Support from Our Motherland During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in January. At the end of February, the ECEC’s teachers, students and parents helped raise money for China’s workers and nurses. With the help of Chinese Language and Culture Education Foundation of China and Hubei Red Cross, the money has reached the Second Hospital of Guang Shui. Not only that, they further helped the effort by sending home medical supplies. However, before long the UK was in the middle of its own outbreak. The nation’s schools shut down and social-distancing measures were put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They soon realised, in their effort to help their homeland’s struggle against the virus, they had forgotten to purchase medical supplies of their own. But help was now coming in from China. Since the coronavirus pandemic had slowed considerably on the mainland, they were able to send medical supply packages that would soon be delivered into the hands of the designated people who needed support in the UK.

On April the 10^th, we received a notice that such medical supplies would soon be on their way. We notified all the parents on WeChat and that such supplies are limited so therefore should only be request if essential. The parents were calm and well-mannered when asking for such items. When such an item was not essential, they kindly allowed other households to have them. You can imagine what an impact these items would have on the young students of ECEC.

On April the 12^th, we received the supplies from the Chinese Consulate General in Edinburgh. There were boxes full of them, showing the kindness and generosity of the Chinese government to the Chinese people out of the country.

The evening of April the 13^th, for the sake of fast distribution and efficiency, three points of the collection were set up across Edinburgh. Households could go to the nearest one and collect the supplies they needed. The procedures were carried out safely and calmly with the correct safety equipment and social distancing measures. No matter how tired we were after, it was worth it to see the joy of the people receiving the products and the sincere thanks they gave after gaining them. For this we must thank the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the Chinese Consulate General in Edinburgh who allowed us to receive and give such items. We must also thank the staff of ECEC for the quick and efficient distribution of the supplies which helped prevent the spread of the virus in our communities. Thanks to a variety of people, we have successfully distributed the supplies. Hopefully the coronavirus will end soon and that everyone will stay safe, so we can return to the classrooms of ECEC soon.