the last couple of years have been for them; what they did to get through, what they discovered about themselves and the things they will remember about the Coronavirus pandemic. The interviews that follow are edited down versions of our conversations, but all in the words of the interviewees. The accompanying artwork is a creative response to our conversations and a visual representation of the themes that came out of them. Enjoy and stay safe!Becci SharrockWriter and Illustratorwww.beccisharrock.comTwitter: @INKproducer "When we think back on the last 2 and a bit years, it's such a bizarre mix of emotions. We wanted to create something that showed some of the experiences of Corby people throughout this unprecedented time. Stories of love and loss, adversity and resilience. I am truly thankful to Ann, Belinda, George, Helen, Judy, Karl, Lisa and Paul for sharing your stories with us and allowing us to create a snapshot of a time where all our lives changed significantly. Thank you also to Becci Sharrock for compiling the stories and illustrations with such care and compassion." Vicky Frayard, Producer (Made With Many) Flick through the book online HERE Updates For future updates on Made With Many news, events and opportunities please sign up to the e-newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn – or Get Inspired on our website. Published 6th September 2022