'Testing times' bring mum and daughter together

Friday 21 August 2020

It’s said that working with family can be ‘testing’… but for one mother-daughter duo, working side-by-side at the harbour screening facility has actually brought them closer together.

Gillian Mallett, the Covid-19 Clinical Lead for the Harbour Arrivals Testing Centre, and her daughter Sophie have been working together for the past six weeks.

A Deputy Sister for outpatient admissions at the Hospital, Gillian has been involved in covid-19 testing for the past six months.

She was first redeployed within the screening team at the end of February, before moving to the Five Oaks and then the airport drive-through centres.

Pictured: Gillian helped set up the testing centre at the Harbour.

As preparations were underway ahead of the borders reopening in early July, she then helped set up the Harbour testing centre.

“It’s been interesting to watch it evolve,” Gillian said. 

Over the past six months, Gillian says she has worked with “really lovely teams”, including healthcare staff redeployed in different areas like her or university students.

“I have worked with people that I haven’t seen for years, it’s been lovely,” Gillian said. “I have also worked with people from the Fire Service, hairdressers, all sorts of people.”

The team at the Harbour, she said, is no different except that it includes a team member very special to her: her 18-year-old daughter, Sophie. 

Pictured: The mother-daughter never expected they would one day work together.

Neither of them expected to work together one day, let alone during a pandemic.

As Gillian explained, it all happened “accidentally”. 

“I never thought I would work with my mum or go into any medic kind of work,” Sophie, who recently finished a Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education at Highlands College, said.

Earlier this year, she had applied to join the Band of Royal Marines. As she was invited to audition in March and the Harbour testing team were looking to recruit, Gillian asked her, “What are you doing for the rest of the summer?”  

Sophie started as a foot marshal, directing people through the testing centre, before joining the admin team.

Like her mum, she says she has enjoyed the team spirit at the centre. “I can see why you enjoy working so much,” she told her mum. “It’s like a family!” 

A huge thank you and well done to the Covid 19 Harbour screening team for being truly amazing,also airport arrivals @AllisonEMills and airport drive through @catherinamarcr1 for coming together and supporting each other today. @MartynBrydon @MartinWarnette pic.twitter.com/6R2iC0Cm9O

— Gillian Mallet (@jsy7075) August 8, 2020

Gillian heaped praise on the team, lauding the way they worked through the recent heatwave.

“They were wearing full PPE for three hours, they had two boats coming in, the visors were steaming up, it was very hot, and they still did it with a smile,” she said.

“There are 30 people testing, a team of 10 admin staff, but there is also the ports staff, the customs staff, we all work together,” she continued. 

“There are also people behind the scenes, the mini lab team who packs the samples, people who pick up the laundry, the field squadron team dropping off our PPE and making sure we are fully stocked.

“There are so many people involved I don’t want to forget anyone. Everyone has got a part to play. 

“There is the helpline team, the track and tracing team and Dr Ivan Muscat, he is the most amazing man. His reassurance has been everything, he is such a lovely man, he will always talk to you. His knowledge and understanding have been reassuring from the start.”

Pictured: Sophie ended up at the Harbour Testing Centre "accidentally", her mum said.

As Gillian worked long hours over the last six months, the pair has also enjoyed being able to spend more time together.

“We didn’t get to see each other much earlier this year,” Sophie said.

“I used to coach gym for eight years because she was part of the team,” Gillian explained. “Then she joined the Sea Cadets and I did too, it was nice to get to see what she was up to. Now, she gets to see what I am up to!"

“We get on so well, we’re like roommates,” Gillian continued, looking lovingly at her daughter as she added, “I’m blessed. You are really good.”  

Who’d have guessed this would be in the photo album 14 years later ???????? pic.twitter.com/Xf9ijz1dki

— Gillian Mallet (@jsy7075) July 24, 2020

The experience has given the pair the opportunity to recreate a picture taken 14 years ago at Samarès School (pictured top). The day the original photo was taken, Gillian had gone into Sophie’s reception class to talk about her work as a nurse.

The ‘after’ picture, taken outside the testing centre, will go into the family album and will also probably make the scrapbook Gillian has been keeping to document 2020 and the pandemic.

“In 20 years on it will be taught in lessons,” she said. “[Sophie’s children] will want to come and see granny’s scrapbook.” 

Looking back over the last six months, Gillian and Sophie hope the community spirit shown during the pandemic will continue to live on.  

“I don’t think anyone would have imagined it, nurses, parents, schoolteachers, taxi drivers, no one,” Gillian said. “We have all had to adapt and make sacrifices and changes. 

“At the end of all this, it’s my hope that people won’t forget. As quick at it came, I hope it will change things for the better.

“The island has been doing incredibly well. We need to celebrate how well it’s doing.”