Coronavirus: Son pays tribute to childminder mum, 70, who looked after 150 children after she dies with Covid-19

Ian Batterbee, a financial advisor in Titchfield, was left devastated after his 70-year-old mother Janet, who had blood cancer, died a week after she went into hospital in London for one of her regular blood transfusions.

The 47-year-old, who lives in Port Solent, said: ‘She goes to the hospital frequently for blood transfusions and other appointments but she was doing well.

‘She went into hospital last month on a Friday and came out on Sunday.

‘By Wednesday she was coughing up blood and at 3am went to hospital. By 9pm on Thursday she was gone.

‘The most devastating part was that we weren’t allowed into see her so we didn’t get to say goodbye.

‘She called me at 3pm on Thursday and said she would call me back as she had to have a tube down her throat. We thought she was getting better but she never called me back.’

The family held a socially-distanced funeral to pay their final respects to Janet.

Ian said: ‘There were only five of us in the ceremony and we weren’t allowed to hug and we had to sit apart.

‘It was so strange and afterwards we couldn’t go anyway and have a drink and talk about her.

‘My mum was a childminder and looked after more than 150 children over the years. She was like a mum to everyone and it is such a shame more people couldn’t attend the funeral.’

To give back to the NHS staff who cared for his mum and continue to care for others across the nation, Ian has decided to offer free financial advice to key workers.

He said: ‘Nurses and police officers probably don’t usually have financial advisors but it occurred to me that a bit of advice at a time like this might be the reassurance they need when they are working so hard.

‘I just wanted to give something back that isn’t clapping or a cup of tea but will help to put their mind at rest and help them in what is a tough situation.

‘The NHS is underfunded and is taking enormous strain. For those on the frontline at the moment, it is like running into a burning building to save someone, knowing that there is a risk of you dying too.

‘I have enormous respect for them and their bravery.’

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