Finding positives
Yet amid the worry and uncertainty, there were still positives to be found. For families, it became a chance to spend unexpected quality time together, something increasingly difficult in today’s hyper-paced society. Children were able to spend time with parents who would otherwise have been rushing to and from work. Parents were encouraged to become more involved in their child’s education through home-schooling. For some, this came with unique challenges of its own, but in the long run, children will likely have benefited from the extra, quality time they’ve spent with one or more parents. Despite the gravity of the pandemic, there were moments when many people were able to make the most of a temporarily slowed-down world, reconnecting to some of the most important things in life.
Back to learning
A few months later, as lockdown tentatively lifts and society continues to adjust to everything the “new normal” throws at us, it’s time for the UK’s 12-million-plus pupils, students, teachers, and parents to look forward to returning to school, college, or university. Some have already returned, the children of some key workers never stopped, others have been able to continue their studies online. Although the enforced months at home will have had their benefit, the value of educational institutions cannot be underestimated. For younger children, they’re a place of growth and development. For those in further and higher education, they can be the path to better life chances and maybe a dream career. For everyone who learns and works in them, they’re a social hub: a place to form friendships and forge relationships that will last a lifetime. For parents who’ve been struggling with juggling the stresses of Covid, work, and their child’s education, a return to school offers some chance to restore work/life balance.
Not sharing is the new caring
Whether you’re the parent of a primary school child or you’re a post-graduate student, education is vital; but so too is staying safe as the world returns to learning. Social distancing is a part of everyday life for the foreseeable future, even in a classroom of infants. New measures limit activities; books, toys, and stationery that would normally be for all to share are either out-of-bounds or can only be used by one small group at a time. Classrooms and most of things in them will have to be sanitised after use — that goes for everyone from nursery to university. It’s not easy, but it is necessary. The new slogan is “Not Sharing is Caring”, something that goes against everything we’re taught in school but is perfect for the times we find ourselves in.
Staying eco-friendly
At the same time, we face another problem. Pre-Covid, the environment was barely out of the headlines. We were being constantly reminded of the need to recycle, cut down on single-use plastic, and use fewer chemicals. Just months later, we’re potentially sending chemical and single-use goods levels through the roof.
So how can we do our bit to help? How can we keep ourselves Covid-safe without destroying the planet? One obvious answer is to source eco-friendly items that are durable and safe to use. This is particularly important when returning to a communal environment such as a school.
Solutions for Students
At GeigerBTC, we already have a range of safe, eco-friendly essential products ready to go. These are items that can be personalised — ideal for when not sharing is caring — and some even have an antibacterial coating, keeping them sanitised should they be mistakenly used by others.
You can find some a great selection of products here. They’re safe,environmentally-minded, are great value, and let’s face it, who doesn’t enjoy having items with their name on?
GeigerBTC has always had a great reputation for quality, useful personalised goods. In the current situation, we’ve remained here for customers, stocking everything from PPE to school stationery — all of which conforms to new safety regulations.
Solutions for Schools, Colleges and Universitities
We also have a full range of products that can help to create safe environments in places of education. These include hand sanitiser stations, desk divider screens and a wide range of signage options to communicate and reinforce new procedures and guidelines such as social distancing and handwashing reminders, and walking in strict lanes or one direction.
Whatever it is you need, we have the capacity to get it shipped and delivered safely to your door helping you get back to work and to learning in the safest, most eco-friendly way possible.
