OV Physio withTop Tips for

working from home & OV

musical duet

King's Heroes: Thank you to our OV

NHS Workers

We continue each Thursday at 8pm to join in with neighbours

across the country to applaud our incredible NHS workers.

This week we especially thank OV and midwife Renate

Brown-Goode (W 91-93).

Renate says, "I am a midwife at Worcestershire Royal

Hospital working primarily on Delivery Suite but also on our

Covid-19 isolation unit where we care for women in the

antenatal and postnatal periods as well as labouring women

with suspected or confirmed cases of Coronavirus. I support

women and their birth partners through labour and birth.

Midwifery is a very hands on, holistic profession and the requirement for wearing PPE at this time greatly

impacts on our roles. The touch of a hand or a reassuring smile can really help women through an anxious

time but now that touch and that smile are hidden behind gloves and surgical masks at a time when

anxiety is particularly

high.

Despite all this, myself

and my colleagues do

what we can to keep

morale high, support each

other through our own

wobbles and dark

moments and strive to

provide the best possible

care to our women."

Thank you Renate! Below,

children of key workers at

King's Hawford say thank

you to Renate too.

Top Tips from OV Physiotherapist

for Working From Home

OVs everywhere are feeling the impact of Coronavirus with

many of us suddenly working from home and adapting to all

the challenges remote working brings.

OV Colette Owen (Co 90-92) is a physiotherapist who is having

to adapt to a new way of working but also has some tips to

help us work more comfortably from home. Colette writes…

"We are in week four of lockdown, and like many professions,

physiotherapists have had to review and evaluate how we

practice. I specialise in musculoskeletal, sports injuries and

ergonomics, predominantly seeing clients face-to-face. Many

clinical interventions, whether assessments or treatments,

would be hands on, and indeed, clients would expect that approach.

With the Coronavirus lockdown it has been an opportunity to explore different ways of working and to

revisit practice. Fortunately, I have experience of phone and video consultations and, let's face it, decades

of physiotherapy and ergonomic practice. It has been an interesting personal study of adapting clinical

tests or hands on treatment to a remote setting and still be effective. Patients seem to be enjoying it too,

and we are seeing positive results.

Ergonomics are also being completed online, with webinars for larger groups and individual DSE

assessments for those requiring a more detailed assessment. A pragmatic approach is being taken and it is

rewarding to work with and support employers and employees during these challenging times.

Working from home can be a challenge for many different reasons. It is known that sedentary lifestyles can

have a significant impact on physical and mental health. A recent IES report highlights that since lockdown

and working from home there has been an increase in reported low back pain and other musculoskeletal

disorders. So what can we do in this situation? Working at the kitchen table, on sofas or beds is becoming

the new normal. Not everyone has a suitable chair; and from my experience, not everyone has a table.

Taking a pragmatic approach, there are a number of ways in which you can make working from home

better;

♦ Have a structure; make sure there is a start and finish time to your day. The working day can easily

continue into the evening as no train to catch, class to attend, friends and family to see. Make sure you set

aside time for exercise, talking with others (research shows talking is better than texting for reducing

loneliness)

♦ Build in your commute; being in lockdown is making us less active; no walk to the station, meetings, to

our favourite lunch spot. Consider your normal activity and add it to your day: 10-minute walk to the

station? Substitute it with 10 minutes of walking up and down stairs, hallway or garden. Got a meeting in

ten minutes? "Walk" to the meeting

♦ Here are some key ergonomic tips:

* When sitting, hips should be higher than knees with feet on the floor. Use cushions to give height,

and if a footrest is needed, books and boxes are a suitable and immediate alternative

* Sit in a chair that has a backrest and place computer kit on a solid surface such as a table or kitchen

counter. Counters and ironing boards (yes, you read that correctly) can make great standing desk

alternatives - add some standing time into your day. Aim for 20-40 minutes throughout the day.

* The top of the screen should be level with your eyes. If no screen riser, use books and boxes.

