5 – Once a Day Outdoors

A Digital Community Exhibition – July 2020

Together with the rest of the UK, Wycombe Museum went into lockdown on 23 March due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Museum staff worked from home to begin with, then most were furloughed. Keeping in touch with our volunteers, one of them suggested we do an exhibition of local experiences of lockdown. This became possible with funding from Arts Council England, and we appealed for photos of lockdown through social media.

The images we received divided into sections, reflecting the main themes of lockdown:

1 – Staying Home

2 – Supporting the NHS

3 – Making and Growing

4 – Connecting Remotely

5 – Once a Day Outdoors

6 – Coming Together Safely

7 – Lifting Lockdown

Section 5 – Once a Day Outdoors

During full lockdown we could only go outdoors for exercise once per day. As individuals, our walks and horizons were now very limited, but these photos show a range of views and scenes from across Wycombe district.

'Marlow Jewel' By Terry Hastings, taken in Marlow "Banks of Higginson Park Marlow, swans on the Thames. For me this picture encapsulates the Covid period giving the opportunity of nature to thrive, and the picnic part of the scene where humans can co-exist."

By Michael New, taken in Marlow Marlow Woods in lockdown

By Monica Hawkins, taken in Stokenchurch "Each week a few of us made picture treasure hunt for children to search out whilst doing their daily permitted exercise. Great fun and a lovely distraction from the doom and gloom of Covid-19."

By Lorraine Southon, taken in Marlow "Completing couch to 5k during lockdown."

By Lisa Hare, taken in Marlow Bottom Running through the vineyard, Marlow Bottom

By Julie Vartiainen, taken in High Wycombe "One of the things I have enjoyed the most during this strange time has been looking at the town’s architecture on our daily walks. With the quiet streets and slow pace I have really noticed the interesting architecture on some of the buildings in the centre."

By John Norris, The Snapologist (Marlow Camera Club), taken in Stokenchurch "Clear skies gave us the opportunity to view an evening moon clearer than ever. The Kite is synonomous with Stokenchurch."

By Jo Dimmock, taken in Stokenchurch Window of peace amid the chaos

By Della Fitzgerald, taken in Marlow Bottom The path to the closed pub

By Della Fitzgerald, taken in Marlow Bottom The Dinosaur that Cheered Me Up

By Della Fitzgerald, taken in Marlow Bottom "Stupas (dome-shaped Bhuddist shrines) on my walk in Marlow Bottom."

’Two Fingers up to Covid-19’ by A. Davidson, taken in Cressex "This was the phrase that came to mind when I saw this fork-lift over a fence, during a walk along a strangely quiet Lancaster Road, Cressex. Enforced inactivity for a while, but hopefully it’ll back to work soon."

'Shhh!!’ by A. Davidson, taken in High Wycombe "Daily exercise – puffing up Castle Walk, a movement made me pause at the railway bridge below Castle Hill House. 'It said CLOSED, but I’ve visited Wycombe Museum during lockdown and I think that I got away with it. Oh, no! Someone’s spotted me. I’m off!!'... And the squirrel scampered away."

'North West View' by Terry Hastings, taken in Beacons Bottom "Beacons Bottom within Aston Rowant Nature Reserve – a view north west. First time here. From here it’s a vision - as for so many out of COVID - of new directions whether chosen or forced. It’s a wide world out there."