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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I didn't clap

317 replies

Colacube77 · 26/03/2020 20:51

I had no idea about it! Heard the noisecat 8pm looked out the window and saw people outside clapping but couldn't see why. I'm not on social media and I didn't hear about it. Saw on the news later but I missed it. I do give a care about the NHS but now all my neighbors will think I'm terrible and don't care!

OP posts:
gingersausage · 27/03/2020 00:09

@demelzaaa I literally ROFLed 😉.

Tillygetsit · 27/03/2020 00:09

My dh and I felt very self conscious but stood on our doorstep and clapped. We lost a 4 hour old baby recently and without the NHS we wouldnt have got through that.
We could hear clapping from all around us. It was actually very moving and made me feel more connected to my community.
I have NEVER voted Tory in my life.
If I was at work I would be a key worker but due to health issues cant atm. I was glad to show some support to my colleagues even if it was seen as a futile gesture by others.

bibbidybobbidyboo · 27/03/2020 00:09

@perfectstorm

Do you have any links to anyone else discussing this fundraiser? I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere but here and can't find a mention on the BMA website. I want to know a bit more about it before I share widely.

GoatyGoatyMingeMinge · 27/03/2020 00:15

No clapping here, and frankly what a fucking waste of skin!

MayDayHelp · 27/03/2020 00:19

This is about politics as the tories have been running the NHS into the ground for the last 10 years. Exactly the same as they’ve done with schools, make ‘em shit enough and then that’s justification for privatisation.

Only now, it turns out that we do rather need the NHS after all. I hope all those who voted Tory but at the same time are rather hopeful that if they get the virus they might be lucky enough to get a ventilator, have a little think about things.

I also hope that the government no longer have the balls to carry on ripping the NHS apart after this, for fear of backlash. That might be wishful thinking though. Once this blows over it’ll be back to ‘getting brexit done’ and everyone will think Boris is the man again.

AngryTruckDriver · 27/03/2020 00:19

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TheStuffedPenguin · 27/03/2020 00:23

@Colacube77 this is all you can think about ? What your neighbours will think of you ?

Confuddledtown · 27/03/2020 00:28

I didnt know about it either but I'm watching the highlights of it on sky news and there is literally no social distancing... people standing in rows on the streets clearly not 6 feet apart 🙈

HollySideEyes · 27/03/2020 00:30

*Its a pity everyone is clapping yet still voting Tory.
*
Statistically, those with high IQs are in the minority.

Fatdoggle · 27/03/2020 00:39

I am front line nhs. I found the cheers tonight a massive morale boost and it has been a bloody hard week.

I do wish people would not try to politicise this. The virus does not give a shit if you are left or right. I am not very political but I know people who work for the nhs who vote labour. I know people who work for the nhs that vote Tory. They are all out there trying to save lives. I wasn’t on shift tonight so I stood outside with my kids and cheered. Heard loads of cheering in my neighbourhood too. I thought it was great and just what we needed.

Curious78 · 27/03/2020 00:39

I didn't clap either, had a power cut for 11 hours and lost all concept of time! Went to bed as soon as light started fading and stared into the abyss until 11pm

Carriecakes80 · 27/03/2020 00:43

As long as you Vote Labour no need to clap, you voting for better wages, better protection, and the Tories to stop selling our NHS from under us that would be perfect.

My Mums a Nurse, her and Dad been working for the NHS a combined total of 80 years, Mum was still volunteering up until last week as she has respitory problems. And she says it made her cry when she saw friends of hers wearing thin 10p carrier bags on heir heads to protect them, or buying their own protective face masks that are crappy paper ones as its all that will arrive on time, as they really and truly do not have the right equipment, yet still they push themselves on....for us.

Carriecakes80 · 27/03/2020 00:45

By the way, it is political. Its very political. we probably all have friends putting lives at risk, and if the Tories had not been ripping the crap out of our NHS for years then we would stand a much better chance. Sorry, its not being nasty, its being honest. The proof is out there for anyone to see now xxx

perfectstorm · 27/03/2020 01:08

@bibbidybobbidyboo I appreciate that - it's always wise to check who a charity are! I had a head start because I saw it shared by a senior clinician, the day after it was founded. This person is not prone to sharing links much at all, far less ones she's not sure about.

I hope knowing it's been featured on BBC Breakfast reassures you.

The BMA's own fundraising page, which channels money to other org.s, states: We fully support other charitable efforts such as NHS Heroes that are raising funds for frontline NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and are working with them closely.

NHS Heroes, which is what the fundraiser I'm linking to supports, was set up last Friday. It's literally a week old - that's why the online footprint is slight. But they are, as they claim, supported by the BMA, and they have been supported by the BBC on launch. It's fairly hard to get much media traction right now, it seems. Though clapping does it, because it's more visual and less depressing.

