How can we look forward with hope when we have little clarity over the endgame of our global battle? Somehow we must find positives – small, silver linings in our lives to keep us going. For my partner and I, it is the news we are expecting our second child in October. It seems a lifetime ago since we found out our cheeky, smiley two-year-old boy, Albie, would be having a baby brother or sister. Yet that joyous discovery was just a few weeks ago, before COVID-19 engulfed our lives. For all the meticulous planning involved in the decision to expand our family, a pandemic was unsurprisingly not factored in. At the time, it would have been as unthinkable as basing our finances on winning the EuroMillions (alas yet to happen). But now the microscopic virus is as big a part of our lives as toddler tantrums over crisp consumption (one bag, NOT the whole six pack), flicking between nothing but Hey Duggee, Peppa Pig and Thomas the Tank Engine on TV (Mummy most certainly cannot watch This Morning) and tutting disapprovingly at anyone not standing two metres away from each other. The pandemic is already having an impact on the pregnancy. Given the ‘lockdown’ measures, I wasn’t able to attend the 12-week scan this week to meet our baby for the first time. Even before Boris Johnson’s sombre statement on Monday though, I had decided not to go, as it would have meant leaving Albie in the care of his grandparents. And while I missed out on an unforgettable moment in the parenting journey, I would feel guilty complaining. How could I, given the harrowing scenes in Italy, the stark reality of conference centres being set up as temporary hospitals for thousands of patients and what our heroic NHS frontline staff are going through? It was a small sacrifice – but one which seemed pointless when compared to the small minority who stubbornly and selfishly refused to follow the Government’s advice on social distancing last weekend. Those folk were presumably the same ones who are stripping the supermarket shelves of everything from loo roll to chicken noodle soup – not a good time for pregnancy cravings, I’m told. It is deeply unsettling not knowing what kind of world will greet our unsuspecting bundle of joy. But as the start of this piece recognised, finding the positives is key. Instead of telling tales of panic buyers to our children, we can teach them in years to come about the growing sense of community we have witnessed. Of how we lined the streets to applaud our healthcare workers at 8pm on Thursday, March 26. Of how hundreds of thousands of people signed up in a matter of hours to volunteer to help our most vulnerable citizens. Of how social media was used as a force for good as residents came together to support others. At this moment, we are just so thankful to have something to lift our spirits in early October. We cling to the hope that limits on our basic liberties will be lifted in time for us to introduce our new arrival to friends and family in person – not via video chat. On an individual level I pray I can find that tin or three of (‘ideally Heinz’) chicken noodle soup to ensure my safety during this time of lockdown! *** A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton: Thank you for reading this story on our website. But I also have an urgent plea to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy. Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves. As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: “Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role.” But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days. In addition, please write to your MP urging the Government to provide some additional financial support for local newspapers and their websites like this one and ensuring that supermarkets continue to stock them. I cannot stress enough how important such an intervention would be. We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.