Once upon a time, the Whitmore family watched an incredible 100 year old man, called Captain Tom walk the length of the garden 100 times on BBC Breakfast News. Thanks to the BBC coverage, he raised a phenomenal amount of money for the NHS. This set us thinking how can we help those in need.

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Maxine asked her good friend Paula to help her to interpret a song called 'A Little Bit of Love' with Makaton signs. Then she asked other local Speech & Language Therapy colleagues to help her make an online video using Makaton signs. Hence Maxine’s Makaton Choir was born.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0peXfvx8Yo&list=PLEDtq4pOIPMiRDcx08LVStbBQDi57o6w8

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Maxine had planned to use a large collection of yellow plastic ducks in a school project. Then the school went into lockdown, leaving Maxine with many ducks going nowhere.

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Our family came together to have fun racing ducks both on wheels and on water. We created a fun race day for all the family to enjoy.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrMWuZ3PEGE

 

During Lockdown more and more families needed help, and this will continue for some time afterwards. A newsletter from an organisation with a long history of helping families in need came through our letterbox.

 

The Salvation Army are responding to the impact of the virus in many ways. They are keeping food banks supplied and open, helping the homeless, providing counselling and supporting the elderly and those living alone. They continue to support the most affected, most marginalised and the most isolated people.

 

This newsletter drove our determination to help others in need through our Duck Races.