A Wensleydale mother has told of the sadness of being separated from her son who is in isolation so that she can help the local community.
Emily Skelton runs the Wheatsheaf pub in Carperby with her sister Claire Boulton-Lear.
The pub is helping the village by running a take away food service, as well as providing stock for a pop-up shop run by villagers.
But Emily and husband Anthony’s seven-year-old son Henry has twice had open heart surgery in his short life and so is vulnerable to the coronavirus.
This meant that Henry went to live with his grandparents at Leyburn when the crisis started so that Emily could keep helping at the pub.
Emily has been able to talk to her son from a distance.
And even managed a quick hug after granddad Paul Mitchell bought some hazmat suits for the family.
But the mum says it has still been a sad and stressful time.
“It’s hard because we want to help and provide a community hub — as well as the takeaways for those people who are isolated, we’re doing a little shop so the village can be self-contained.
“But it’s still very sad to be without him. My dad and stepmum are amazing with him so that’s taken the stress away, but it’s still a very strange scenario.”
Emily is hoping to be able to collect her son in time for his eighth birthday next month.
But this would mean that she has to go into isolation for a period of time.
When Henry comes back, his dad, who is still working as a mechanic, would then have to be isolated from the rest of the family, including their four-year-old daughter Elsie. [kofi]