* If using a laptop (raised with screen level with eyes), use a separate keyboard and mouse to make

sure arms and wrists are in a neutral position Note: if you have to buy any ergonomic kit, a separate

keyboard and mouse would be my top suggestion

* If using a phone, use speaker setting or headphones. Avoid holding the phone in the crook of your

neck. Phone or video calls are a great reminder to get up and move. Not able to walk about? Simple

movements such as squats, marching on spot, raising arms will also do the trick

* Have the items you use the most closest to you and consider general health and safety: no trailing

wires, check smoke alarms, etc.

Try to do as many of the above as you can. However, if for whatever reason you cannot, don't despair. The

most important and easiest thing you can do is to move more: change postures, simple stretches and

exercises. Mix up your day. If you have concerns regarding your ability to work from home, please let your

employer know. You are not alone."

To find out more you can contact Colette on colette@bespokewellbing.co.uk

Coronavirus Diary with OV

Jeremy Thompson: Entry 5

Following on from last week, here is the beginning of

the next entry in OV Jeremy Thompson (S 61-65)'s

Virus Diaries for Sky news…

Monday 13th April

As we began this shutdown saga in Spain over a

month ago - before legging it home to London - I'm

interested to hear the Spanish government is daring

to ease up the shutters.

While friends in Andalusia insist the personal restrictions are still stiflingly tight, the authorities have

decided it's time to end their "extreme economic hibernation period".

Some non-essential businesses are being allowed back to work. The rest of Europe will watch with bated

breath to see what impact it has in one of the countries worst hit by the virus.

Still in Spain, green-keepers have been spotted mowing our course for the first time. A glimmer of hope for

my golfing buddies.

Such is their desperation to get back on the tee, the first round back (whenever that is) will be something

of a scramble and a shamble!

Meanwhile, good friends Olive and Bruce describe an unexpected brush with the law when they were

pulled over by police for cycling in Richmond Park. It had all been okay the week before. However, the Old

Bill had grown tired of tightly packed pelotons of boy racers in tight Lycra cluttering the Easter roads and

decided to ban all park bikers above the age of 12.

Our sedate pedalling pals just got caught unwittingly in the dragnet.

You can read the rest of this week here.

OVs stories from around the world- New Zealand and Norway Last week we were pleased to share OV stories from France and Laos and this week we have Ben's story

about New Zealand and Charlotte writes of life in Norway. We have more OV stories next week too so

keep an eye out.

We really enjoy reading these OV news updates so if you live abroad and would like to share your story

please do let us know at alumni@ksw.org.uk

New Zealand: Ben Glossop (Cl 80-

88)

"Come to New Zealand" they said.

"It's really outdoorsy" they said.

Well, here we are in Level 4

lockdown and I have not been more

than a mile from the house for 4

weeks.

At times it feels like I am living The

Life of Pi - trapped in a small space with a group of unpredictable wild animals. Most of the time, however,

I think how lucky we are over here. My income is secure, the autumn weather is fair and the family has

been baking up a storm.

In Christchurch we have to beware the ides of March. At this time of year we always have some sort of

disaster - earthquakes, mass shootings, plagues. We are united over here behind Auntie Jacinda, pushing

hard to eliminate Covid-19 from our shores. With only three new cases today, we are starting to believe

that better times are not too far away.

What about the second wave of cases from abroad, you may ask? Well, New Zealand is quite literally

CLOSED for now. Yesterday not a single person arrived in our country, and anybody who does arrive for

the foreseeable future will be spending 2 weeks in state supervised quarantine.

The only downside of being trapped in NZ paradisolation? I miss my family in Blighty, and the world just

got a whole lot bigger.

Norway: Charlotte Brun (Co

88-89)

Greetings from Oslo, Norway!

We had a "kick start" of the

corona infection after ski-

tourists came back from Italy

and Austria in February. The

government closed schools

and childcare on March 12th.

As many as possible work

from home and we are constantly reminded to wash hands and stay 2 metres apart. Fortunately this has

slowed down the infection. The hospitals manage well and we are slowly starting to "reopen".

