Couple look after grand-kids to allow doctors to work front line

The original plan was for Peter and Helena McGovern to look after their three grandchildren, Malachi, 5, Freya, 3, and Caspar, who, at 15 months old, had never left his parents – Luci and Andrew McGovern, who work at Franklyn Hospital as a psychiatrist and the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital as a medical registrar respectively – for three days, when their childminder’s mother contracted Covid-19.

But after jumping on a plane and bringing them back, three days soon turned into six weeks.

Grandmum Helena said there was no question they would do it again, no matter that it had been non-stop from 6am until 8.30pm.

‘The youngest wakes up so early,’ she said.

‘The need to get up, and looking after another, is a very different nature to our usual mornings.

‘Me and my husband are retired teachers. We set up a routine and we’re home-schooling the oldest.’

She said they also received a lot of help from neighbours, local schools and family and after the initial two-week self-isolation they were able to go outside and enjoy the beach.

‘St Mary and St Michael Primary School gave us lots of resources and that’s been invaluable,’ she said.

‘Our neighbours, about six or seven houses close by, provided us with toys and cakes and food and another allowed us access to their field. It’s a lovely community, we’re so appreciative.

‘Plus our son here is a teacher and he’s been out getting the shopping for us.

‘Everyone’s been incredible and such a support.

‘The children have been great and took it in their stride considering we didn’t know how long it would be for and they’ve learnt so much about Guernsey, especially with Liberation Day.

‘We live at Perelle and can see the German towers from where we live, so I’ve been telling them about them.’

Her husband was also very thankful and said although the children had gone back last week they would have them back again.

Speaking on Wednesday, he said: ‘They went back yesterday, now things have calmed down slightly,’ he said.

‘We’ve loved having them and if a second wave [of coronavirus] came we’d have them back again.

‘I’d like to think we’re doing our bit for the NHS, if at a distance.

‘We know they’re short of doctors and there are those doing extra shifts so it’s good to be able to free up our son and daughter-in-law to do the work they’re so passionate about to help others, while we take care of the children. We’d do it again in a heartbeat.’

His daughter-in-law, Luci, said she and her husband were very appreciative.

‘They’ve done a fantastic job of looking after them under very difficult circumstances,’ she said.

‘They have not only provided all the love and care in the world but have also taught the older children to read and write and the baby to walk and talk.

‘The children are even saying that they’d like to stay in Guernsey for longer. I am so proud of my parents-in-law and so impressed with what they have done.’