Catherine Meyer-Funnell

When we were all stuck in lockdown, what did we do? What indeed do we spend much of our weekends and free time doing? The concept of leisure is a relatively new one, given that most of our ancestors spent all their time and energy just trying to survive, but nowadays (especially in the surreal world that is 2020) we find ourselves with a lot of time to fill. This is in itself a good thing; the problems start to arise when we begin to feel pressured by the sheer volume of choices we have to make - and how that can spill over into other areas of our lives.  Perhaps this is something that only I and my fellow neurotic Type A's struggle with, but every single app and feed we are plugged into is streaming information at us 24/7, and keeping up with the cultural and political zeitgeist is starting to feel like a job in itself. The mood  du jour  now has the potential to change with greater rapidity than ever before; no sooner has a particular TV show or writer become this centu...

  8th May 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of VE Day, that wonderful day in history marking when almost 6 years of brutal and bloody war in Europe finally came to an end. The sheer relief felt by the millions who had endured through a level of conflict never before seen would surely be unimaginable to the British public these days. Naturally we use occasions such as this and Remembrance Day every year to remember the huge sacrifices that were made and be grateful for the alliances and peace in Western Europe that exist today.   The strength of character exhibited by those who lived through the war, their determination, courage and resilience are qualities we can all aspire to emulate. I remember as a child being visited by war veterans at primary school: they shared their extraordinary experiences with us, reminding us every time that there is 'no glory in war'. What they had been through was so traumatic, affecting them deeply for the rest of their lives, that they were d...