Unheard voices
There is currently a reliance on statistics to communicate the impacts of overheating, rather than the nuanced and unique telling of human experience.
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Lesley shared her experience looking after her husband, who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, during a heatwave. She expressed the difficulties of frequently monitoring her husband to ensure he does not dehydrate or overheat. Her story demonstrates the disproportionate impacts of heat on those with underlying health conditions and the underacknowledged impact on their families. This emphasises the need for a more nuanced understanding of the effects of overheating.
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Joseph reflected on his experience during the 2022 heatwave and the tenants he works with as part of the London Tenants Federation. Living in a high rise flat within Islington, Joseph was not able to stay within his home during the heatwave due to the extreme indoor temperatures. Joseph also highlighted the vulnerability of the elderly and young children to heat-related risks, advocating for increased awareness and education around this issue. His insights underscore the need for practical measures to address housing and public health challenges during heatwaves, especially for tenants who are not able to adapt their homes themselves.
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Tabitha is a former teacher working in a primary school during the 2022 heatwave event. She shared her experience of teaching under extreme weather conditions, highlighting how unprepared public institutions are in the face of climate change. Young children are particularly vulnerable to overheating, which can lead to sickness, drowsiness, headaches, and a loss of concentration and learning. Tabitha also provided insights into the mental health of her students, such as how the heatwave made students irritable, less engaged, and anxious.
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As the manager at Hilldrop Community Centre, Elaine recounts her experience dealing with the July 2022 heatwave. Hilldrop is a homely community centre that hosts Islington residents, many of which visit the centre on a weekly basis. However, some activities, such as the gardening club, were unable to run during the heatwave to protect the visitors. Elaine expressed her concern for the elderly community members during a heatwave and the urgent need for shaded streets and public spaces to protect them.
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We spoke to Camino, an Islington resident living in a high-rise flat, about her experience with overheating and her personal health struggles caused by the heat. She shared DIY strategies used to cope with thermal discomfort at home, such as ice water containers. Camino also highlighted that shading devices, such as external shutters, are not widely used in the UK compared to other European countries. Camino's experience underlines a concern for the future and the urgency for the UK's housing stock to adapt to a warmer climate.
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Kirstie shared her experience of the July 2022 heatwave and the significant impacts it had on her family, especially her young daughter. She highlighted the complications of protecting her child in extreme heat conditions and how difficult it is to mitigate the effects of the heat. Beyond just the physical discomfort, Kirstie shared the toll on her family’s mental health during the heatwave as it was difficult to get proper sleep in her flat and none of the strategies used to cool down were enough.
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Pamela shared her experience working as a former pediatric nurse during a heatwave period. Her story highlights the experience of key workers and the fragility of our critical infrastructure and services in the face of increasing global temperatures. Pamela explained how temperatures in the pediatric ward did not need to reach 40 degrees to create dire conditions for both patients and staff. Feeding and taking care of vulnerable people, in this case children, was met with severe complications. High temperatures lowered the appetite of many patients, increasing their risk of dehydration, and deteriorating the current condition of their health.
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Jonny shared his experience working at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington during the summer period. He shed light on the financial hit that the creative performance industry took during the July 2022 heatwave, as people were reluctant to spend their free time in small and crowded spaces when it was hot outside. Jonny expressed his concern that in the face of climate change, up-and-coming artists may suffer by not being able to break into the industry unless appropriate measures are taken to adapt.
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Heather shared her experience living in her flat within Islington during the July 2022 heatwave. Whilst she felt lucky that she and her husband could install air conditioning, she shared the struggles of living in an older flat that was not built for warmer weather. Working from home during that summer created significant challenges and getting good quality sleep without using air conditioning and fans was hard. And they were expensive to run. Travelling in London during the heatwave was particularly memorable for Heather; she highlighted the unbearable heat on the Tube, making it impossible for passengers to travel safely around the city.
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Cornelius is advocating for the increased accessibility and quality of public toilets across Islington. The adequate provision of public toilets is particularly needed by more vulnerable populations in hotter months when staying hydrated is essential. Cornelius also describes how the heat makes it difficult to sleep, leading to improvised solutions like using cardboard on windows to block out the sun. His story emphasises the need for both better adapted buildings and public amenities in the face of increasing temperatures.
The scorching summer of 2022 will forever be etched in the memories of those residing in the United Kingdom. From 16th to 19th July, an unprecedented heatwave swept across the nation, leaving a trail of records broken and communities tested. As the heat soared to a historic 40.3°C, we bore witness to the immense challenges faced by vulnerable groups, the strains on essential services, and the untold stories of resilience and struggle. Shade the UK, an organisation committed to raising awareness about the effects of increased temperatures on the vulnerable, invites you to share your personal experiences and journeys during this momentous heatwave.
Join us as we collect stories from diverse backgrounds, shedding light on the impact this heatwave had on different vulnerability groups.