8. Exercise with the family – During Lockdown when Gyms and Fitness groups were closed, people had to stay fit and healthy in what ever way they could. Emma chose to go running with her baby. (Image: Debbie Todd)
Consett Coronavirus Photo Project – started in March 2020 at the start of the First National Lockdown. George Ledger, a retired police officer and now a Press Sports Photographer, began to document the impact of Coronavirus on Consett and its communities.
The Consett Coronavirus Photo Project started out as a personal project soon expanded into a growing collection of photographs of people, volunteer groups and businesses all recorded during the Lockdowns and Tier system restrictions.
George was joined by other photographers, Debbie Todd, Chris Bruce and Steve Webb and as the collection grew, they decided to work towards to host an on-line and when allowed, physical exhibitions around the area.
Here are some of the images from the start of the project, later images will follow over the next few months.
1. This is Liz, who every Sunday morning played 3 hymns to the residents of her street who were missing the opportunity of going to church. She also played more tunes on a Thursday evening after ‘Clap for Carers’ so the residents could end the evening with a little sing-along and a dance. (Image: George Ledger)(Photo by George Ledger Photography)2. PPE makers. – Marj Stephenson, and her husband Jim, answered calls to make PPE in the first lockdown including face coverings and scrubs. The couple used an array of old fabrics and can be seen modelling their handmade scrubs before delivering them to University Hospital Durham for NHS staff. (Image: Debbie Todd)3. Keeping the people peddling. Jonathan from Steeltown Cycles was very busy during the first Lockdown, when people went to get their bikes out of the garage or the shed to do their daily exercise, only to find they needed quite a lot of attention. (Image: Chris Bruce)4. Painted pebbles – After the rainbows came the painted stones, a novel but very popular way to keep a smile on everyone’s face. Helen is a highly creative person who painted and hid stones in her neighbourhood for people to find. I was never lucky enough to find one but I am sure everyone who found one loved it and kept it for themselves. (Image: George Ledger) (Photo by George Ledger Photography)5. In the first lockdown, following on from the Rainbows and stones came the Teddy bears. People were encouraged to place a teddy bear in their window to cheer people up. Bill and Margaret took this up a level and dressed their bear up in different outfits for weeks on end. Adults and children alike would walk past the house just to see what ‘Mr Funshine’ was wearing. (Image: George Ledger)(Photo by George Ledger Photography)6. MINT PPE – During the first lockdown some of the MINT business club members, based on the number one industrial state, decided to Skill share to produce scrubs for NHS workers. (Image: Debbie Todd)7. Signs – As the lockdown arrived Shops and business premises began to display more and more signs to alert their customers to Government advice or the number of people that was allowed in the premises. (Image: Steve Webb)8. Exercise with the family – During Lockdown when Gyms and Fitness groups were closed, people had to stay fit and healthy in what ever way they could. Emma chose to go running with her baby. (Image: Debbie Todd)