Most people have handled this well, but one thing surprised me - some

made a lot of complaints when they were no longer allowed to travel

outside their home town. Due to travel restrictions they could not visit

their cabins in the mountain. I guess they planned for a home office with

cross-country skiing at lunch.

I visited our family cabin in early March, just before we

closed down. The huge amount of snow this year will make

it possible to ski in May, so hopefully this will cheer up the

most fanatic skiers.

No home office for me as I am a medical doctor at Oslo

University hospital. I have specialised as a paediatrician and

we have seen only mild cases among children in my

department.

I went back to practice working with adult patients as we

needed to relocate doctors and nurses wherever needed.

I have three children at home. They have a lot of homework but

online teaching has been better than I expected. At least as long as

the WiFi works!

We think about our friends in the UK in this difficult time and

sincerely hope you are well! My father Johan Brun (H 61-62), who is

also a King's OV, sends his thoughts and best wishes to you all!

When life returns to normal, we hope to once again visit King's

School with our family!

Photo 1: Oslo University Hospital

Photo 2: Family cabin this March

Photo 3: My father and I outside College House

Photo 4: My children outside Worcester Cathedral

OVs in Virtual Lunchtime Recital

The Summer term sees the launch of 'lunchtime concerts' from the King's Music department. The virtual

concerts are being shared via King's social media channels and are featuring a range of performances by

music staff, pupils and OVs.

The first two concerts received over 1500 hits each. Monday's performer was one of the school's guitar

teachers, Andy Crocker, and Wednesday's was U6 Music Scholar Jess accompanied remotely by the

Director of Music.

Today's recital (Friday 27th April) starred not one, but two OVs, David Newsholme (Os 93-03), Assistant

Organist at Canterbury Cathedral & Adrian Uren (Cl 96-03), Principal Horn Player of the Adelaide

Symphony Orchestra, Australia with a wonderful performance of Percy Grainger's Handel in the Strand.

King's Director of Music, Simon Taranczuk (Hon OV) said, "This is a great opportunity for us to bring our

music community together. We really wanted to ensure that the spirit and interactivity levels of the

department stay strong during this lockdown period. The lunchtime concerts are the first initiative and

there is more to come, so watch this space. It has been great fun to organise and the pupils, staff and OVs

are really excited about being involved."

The concerts are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1.45pm, which is the time that the

Music Department usually begin their lunchtime rehearsals.

You can find all the lunchtime concerts on YouTube here. Enjoy!

From the Archives: History of Natland House (1919-1932)

1919: Establishment of Natland House

Following the end of the First World War, an increase in the number of boarders justified the starting of

a fourth boarding house at King's in 1919. Rev. R.J. Whitaker, who had been the school's chief

mathematical master since 1911, took Natland, a large house on the west side of Battenhall Road, which

he and his wife conducted as a boarding house for thirteen years.

Natland House, 49 Battenhall Road, photographed in 1998.

Mr. Whitaker's dry, quiet, humour, and his readiness to give his time and his energies freely to any

activities - dramatic ventures, chess, gymnastics, debates - that might be afoot, and his faithful attendance

on the playing fields, in his early days as a player, later sometimes as spectator but more often as umpire

or referee, made him popular with everyone in the School, but especially with his boys in Natland.

However, following the Great Depression, parents began to view school fees as an extravagance at a time

of such financial difficulty, and King's saw a corresponding decline in pupil numbers. The decision was

made to sell Natland house in 1932, and the remaining boarders were placed into the three pre-existing

houses (School, Castle and Hostel). That September The Vigornian reported: "The boys from Natland

started afresh in various houses, and seem to have settled down again, under less hectic conditions. (We

are told that the record from Natland to the Edgar Tower, on a bike, was only a few seconds. We have

never been about to find the person who performed this feat.)"

Mr. Whitaker subsequently retired from King's at the end of the summer term of 1935; he and his wife

moved to the Vicarage of Cleeve Prior, near Evesham.

KSW Staff photograph, c.1917 Revd. R.J. Whitaker (Mathematics master 1911-1935, Housemaster of Natland

1919-1932) is seated on the front row, second from right

24/04/2020