Closures ‘foolish’, says Sheila Hancock

‘For all of the religions I think it could have only been good for the morale of the country.’

by Rebecca Hardy 22nd January 2021

Quaker Sheila Hancock has said that it was ‘foolish’ for the government to force places of worship to close down during the two national lockdowns in 2020. Speaking in Premier magazine on 1 December, the Hammersmith Friend said: ‘I think it was foolish of them. It’s rather like gyms… my gym is the safest place I know. They’ve got Perspex screens, you have to wipe down the machines, they’ve got air coming in, all the windows are open. It’s so safe and I think most churches could follow those measures. We certainly did when we had the opportunity to meet. We were safer there than in our own homes, with children coming in and out.