100 days of lockdown - our reflections


Kirsty McVey

Kirsty McVey

Marketing Executive


As this week marks 100 days of lockdown we’re taking the time to pause and reflect.

It’s been a challenging time for all, but there are also a great number of positives and learnings to take from this time.

In this blog, we’ve shared stories from our people across the firm, reflecting on what lockdown has meant to them and the little acts of kindness that are bringing them, their families, communities, and work teams together at this time.

Susie Walker, Partner and Head of Tax

“What has the lockdown meant to me? In a word it’s been surreal. The best thing for me is being together as a family. With two grown up sons at university it’s something we didn’t have the chance to do very often before. Eating dinner together as a family has now become part of our evening routine and that’s a real highlight for me.”

Sandy Manson, Chair and Head of Client Service

“As we look forward to more of the lockdown measures easing soon, I took some time to reflect on my lockdown experience so far.

"Living at home with my wife, Barbara, my son, his girlfriend and our black Lab, Ava, hasn’t come without challenges (mainly for Barbara as she’s now my hairdresser!) but on the whole it has been a positive experience.

"I miss the social interaction from being around colleagues and the team spirit we would feel being in the office. However, I think that the way we live our lives and how we do things is now becoming much more blended, a new type of team spirit is emerging.”

Emma Waterman, Business Advisory Partner

“My siblings are spread throughout the UK and it’s difficult to get all of us together in normal times, never mind in lockdown, so it has delighted me that I have weekly, sometimes twice weekly, Zoom chats with them where we catch up, play games and do quizzes. It’s probably the most time we have spent together in years. We are all busy, with families of our own with a wide variety of ages, so getting time when we are all available for a chat was always a challenge.”

To mark Mental Health Awareness week this year, we shared the kindness stories that made our day.

Here’s how little acts of kindness go a long way to raising our spirits and giving us another reason to smile….

Scott Jeffrey, Audit Partner

"Two of my daughters, Elle (7) and Holly (4), loved taking part in the weekly clapping for carers and the NHS, with their sister Sophie (1) a little on the young side to take part. With mum and two of their aunties working for the NHS, it is close to their hearts with everything going on.

"They came up with the idea that they wanted to raise some money to support the NHS and could sell plants to our neighbours at the weekly street clapping. This became a real project for them from sowing seeds and growing them on, potting up plants and decorating the plant pots, not to mention creating posters advertising the sale of plants which they attached to lampposts in the street. They also created fancy stones and paper flowers to give away on the night. Elle was fascinated with the weather forecast and carefully monitored the weather conditions all week.

"The good news was that it remained sunny and dry. Our neighbours were fantastic, supporting the girls with their fundraising event by buying up all the plants (two metre social distancing applied at all times of course!). The girls raised a total of £89 and were over the moon to have done something special to help support the NHS. They've created a positive memory during these challenging times that will last with them and me forever."

Kirsten McWilliam, Audit Supervisor

“It’s a JC tradition for the girls in the Aberdeen Audit department that when someone gets married, we have a ‘JC hen’ night out to celebrate! Unfortunately due to COVID-19, I had to postpone my wedding until next year but that didn’t stop the girls (and guys!) wanting to mark the occasion of what should have been my JC hen night.

"One Friday afternoon, I got invited to a Teams call called 'COVID-19 Video Presentation’. to my surprise, when I joined, everyone on the call was there to wish me a ‘Happy Hen Do’ and surprise me with an amazing video which they had created - a mash-up of them all singing along to 'I'll Be There for You'. Feeling a bit emotional at all the effort they had gone to, I burst in to tears. They had clearly spent a lot of time filming and putting it together and it was a really nice way to virtually celebrate. I can’t wait for even bigger celebrations next year!”

Emily Young,  Senior Marketing Manager

"Two of my nieces, Eimear (9) and Iona (7), decided to write a fortnightly newsletter to keep their neighbours in touch during lockdown. Each edition is full of jokes, photos, and interesting things they've learned. It's an online newsletter, but they print off copies for the older residents and pop it through their doors. It's been a lovely way to keep people in touch, but it's also been something to look forward to, which is so important at this time. It's the little things that can really brighten your day and this is something that continues to make me smile, with every edition I read!"


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