“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” – and for most of us this ended in mid-March 2020 when the number of COVID-19 infected people in Europe doubled daily and Italy and Spain declared a lockdown.
I literally made it back from Malta before the airport was closed. Back in London it was time to act in the uncertainty and for crisis management of a crisis that none of us had ever experienced before.
Discussions with anxious employees, juggling figures, budget corrections, scenario A, B, C, D and non-stop calls with investors and consultants. There was no time at all for one´s own insecurity and fear, as I was expected to be strong and professional for the others.
Finally, after days of trembling, Boris Johnson announced the lockdown for the UK on March 23rd, 2020 – closing all non-essential businesses, including restaurants, bars, theatres and clubs for at least three weeks. Although the news was still announced with English politeness, the message was more than clear: “Stay at home – Protect the NHS – Safe lives”.
The shock sat deep in the first days, especially when it became clear that the generous government support did not apply to me as a recently self-employed person. But beyond that one thing was clear – I could not and would not keep sitting back on my sofa at home for weeks while others outside were risking their lives in more than difficult circumstances. If there is a way to support these people, I will do it! …
And that’s when I found the West London NHS Trust’s post through a friend on Facebook … time to step out of my comfort zone!