Let’s hear it for the doctors and the nurses on our wards

The thousands upon thousands who will never win awards

“They’re heroes” Boris now insists

He’ll soon forget - their worth dismissed

One tokened in the Honours List

So beat the drum for nurses.

 

Let’s hear it for the carers who look after Britain’s aged

Their contribution to the cause deemed unskilled and low waged

For years enduring disaffection

Risking death from this infection

But soldier on with sparse protection.

So beat the drum for carers.

 

Let’s hear it for the services who fight emergencies

The fire crews and the police engaged in such activities

With wailing sirens as they come

To deal with blaze or spitting scum

So raise a glass and beat the drum

For fire crews and the police.

 

Let’s hear for the drivers who deliver vital goods

To or from the supermarkets into neighbourhoods

To feed the old boy home alone

The shielded woman on her own

Whose only link’s a telephone

So beat the drum for drivers.

 

Let’s hear it for the check-out girls at Lidl and the rest

For shelf stackers and trolleymen who do their level best

To get shops’ groceries to ourselves

By night and day like Santa’s elves

Manning tills and stacking shelves

For all such beat the drum.

 

Let’s hear it for the teachers and support staff still at school

Trying hard to get the kids to stick to Covid rules

To make sure pupils’ hands are clean

And keep two metres in between

And all the while risk quarantine

So beat the drum for teachers.

 

Let’s hear it for the pickers and the packers in our fields

Moving on from farm to farm to maximise crop yield

Some are white and some are black

They come from Poland or Iraq

For years you shouted “Send them back!”

But now you beat the drum.