Thursdays at Eight

It starts every Thursday at 8pm. For the last six weeks, the NHS and the people that make it happen get a well deserved round of applause. Well, they used to. The first week or two it was a round of applause. Tentatively at first, as people stepped onto balconies or stood in their doorways. Unsure if they’d be the only ones joining in. 

The atmosphere was new, eerie and nothing seemed familiar anymore. But the people were truly grateful for the NHS and wanted to show it. The first few claps encouraged the introverts and were quickly joined by more. Within thirty seconds the NHS workers were on the receiving end of a round of applause thunderous enough to make a prima ballerina blush.

Weeks three and four became more raucous. As the second hand ticked towards the hour mark, a few excited souls would let off a premature clap or two. Whoops, shouts and clanging pots and pans were added to the cacophony of sound.

With weeks five and six, I’m not convinced that the event is entirely focussed on expressing gratitude to the NHS anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure that the NHS are at the forefront of our thoughts. But the atmosphere has staled somewhat. Boredom has set it. What was eerie is now everyday. The people are on their balconies, at their doors or on their driveways in good time. They are prepped and ready to go.  

At 8pm on Thursdays, you’ll now be treated to claps, whoops, cheers, clanging pots and pans, a bloke on a microphone chanting something unintelligible, car horns being blared, alarms being set off and scared dogs barking. I’m just relieved that no one seems to have any vuvuzelas left over from the South Africa World Cup.

Thursdays at 8 is now a national event, taking the place of cancelled sporting competitions and festivals. It’s as much about letting off steam, making some noise and being part of the local community as it is about supporting the NHS. And that’s just fine. In a round about sort of way, if this helps some folks keep their mental health in balance, it’s still all about supporting the NHS, is in not?