Are we clapping today or not?

[Redolent]

Feeling jittery. Neighbour is a paramedic and takes it all very seriously. What if she steps out and no one else turns up?

I hope 8pm passes without any awkwardness or cringe.

If anyone's criticised for not clapping today, simply refer people to the wishes of the person who started it.

I haven't clapped at all. My nurse daughter hasn't appreciated it at all, because the racket on her street wakes her baby.

I haven’t bothered but it’s getting out of hand. Some wankers on Facebook were doing Strictly style dancing for carers!? Wtf a round of applause says thanks not the fucking Lambada!

We aren't but are having a meeting to catch up

The local papers and Facebook pages round here covered last week as the 'last clap' so I think it would be weird for people to try to keep doing it. I guess some people would like to keep clapping Until 2022 so they can crack on if they want

It has always been a nice way to wave at neighbours, as well as clapping. It will be interesting to see if anyone claps here tonight

Willow2017

"No the person who started it said it should end last week"
"If your neighbour goes out she hasnt been listening!"

Just because she started it, doesn't mean she gets to say everyone has to stop
She didn't say it had to but suggested it did have a sensible reason why she thought so.
Theres no need to be so belligerent!

Pace around nervously from 7.50

• Peer out of window at 7.59
• Dive underneath the bed if neighbour emerges

Or you could realise you are not responsible for your neighbours emotions and do what ever you are doing.

@Redolent

Your comment made me giggle. I've watched my neighbours across the road be the first ones out every week and just want to hide and cringe everytime I think I'll be following in your footsteps tonight as you can guarantee they'll be the only ones out

Nope. We're having take out and getting in PJs early

No, I have no neighbours.. and wouldn't regardless as It's all a bit daft.

UnfinishedSymphon that sounds awful! Can you just leave the Facebook group? I wouldn't be willing to tolerate that on my Facebook feed.

@Flyinggeese

UnfinishedSymphon that sounds awful! Can you just leave the Facebook group? I wouldn't be willing to tolerate that on my Facebook feed.

Sadly they post it on our local Facebook group which is a really useful and friendly group otherwise. If it carries on I'm going to have to say something and hope some other neighbours back me up

I'll bang my fucking head against a saucepan.

No, I don't think so. I don't live in the UK, but according to my friends over there last week was the last clap. They were pretty sick of it anyway.

Just as I was starting to be relieved I no longer had to clap, my neighbour has just written on the WhatsApp group that even tho the clapping is over shall we all carry on going outside at 8pm every Thursday as a social thing. Ffs! At least with the clapping I could just clap and smile and go back indoors. Now they want me to actually have conversations every Thursday. I’m aware this makes me sound like a right miserable cow but I’ve had enough! Perhaps a good sign is not one neighbour has replied yet!!!

Most of us shouted across last week that we would not be continuing. If anybody still does, good for them, if others don't no problem.

I work in the nhs and find it pretty bloody patronising to be honest, as do most of my colleagues.

There is no rule or law that says you have to clap. Like whose there is no law that says you have to stop. There's more things in life to feel anxious/awkward about at the moment other than some random clapping for 5 minutes on a Thursday night! Do what you like.

I think the woman who started it said she wouldn't be doing it any more - but also said she had no right to tell other people whether or not they should stop. She sounded very nice and sensible, not a dictator in any way.

I haven't clapped at all because I hate contrived outpourings of anything, and hate being told what to do.

Literally just seen a post on Facebook by a woman saying she wants to carry on clapping for keyworkers and volunteers and supermarket workers
I think some people just enjoy the social aspect.

I think 99% of carers and nhs staff would probably rather people just didn't vote for the Tories or representatives that don't support them in a meaningful way and make their lives more difficult in future instead of having the clapping.

I am amazed it lasted so long tbh. In Italy we did it one week and that was enough!

It's classic British useless virtue signalling

Didn’t it start in Italy?

I live in the middle of nowhere... I didn't realise that the NHS workers came out to "take a bow".

ICU nurse here, I’ve clapped once and haven’t done since, won’t be clapping tonight. People in my street have started to get really competitive, there’s a care home across the street and they’re all out with pots, pans, tin cans. Someone a few doors up has a saxophone, someone else a trumpet and it goes on for AGES.