During England’s first national lockdown last year, millions up and down the country took part in the weekly Clap For Carers and now the campaign will officially return this week.
Annemarie Plas – the woman who started Clap for Carers in March before ending it on May 28th – has today revealed her plans to bring back the 8pm applause this Thursday to ‘lift spirits’ during England’s third lockdown.
Ms Plas tweeted today: “We are bringing back the 8pm applause, in our 3rd lockdown I hope it can lift the spirit, of all of us.
“Carers teacher, homeschooling parents, those who shield and ALL who is pushing through this difficult time! Please join & share!”
While the original campaign begun as a way to show our appreciation for NHS and care staff on the frontline, the new Clap For Carers will be extended to say thanks to “every hero who has played their part through the pandemic”.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Ms Plas said: “It will be different this time, it’s not a surprise to us what will happen but it will still be bloody challenging.
“My hope is that it will have the same response, to set it up in a day is a bit of a challenge but I will be going out with a spoon and a pan to activate people on my street.
“I was waiting to start it up for the anniversary in March but life is full of surprises and we entered another lockdown on Monday.
“We want to include all the heroes of the NHS who work tirelessly round the clock and all the jobs around that.
“We want to applaud all those people who are shielding. I haven’t hugged my father in a year because he is vulnerable so it will be for him and others going through the same.
“The heroes include parents with children who now have had their schools closed after one day and will now have to juggle work with childcare.”