Spring 2021 is here, and with it the sense of optimism has grown for the year ahead. Shops have re-opened and in the next few months, the restrictions that we have grown accustomed to, will no longer be required. How strange to think back to a time before COVID-19, where meeting people and shaking hands was ‘normal’. The whole meaning of ‘normal’ will be so different for years to come.

COVID-19 has affected so many people and presented challenges for us all. The real heroes in the NHS and Essential Services have worked tirelessly to get us all through the pandemic and are still doing so; and the brilliance of Science has meant we have a path out of the global nightmare.
The human abilities to adapt and innovate will never cease to impress me. These abilities are also traits we have as a business. At Aurora we have been incredibly fortunate that the Team has risen to every challenge and changed the way we do things so that we could cope with the pandemic, as well as improve the way we do things going forward. Our focus has always been to do what is right for our Clients, but also to ensure that the Team remains strong; professionally, physically and mentally – “People First Always.”

I’d like to take this moment to celebrate the 21 amazing people that make Aurora what it is. When they’ve not been working hard providing quality radiation protection services to our Clients, homeschooling and so many other things, they have shown compassion and caring for others.

Jon Taylor, one of our RPAs/RWAs, volunteered to support patients in Hospitals during the height of the pandemic. It’s still something he continues to do.

I started volunteering at my local hospital in Portsmouth in March 2020. I’d seen the news footage from hospitals in Italy and knew it could be bad here. The hospital was closed for visitors and I joined a team collecting belongings from families in reception and delivering them up to patients on the wards. Our hospital was hit hard with over 900 deaths from COVID-19. It’s been an amazing experience and I’ve been very grateful for the opportunity to help.

Jon Taylor
Radiation Protection Adviser, Radioactive Waste Adviser

Raj Bunger, also an RPA/RWA and our Training Manager has been providing online presentations to Charities and NHS workers about perinatal mental health and the effects they can have on partners. Raj has been providing these presentations for a number of years, focusing on the ‘partner’s perspective’ when a new mother suffers from a perinatal mental health illness following childbirth.

Raising awareness of mental health issues and sharing some of my experiences has always been important to me. During the pandemic and without face-to-face support there is a danger that perinatal mental health issues would be missed, and people would be suffering during what has been a traumatic time.

Raj Bunger
Radiation Protection Adviser, Radioactive Waste Adviser, Laser Protection Advsier

Aurora has continued to support the Team by supporting ‘Charity Days’, where staff are permitted a day off to do charitable activities; and we also encourage staff to donate blood. I was delighted to see how the Team continued to do this during the pandemic.

As a business we have continued to support other great organisations, such as Helen and Douglas House, a home from home for terminally ill children and their families. Also, St Oswald’s Hospice, who improve the quality of life and providing care for families with cancer and other life limiting illnesses in the North East.

We were also proud to sponsor the Oxford Supermarine Under 9 Rugby Squad!

There have been lighter moments during these times too. Getting to know families, especially children who have been close by during homeschooling while their parents have been working from home. That’s often led to a few comedy moments, one of my favorites was during a staff review I was conducting via video call. As I paid a compliment to a member of the Team, the response of their child, who heard the compliment, ‘high-fived’ their parent!

It’s not just been children who have taken centre stage during video meetings, often the four-legged members of the Aurora family have decided to join meetings. There have been many funny moments of dogs trying to gain attention or stray cat tails moving across the camera.

All of these things highlight the human touch and that’s something we are immensely proud of at Aurora. We firmly believe that when working with Aurora that’s something our Clients appreciate.

As for myself, I’ve continued to support my local businesses during the troubling times. ‘Buy local’ has always been a personal belief of mine and my family. It’s so nice to see these businesses open again and like Aurora demonstrating the ability to adapt and innovate.

Once again, I would like to say a huge thank you to all our Clients, as well as the 21 amazing people that make Aurora who we are.

I look forward to seeing you all again in person very soon.

Glenn Hardcastle