So, the Prime Minister has made a further announcement about the rules and the release from lockdown and now people can gather in public, and private, open spaces in groups of up to six. So, that’s people also not from your own household. You can be in groups of six but only on the condition that you keep those social distancing rules of keeping two metres apart. It’s really vital that people follow those rules so that we can stop the spread of this virus and stop a second wave happening.
Also, I know it’s going to be very hot this weekend and people will want to go out into our parks. Follow the rules. Our children’s play areas are still not open, so please don’t use them. Our outdoor gyms are closed, our skate parks are closed. Please don’t play contact sports: Football and cricket.
If we follow the rules, then we can try to get back to some kind of normality sooner and stop a deadly second wave.
Can I also ask people to take their litter home with them? We are getting a lot of complaints about litter being left strewn around our parks so, please, take your litter home with you.
Also, please try and stay at home as well. If we want to stop this virus, we need to be cautious. And, if we can stay at home, I’d still ask you to do that.
From Monday, 1 June – this coming Monday – there will be a small number of our primary schools who will reopen for more children from some of the year groups that the government have said can return. This has only been agreed and decided upon by the schools after having had very, very thorough risk assessments carried out and also various mitigating safety measures put in place.
Most of our schools won’t come back until the 15 June. And, also, parents just need to wait for schools to contact them as to who, when and how their children should return.
Also, from this coming Monday, the 1st, markets and car sales rooms will open. Although, I wouldn’t recommend you buy a car; I’d recommend that you buy a bicycle.
On the 15th, non-essential shops start to reopen, but that doesn’t include hairdressers, barbers or nail bars. I’m sure we’ll all be very happy when we can get our hair cut.
And, finally, on the 17th of June, we’ll see the return of football – with the first Premier League being played between Aston Villa and my team Sheffield United. And that’s the reason why I’m wearing my shirt. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel.
It will be a boost, for certainly the sport-loving part of the nation, to get football back. So, if we follow the rules, we’ll save lives and avoid a second wave and we’ll get through this crisis together. Thank you.
Photo used for this article, of a pair of robins on a garden gate in Acton, is by Margrit Sessions. It was one of the shortlisted entries to one of our previous photography competitions.
