5 Happy News Stories To Get Us Through The Week
In last week’s posi news, Queenie got us all choked up with her moving VE Day speech, there were more life-affirming Covid-19 recovery stories and socially distanced gastro-greenhouses were piloted in Amsterdam. Here’s a little summary of the happy news stories getting us through life on lockdown.
‘Never give up, never despair’: The Queen’s VE Day speech
The Queen addressed the nation in her moving Victory in Europe Day speech, marking the 75th anniversary since the end of the Second World War.
The address took place at 9pm on 8th May, the same day and time her father, King George VI, delivered his speech back in 1945. She led tributes to the wartime generation and spoke of the sacrifices made for us to live in peace; they died so we could live as free people.
As we observed a two-minute silence from our homes and celebrated VE Day from our doorsteps this year, the Queen reflected on this unique day of remembrance taking place during lockdown and drew parallels between the wartime generation and those now facing the coronavirus pandemic.
She said, “Today it may seem hard that we cannot mark this special anniversary as we would wish.
“Instead we remember from our homes and our doorsteps.
“But our streets are not empty; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other.
“And when I look at our country today, and see what we are willing to do to protect and support one another, I say with pride that we are still a nation those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen would recognise and admire.”
Once again, she reminded us all that we’re stronger than we know. “Never give up, never despair” – that was the message of this VE Day.
And the award for dad of the year goes to…
Due to the pandemic, travel plans are on hold and holidays have been cancelled but where there’s a DIY dad, there’s a way.
After this family’s ski trip was cut short due to coronavirus lockdown, Steve Cross, from Hertfordshire, built a DIY ski lift in their garden for his two kids to play on. And it’s genius.
Unable to take his two daughters on their annual ski trip, he decided to bring the slopes to them instead. The father of two managed to craft a dry ski slope and chair lift complete with a manual pulley system and it’s basically as good as the real thing.
All in a day’s work! Is it wrong that we want a go?
Socially distanced dining in Amsterdam
Are you missing eating out at your favourite restaurants during lockdown? You’re not alone. As lockdown restrictions are gradually lifted, restauranteurs are coming up with innovative ways to make socially distanced dining a way of life.
Mediamatic ETEN, a plant-based restaurant in Amsterdam, is trialling a new concept which will see customers from the same household dining in individual pods or Serres Séparées. Staff will be wearing protective shields to alleviate any risk of infection and meals will be served to diners on long wooden boards which can be slid through the greenhouse door and onto the table. The chambers are far apart from each other to ensure minimal contact between customers.
They are currently trialling the concept with friends and family only, as they await government permission to reopen. Fingers crossed gastro-greenhouses take off.
Fighting spirit!
A 113-year old woman, believed to be the oldest woman in Spain, has recovered from coronavirus.
Maria Branyas spent weeks in isolation after being diagnosed with Covid-19 but has now beaten the virus, having only suffered with minor symptoms.
This means she has now lived through the flu pandemic, two world wars, Spanish civil war and the coronavirus outbreak. When asked for her secret to a long life, Branyas told Spanish newspaper, La Vanguardia, “I have done nothing but live.” No, you’re crying.
A forest for the future
Volunteers working for Trees for Life have been isolating at the charity’s Dundreggan rewilding estate in Glenmoriston to save tens of thousands of native trees from being lost during the coronavirus lockdown.
The saplings were all grown from seed in a specialised nursery in Dundreggan and were due for planting this Spring as part of an initiative to restore Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest.
“We were all set for another busy season of preparing thousands of young native trees for planting on the hills by our volunteers, when the coronavirus crisis forced the postponement of this spring’s tree planting – meaning tens of thousands of young trees have not left our nursery as planned,” said Mr Gilbert, Trees for Life’s Dundreggan manager.
“But nature isn’t in lockdown. All these precious trees have been coming into leaf, and we need to take care of them – especially in the dry weather we’ve been having. Without regular watering, they would all die. We also needed to start sowing new seed now, to ensure a supply of trees for future planting seasons.
“We’re here in isolation for the long-haul if needs be, together with a growing forest for the future.”
