Manner Issue 12 | Page 13

EDITOR'S LETTER Hello.. Well, that was a crazy, unexpected 3 months. 1 week after printing our spring issue the island was ground to a halt and put on an immediate lockdown. ‘Stay at home’, ‘wash your hands’, ‘social distancing’, ‘lockdown’, ‘COVID-19’ and ‘panic buying’ are some of the words that will be etched into our brains for years to come. With children back at school and many of us returning to work, Liana Shaw spoke to parents who were forced to juggle working from home whilst home-schooling (P54). A sense of community spirit kicked in for some. We spoke to Aubie - the 4-year-old who's been cheering up the gardening community with his stall of free flowers, veg and fruit plants (P51) as well as Petra Leggett who helped hundreds of islanders access masks via her Facebook group Jerseymasks4all (P52). Unfortunately, some businesses didn’t make it out of lockdown, whilst others have flourished. It also allowed creatives to do just that – create. We have featured 6 women who have turned their creativity into a business (P6). We then come to the second major event of the year – the killing of George Floyd which sparked outrage across the world, rightly so. Racism is an issue that isn’t given the attention it deserves or needs. Racism isn’t just in America, it’s everywhere – including Jersey. We must stand together and speak out against racism when and where we can. A peaceful protest was held at People’s Park on 25th May which was followed by speeches from people of the black community, protesters and politicians – all of the speeches can be read from page 56. Also in this issue... Spring trends including neon brights, craft-style pieces and bold tangerine colours feature throughout the magazine. You'll find everything you need for a sunny staycation from shorts and kaftans to whimsical beach accessories. Mark Stephenson works his magic with our 'Down at the Dunes' editorial - Tilly Amy looks simply stunning in the holiday inspired shoot (P30). Get your garden summer ready with Harriet Rouse's tips from page 75, and throw the ultimate al fresco party with our edit of delicious recipes and garden accessories (P78). Bex Evans shares the reality of dating during lockdown (P81) and Chloe Bowler explores the benefits of cycling (P82). I hope the next 3 months is a safer, happier chapter for everyone. @sophlwilko 13