Our Mothers Day Treat

Mother’s Day, the one day of the year dedicated to appreciating the women with toughest jobs in the world,a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the undeniable influence of mothers in society. I mean what other job comes with no paid benefits, non negotiated working hours and a non-existent salary. Mothers dedicate their lives and give their all to raise their children, working all around the clock as a chef, a therapist, a chauffeur and much more. That’s why we wanted to do something special for them, give back to mothers for all they gave and continue to give to us. And what says ‘I appreciate you, you’re special to me’ better than a nice family day out filled with shared laughter and joy, topped with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

This is exactly the reason why we organised a Mother’s Day event for Ilford BID (and also to generate footfall in Ilford as a potential avenue to generate increased revenue for businesses) This event which included a facilitated bouquet making process for the entire family was arranged in collaboration with The Exchange Ilford, the main retail shopping mall of Ilford, East London. This hands on, family bonding activity resonated well with the local community and proved to be a hit. Within mere hours of the ticket release, all tickets were sold. Everyone was buzzing with utter excitement. No matter your age or ability, this fun, collaborative activity appealed to all.

However, the excitement had to be cut prematurely due to the sudden rise in the number of COVID-19 cases here in the United Kingdom. In line with government advice from Public Health England, it was with the best interest and safety of everyone in mind that this event was cancelled. Although we wanted to have this amazing event that celebrated the backbone of our society, safety was our main priority and thus the decision to cancel was made.What was intended to be a beautiful day for families around East London to celebrate their mothers became a passing thought once again. We were back to square one, with a bunch of flowers, but no homes for them to go and nobody’s day for them to brighten. And then it hit. Why not donate the flowers?

The impact of the rise in COVID-19 was not unique to our event alone, instead it was felt by all four corners of the world. In our combined efforts to stay at home, stay safe and save lives, our usual ways of seeing family, friends or just familiar faces around whether on a walk or on a quick shopping trip to your local had to be put on pause. As a result, millions of us were susceptible to the feeling of loneliness, especially some of the most vulnerable in our society; those in nursing homes. Nursing homes saw some of the toughest COVID-19 restrictions. Nobody was allowed in and nobody was allowed out. This left its occupants without physical contact in what they referred to as the ‘real world’ feeling isolated, alone and some even in fear.

We recognised this, we understood their feelings and decided the flowers would work as a nice little reminder that you are never alone. Therefore, the decision was made to donate the flowers to a nursing home in the heart of Ilford. Not only was this bringing forth the community spirit we initially wanted to capture with our Mother’s Day event, it reminded the most vulnerable in our society that there is always someone in their corner.

It also showed our ability to overcome challenges together. COVID-19 could not stop the community spirit. The flowers were donated and those on the receiving end were oh so grateful. The flowers finally had a home to brighten up and the smiles on the faces of those who received them, illustrated just that. Our ability to steer this unprecedented situation into a positive direction, proved to be a success. Following advice from Public Health England, the donations to the nursing home took place with mask wearing and social distance regulations in play and was run completely internally. We all worked together, as a team to ensure both the safety and smoothness of this donation process. Even in the face of adversity, we turned it around and came out the other end triumphant, having done a good deed for those most affected by the restrictions of the pandemic. We did not allow a dent in the road to stop our journey in its entirety. It’s all about unity.

I guess it’s true what they’ve been saying eh, we really are together apart.