All the news in Bucks from a year ago today

Covid took over the headlines and cases were going up rapidly.

We’ve rounded up the top stories from a year ago today in Buckinghamshire:

Boris Johnson orders lockdown

The Prime Minister plunged the UK into its first lockdown to tackle the novel coronavirus, threatening police fines for anyone who ignored new measures.

Boris Johnson detailed a short list of reasons why individuals could leave their homes as he ordered the immediate closure of all shops selling non-essentials items on the evening of March 23.

He ordered people to only leave the house to shop for basic necessities ‘as infrequently as possible’ and to perform one form of exercise a day, or seek medical help, provide care to a vulnerable person or travel to work ‘only if absolutely necessary’.

Gatherings of more than two people in public were banned and events, including weddings, were cancelled.

March 23 also marked the first day of school closures, after they were forced to shut indefinitely.

They were still open to children of key workers, even during the Easter holiday. 

Man opens up about having Covid-19

A Marlow man pleaded with the public to ‘stop going out’ after contracting Covid.

Matt Dockray, 39, revealed on Facebook that he was in intensive care and that he was ill ‘for weeks’.

He said he became ill after a “small cough” on the day he watched Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium turned into “chills, fever and a headache” as he opened his new venue in London.

Over the coming days and weeks, he became increasingly ill and one point, he didn’t leave his couch for five days, where he was ‘struggling to stay awake and breathe properly’.

He added: “I wouldn’t wish this on any enemy.”

MPs speak out

Bucks MPs released a joint statement to constituents, saying: “Coronavirus is having a huge impact on everyone.”

They added: “Our thoughts are first and foremost with the families and loved ones of those who have died or are unwell.

“Many people’s lives are changing – whether it is working from home, self-isolating, not going to school or finding empty shelves in the supermarket.

“We know that this is a very worrying time.”

Shops and restaurants announce closure

A number of shops and restaurants announced they were closing before Boris Johnson’s official announcement.

The Entertainer announced plans to close its 172 stores across the country “putting the welfare of its employees and customers ahead of profits”, with McDonalds and Costa Coffee following suit.

Taking to social media, the team at the home of the Big Mac wrote that the decision had not been ‘taken lightly’.

And Costa said it would ‘do its best’ to keep open cafes in hospitals.

Recycling collections suspended

Recycling collections in the then-Wycombe and Chiltern districts were suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Both district councils confirmed the news on March 23 via their Twitter pages.

The suspension included both paper and card along with mixed dry recycling such as cans, glass, and plastics.

Video updates

Bucks Council announced it would release regular coronavirus video updates, with residents encouraged to ask questions about how the virus was being tackled locally.

Council leader Martin Tett said at the time: “It’s so important now, more than ever, that we talk to each other.

“We want to share what we are doing along with our partners, groups and communities across Buckinghamshire to fight coronavirus.

“There’s a lot of information out there, some of it ‘fake news’, so we want to give residents a trusted place to come for local updates and answers to their questions.”