The following article by Depute Council Leader Cammy Day was published in today's Edinburgh Evening News:
So, that was 2020. Not the year any of us was expecting, and certainly not one we’ll be in a hurry to repeat! The COVID-19 pandemic brought this great city and thousands more across the globe to a virtual standstill, cancelling almost everything from weddings and festivals to exams, sporting events and family gatherings.
Businesses have been decimated, livelihoods threatened, education disrupted and ‘normal life’ made a distant memory.
Worst of all, though, it’s left a gaping hole in so many families and communities who have lost loved ones to the disease. A loss which will be especially painfully felt at Hogmanay when thoughts turn to our nearest and dearest.
2020 has tested each and every one of us to almost to our limits. Almost. For while we’ve had our lives thrown into chaos, this crisis has also shone a light on some of the most uplifting aspects of our society, not least our ability to pull together and look after each other and our communities.
In Edinburgh, the community spirit we’ve seen and still see is truly humbling. From those organising to shop for their more vulnerable neighbours, children painting stones to spread cheer in their local parks, Christmas-crazy residents raising money though dazzling festive lights displays to the smaller but no less comforting gestures of a friendly wave or good morning to people you pass in the street, the list of kind and compassionate deeds goes on and on – and I’m sure it will keep on doing so into the New Year, as we head into another very challenging phase of the pandemic.
Our Council colleagues have more than done Edinburgh proud, too. They’ve shown unwavering commitment to keeping essential services running, working 24/7 and pulling out all the stops to look after the city and its people.
Since we first entered lockdown back in March, we’ve:
- delivered 1,800 emergency food parcels to families in need with children under five
- removed 1.2 million items of unsafe PPE from the market
- made 12,000+ premises interventions to check for adequate COVID-19 measures
- run 20,000 sessions for children in key worker schools hubs
- installed miles and miles of dedicated space on roads and pavements to help people physically distance
- distributed £138m in support grants to 12,200 businesses
- issued tens of thousands of news releases and social media posts keeping residents up to date
- answered half a million calls from citizens to our Contact Centre
- and so much more…
It’s been a remarkable collective effort, both at the frontline in our Community Resilience Centres and care homes and in the vital back office roles processing data and keeping the wheels of local democracy turning by moving committee meetings online.
The pandemic has brought a deeper appreciation for the things we maybe took for granted before. Health workers, postal staff, bus and tram drivers, food retailers, local shops and larger organisations – they’ve all worked their socks off too to keep us all well, connected, nourished and supplied.
I know I speak for all councillors when I say we can’t thank everyone in Edinburgh enough, for everything you’ve done to stick to the guidance, look after each other and help the city cope.
As we count this year out and welcome 2021, we know we’re going to face perhaps our toughest time yet. But we’ve shown we’ve got the mettle, the determination and the sense of togetherness to get through this, and the vaccines are on their way.
So let’s face the New Year with hope, with courage and with confidence that things WILL get better.
Keep safe, everyone.