‘I lost Dad to Covid in the first wave, and this is bringing it all back’
Sue Ayrton’s father died alone in hospital at the start of the pandemic. Now she s volunteering to help other bereaved families cope
Sue Ayrton at home in Lancashire, with a photo of her father Neville
Credit: Lorne Campbell
Some 78,500 lives have now been lost to coronavirus in the UK at the time of writing – and for each one, a family devastated by the particular cruelties of this disease.
Sue Ayrton is still traumatised by the loss of her father, Neville, who died alone in hospital during the tumultuous early days of the pandemic. Now, as we endure another deadly surge in cases, she is reminded of it every time she turns on the television.
Dr Nicola O Leary: why I made my life’s work ‘intimate terrorism’
The criminologist and sister of TV presenter Dermot O Leary explains why domestic abuse should be considered a liberty crime
8 January 2021 • 12:00pm
Dr Nicola O Leary is working with Refuge, a charity supported in the Telegraph s Christmas appeal
Credit: Guzelian
To fans of morning television, Dermot O’Leary, the new Friday presenter on ITV s
This Morning, is a benign host, always ready to set his guests at ease. But to his sister Nicola, he’s the kid brother that she’s always felt responsible for. And yet, she says, she never had to help extricate Dermot, who is three years younger than her, from scrapes.
Angela is a full-time carer for her son Mark
Credit: Paul Cooper
On March 23, 2020, single parent Angela Forster s already tough life took a turn for the worse. As the first UK-wide lockdown came into force, her world instantly shrank.
Forster’s son Mark, 34, lives with Fragile X Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The combination of conditions has left him with learning disabilities and little or no sense of danger, which means he can never be left alone. Forster, 62, usually enjoys a little respite from looking after him when he attends a local day centre five days a week. The staff understand Mark and provide a range of activities, including taking him into the community on trips.
Larry Lamb: ‘I don t know how much life I have left, every day is precious’
Actor who played Barbara Windsor’s final TV ‘husband , recalls the pain of losing his brother and the aid of Macmillan Cancer Support
20 December 2020 • 5:00pm
Larry Lamb says he s learned to appreciate every day as it comes
Credit: Andrew Crowley/The Telegraph
Something strange happened to Larry Lamb when he turned 65. Up until that point, he’d always felt as if life was stretching out before him. “But then,” he says, “I realised I have a big life, it’s just behind me, and I don’t know how much of a life I have in front. Every day gets more precious.”