A gran says there is ”no community spirit” as she and her sick husband have been “left to die” in the pandemic – with no offers of help from neighbours.
Disabled Kathryn Hadley, 63, says the country is “not united at all” and the term “love thy neighbour” has been lost amongst the panic.
She was so desperate for help she wrote to a newspaper saying in her village ”not one person has telephoned or put a note through the door asking if we are OK”.
Kathryn also wrote that ”there obviously is no community spirit. All we can see is greed and selfishness”.
She said that their lifeline of food delivery from a supermarket arrived half empty – because of panic buying.
Kathryn says she has also been unable to buy husband Dave, 55, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer last July and suffers from diabetes and Multiple sclerosis (MS), high-fat food items from the supermarket due to the shelves being bare.
The grandmother-of-one, from Clutton, Somerset, says she has been unable to cook Dave’s favourite dish cheese on toast as it has been “impossible” to pick up basic shopping in the supermarket.
Writing in the Telegraph she penned: “Sir – My husband, who is only 55, has terminal cancer. He has also suffered from diabetes all of his life and a few years ago was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
“I am 63 this year, in a wheelchair because I am unable to walk due to an amputation, and I suffer from depression.
“We put ourselves in solation about 10 days ago. Unfortunately, we have received no help at all from anyone.
“We live in a small village, the type where everyone knows everyone’s business and not one person has telephoned or put a note through the door asking if we are OK.
“There obviously is no community spirit. All we can see is greed and selfishness. When the shopping arrived last night, half of it was missing because selfish people had cleared the shelves.
“When I am feeling really down I just feel like we have been left to die.”
The grandparents, from Clutton, Somerset, went into isolation on 10th March after realising they formed part of the high-risk category of Brits likely to catch coronavirus.
Kathryn said: “Dave is dying. It’s just such a worrying time.
“If he were to get it it would almost definitely shorten his life span.
“I decided to self-isolate as I just didn’t want to be the one to give it to him.
“We were able to get a slot for a food delivery last week but half of the shopping was missing because everyone had gone over the top in the supermarket.
“We’re just left to fend for ourselves.
“We live in a village where everybody knows everyone’s business.
“If there’s bad news or if someone has run off with the milkman it will only be a matter of hours before everyone knows.
“Everything flies around the village. If there’s an argument in the street we’ll all know who was in the right and who was in the wrong in no time.
“But despite that being the nature of the village, at this time of crisis we’re vulnerable and on our own.
“I look out the window and see neighbours their boots absolutely full of carrier bags from the supermarkets.
“I feel like shouting from my window for them to stop but that would only serve me looking like a mad hatter.
“I’ve just seen countless car loads full of food.
“The shelves at our local shop are completely bare.
“I need to get in as much high fat foods as I can for Dave so he can keep the weight on.
“Things like puddings and cheese on toast to keep him fighting.
“But it’s just been impossible trying to get the basics like bread in.
“I actually learnt how to make bread just before the coronavirus but I can’t for the life of me get any flour.
“I just want people to stop all these greed. I don’t know what it is or where it has come from.
“Not that I was around at the time but my grandparents used to tell me during the war people pulled together.
“If anyone was growing anything in their garden they would walk along the road and see if anyone wanted any green beans and would check in.
“There’s just no comradeship.
“There’s no love thy neighbour at all.
“We call this country the United Kingdom but it isn’t united anymore.
“There’s just greed and people looking out for themselves.
“This isn’t going to stop tomorrow, this is going to keep going. I’ve even heard it will last right up until Christmas.
“I just want people to stop and think about what they are doing.
“My husband is dying and I can’t risk going on buses or going outside to get the basics.”