It may be nearly Christmas and everything's urging us to be merry and bright... but the current Covid situation in the UK is worrying, as the new Omicron variant is causing cases to increase exponentially. It seems too early to tell what that will mean and how it will play out in the coming weeks. We can only hope for the best, personally and collectively. Let's at least hope that it doesn't translate into more very sick people and an increasing death rate.
I chose this photo of one of Saltaire's back alleyways, as being a suitably gritty and gloomy illustration. As I've been working with it though, I've realised that to me this is not a gloomy scene. Instead it's oddly comforting. It says 'home' for one thing. There’s something reassuring to me about all these houses that have been cosy homes for countless people in the 160 odd years they have been standing. Of course, the scene has gradually changed. We now have long lines of plastic wheelie bins; where there was earth along the alley, concrete has been packed down; there's an electric streetlight further up and I imagine none of the houses remain untouched inside, most now having fitted kitchens and a proper inside bathroom. Our Victorian forebears would, I'm sure, revisit the scene with interest and pride. They'd remind us that they too - and those that followed them - stayed resilient in the face of all sorts of hardships, difficulties and frightening circumstances. There is real community here and that in itself is powerful. When I'm tempted to be anxious and downbeat, I remember the wonderful slogan adopted for a while by Northern Railways and emblazoned on their trains: 'We are Northern; we are fearless'!
