Portsmouth April 2020 review – Clap for Carers, testing woes and a mystery T-Rex

The Hive in Portsmouth worked with Portsmouth City Council, NHS Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group and Pompey in the Community to get meals out to those in need and set up a volunteer bank which saw 400 people sign up.

From building ventilators, making visors and sewing masks, individuals and businesses ramped up production to help in the fight against coronavirus.

North Harbour-based defence firm, BAE Systems and Havant-based Formula-one subcontractor, Monolution, made up some of the 27-strong VentilatorChallengeUK consortium that joined forces to produce thousands of ventilators to be used to help coronavirus patients across the country.

And Ben Bissett, from Hilsea, was churning out 70 visors a day from his 3D printer for Queen Alexandra Hospital.

REMEMBER WHEN: Portsmouth woman, 99, thanks Queen Alexandra Hospital staff after recovering from Covid-19 and returning home

The month also saw 99-year-old Carrie Pollock from Hayling Island return home from Queen Alexandra Hospital after beating coronavirus.

Carrie, who was a former special branch police officer in Kenya and British Embassy employee in Malawi, had previously battled malaria twice and her family described her as ‘an absolute fighter’.

Following a nervous first week in March when no one was sure if they would be the only one in their road stood on their doorstep on Thursday at 8pm, Clap For Carers really started gaining popularity during April and it left healthcare workers across the city moved by the support.

Queen Alexandra Hospital matron, Bev Vaughan, 58, who came out of retirement for the third time to help in the fight to beat the disease, said staff were ‘overwhelmed’ by the show of support and that it was ‘very emotional to see’ people’s backing.

April also saw beautiful weather and the use of green spaces as people got out for their daily exercise and many captured pictures of a clear blue Solent.

GALLERY: Portsmouth’s water looks so clear in these 11 pictures taken during lockdown

Despite the majority of residents sticking to the lockdown rules, those breaking the law had to face the consequences including Gary Saunders who was jailed for four months after he coughed in the face of a shopper in Cornucopia in Osborne Road, Southsea, on April 14.

Dad Ben Baldwin showed his son Charlie some tough love after a video went viral on social media of him and another youngster swearing and threatening staff at Asda in Gosport.

Mr Baldwin made Charlie apologise to supermarket staff and many took to Facebook to praise the youngster for taking responsibility for his actions.

Elsewhere former Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and Tory councillor, Lee Mason, was suspended after baking a hot cross bun that appeared to have a swastika ‘emblazoned’ on it over Easter.

He previously denied baking any bun with a swastika on it and his membership to the party was reinstated in June.

And the most disgusting story of the month also involved food – a court case which heard that Sprinkles Gelato in Commercial Road had unwittingly served up a live cockroach with some cookie dough ice-cream to a customer. Portsmouth magistrates fined them £5,000.

April also marked the opening of the first test centre in the area at Tipner West off the M275.

The designated Brexit lorry park was filled with testing staff and white tents to allow people to get a Covid-19 test but its first week saw many get lost on the way after they were given an incorrect postcode which sent them down Tipner Lane – a dead-end road.

Adrian Ramsden, 50 from Tipner Lane, told The News at the time: ‘We are getting literally hundreds of cars down this tiny, narrow road every single day.

‘We even had a medical lorry turn up this morning – it’s been an absolute nightmare.’

In a bid to keep spirits high during the first few weeks lockdown, music was sung in the streets and a T-Rex shopped for groceries in Tesco North Harbour.

Singer Andy George from Cosham didn’t let a few noise complaints get in his way during his driveway performances for neighbours and hundreds of people watching via Facebook Live.

Also putting on feast for the ears was Chris Vaux, landlord at the Lord John Russell pub in Albert Road, who lugged speakers onto pub balcony and played nightly musical medleys, including Love is in the Air, You Got the Love and Stand by Me, for his neighboursand followers on social media.

He told The News: ‘People have been out dancing in their gardens and singing along. One lady who has been self-isolating said seeing people out in their gardens and smiling was the first time in days that she hadn’t felt alone.’

Mark Harris from Purbrook took to his roof to sing for his neighbours and raised more than £2,500 to purchase 4,000 face shields.

SEE ALSO: Gig on the roof by Purbrook singer raises more than £2,500 for PPE to help NHS staff at Queen Alexandra Hospital

The first month of lockdown also took with it some much-loved members of our community.

Pompey fan and devoted dad Dom Merrix suffered a fatal heart attack on April 9 at his home in North End after appearing to have recovered from Covid-19.

His wife Sarah and 10-year-old daughter Ellie-Mai were left heartbroken after his unexpected death but were also overwhelmed by the support from the community after more than £12,000 was raised to cover funeral costs.

Ex Gosport police sergeant Lesley Meenaghan revealed her mum Ann Milligan had also died on April 9 from Covid-19. Lesley described her mum as a ‘a kind, gentle trusting soul’.

Steve Woodage worked at The News for more than 20 years as transport manager.

Family and friends paid tribute to the lifelong Pompey fan, who died on April 13, at 68 years old, after contracting coronavirus.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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