Royal Navy captain in charge of HMS Queen Elizabeth urges nation to 'draw on inner resolve' to beat coronavirus crisis

Captain Angus Essenhigh issued the rallying cry as England was plunged into its second lockdown, leaving jobs and lifelines in the balance.

The Royal Navy chief said it was vital communities pulled together to watch out for one another – and that people must not let ‘dark moments’ grind them down.

His message came as a study revealed people’s mental health had declined dramatically since the pandemic began, with a surge in rates of suicidal thoughts being reported over lockdown.

Speaking exclusively to The News, Capt Essenhigh insisted the British people had the strength to make it through lockdown and the difficulties posed by the pandemic.

‘People have the inner resolve – it’s in them already,’ he said. ‘It’s just a matter of drawing upon it, looking to the inspiration of those who have gone before us, the sacrifices they laid down and the young men and women going to fight for their country.

‘It is a time to draw strength and to lean upon each other. We have that added benefit of social media and the ability to reach out to our families digitally – use that, talk to your loved ones and if you’re having a dark moment then look around for your friends and family online and draw courage from that.

‘At least this time you have got a sense that this will be over by the end of December and we can go on with our normal lives.’

Researchers examining the effects of Covid-19 during the outbreak’s height have warned prolonged lockdowns may have a ‘profound and long-lasting effect’ on mental health.

A study of 3,000 people by the University of Glasgow, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, revealed more young people were struggling to cope.

The research found suicidal thoughts had increased from eight per cent to 10 per cent and they were highest among young adults aged 18 to 29, rising from 12.5 per cent to 14 per cent.

Earlier this week, the ship’s company of HMS Queen Elizabeth took part in a sports day in an effort to pull together ahead of their first operational deployment next year.

As well as helping the crew unite as a team, the event was also a way of showing how sport and physical activity could help improve mental health and well-being.

Capt Essenhigh added the ship’s company was ‘nervous and excited’ for their deployment, which will see them travelling the globe.

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But he hoped the mission, which will involve thousands of British sailors and see the UK testing out its new carrier strike task group on operations, would serve as a ray of hope for the nation.

‘I hope this will give the nation something positive to think about,’ he added. ‘This is a British undertaking – we have built this thing in the UK, it’s a fantastic piece of machinery and it’s a statement about Britain’s place in the world and where we wish to be in it, as a global power that’s a force for good.’

HMS Queen Elizabeth is currently undergoing maintenance work, expected to last about four months ahead of her deployment in spring next year.

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