More briefly: yes, they're legit.

Again, people can help by sharing, as well as donating. What matters are numbers of people who see it - if you can't afford to donate right now, and with what's happening, many won't, a share costs nothing and will spread that way. Social connections - we've all learned, these past months, how that works. Someone first caught this, and now every person infected is connected to them in one long chain. But that can work positively, too. Every donor first saw the link because someone else shared it. Continuing that chain also has great value. It will ensure donations greater than any one person could make, themselves.

Apart from anything else: our care, and the patient survival rate, will depend more than anything else on the health and resilience of the workforce. We really do need to help them to help us.

perfectstorm · 27/03/2020 01:13

But if it makes people feel safer, the BMA are also fundraising - that's solid as a rock. I don't think it matters where people donate. What matters is the NHS staff get some support.

perfectstorm · 27/03/2020 01:26

Oh, and I forgot to say - if you click on the 'all donations' on the Go Fund Me, and then scroll down, you'll see that Go Fund Me have themselves donated five grand.

returnofthecat · 27/03/2020 01:34

I wasn't going to clap because it felt like a pointless gesture that most medical professionals wouldn't hear, but I joined in at 8pm anyway (clapping from a tentatively open window - I did not lean out or go into the street). It felt surprisingly moving to hear so many people whooping and cheering at the same time - the streets have been empty for days and you wouldn't know how many people are packed together. However, suddenly, we could hear each other cheering. It was a moment. I'm not sure whose benefit it was for, but I'm glad I joined in.

Which leads me to what we can do to actually thank our medical professionals properly. I know there are a lot of them, and it would be unusual to recognise so many people at the same time, but frankly, this is what everyday courage really is. They're putting themselves at risk, they know they're putting themselves at risk - some of them had retired and still chose to come back - there are issues we need to address about why such important jobs are not remunerated well, but in the short term, I think the lot of them bloody well deserve medals.

It's just hit me how our doctors, nurses and all the other healthcare professionals are just so much fundamentally better than I ever will be as a human - I just couldn't put myself at risk in the same way. I don't have their bravery or selflessness.

It really is a calling, isn't it? You don't go to work each day knowing those risks without it being a calling.

Mothership4two · 27/03/2020 01:53

My SIL (sis in law) is a nurse but was actually home at the time said it was lovely and became quite emotional.

Personally I don't think it had anything to do with political beliefs, just some people wanting to make a small gesture of appreciation at a time when a lot of us feel powerless. We have signed up to NHS volunteering as well - the two aren't mutually exclusive. It was a nice gesture from those who wanted to do it

None of my neighbours put themselves at risk. Social distancing was alive and well.

giggly · 27/03/2020 01:55

I’m a nurse and didn’t clap but went out for a walk with my dd. People were setting off fireworks. I don’t want recognition for the job I chose to do I want equal pay to other professions for my 2 degrees and 30 years experience. And it is absolutely political do not kid yourselves on it’s not because it is.
But if clapping in the street makes you feel better carry on.

AllesAusLiebe · 27/03/2020 01:59

I'm in the same position as the OP. I didn't know about it!

I'm not on social media and missed the news today because DS commandeered the TV for Peppa Pig, and I'm really picking my battles at the moment!

I think it's a nice gesture, but (and I'm probably going to sound stupid here . . . ) I wish it could've taken place at an earlier time during the evening. It would have been good for more kids to be involved and that could've happened if it was, say, 7pm.

Is there any significance in 8pm? I don't want to offend anyone with my ignorance here if there is.

Mothership4two · 27/03/2020 02:07

Think it was because it is 8 pm every night in Spain and either 7 or 8 in France for health workers @AllesAusLiebe

AllesAusLiebe · 27/03/2020 02:10

Ahh thanks for explaining that @Mothership4two! Makes sense, I guess.

gingersausage · 27/03/2020 03:42

@giggly I totally agree. Unfortunately there seems to be this strange disconnect on MN where people like you, ie actual nurses, aren’t allowed to tarnish the fetishised image by having opinions. You are a NURSE, therefore you are an earth-angel and you WILL accept our gratitude! It’s patronising and reductive, but you have to be nice at all times because it makes other people feel good 😒.

DressingGownofDoom · 27/03/2020 03:53

I forgot all about it. Thought it was just one of those cheesy Facebook things, didn't think anyone would actually do it Blush

user1463178569 · 27/03/2020 04:34

Wanted to, even if it was from the window but my little girl wasn't well so we lay in bed listening to some fireworks going off. Was lovely watching videos after of people in Manchester cheering and clapping, aswell as different streets around where we live.

I appreciate our NHS and all key workers, however my daughters health came 1st. Hopefully any keyworker will see our rainbow & star pics in the window and see that we are thinking of them in that way :)

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