This bench in London is a special place for me. In March 2020 I was admitted to hospital with Covid 19 Pneumonia and was in there on oxygen and fighting for a week. I came out to a different world, one in lockdown. I was very lucky - so many of us admitted to hospital at that time then didn't make it, and the National Covid Memorial Wall along the south side of the River Thames always helps me put everything in perspective.
So although the bench here looks as if it has its back to all the hearts drawn by families and loved ones of those who died of Covid, I can't tell you how many times I've sat here, looked out at the river and said a little prayer - not just of personal thanks but also of love for all those who didn't make it.