A NEW DIRECTION

When Annabella Baker, 52, lost her job, it was the best thing to happen to her

- KARA O'NEILL, KERRI MUIRHEAD

Checking my emails, I felt my heart pounding. There were a lot of words on the computer screen in front of me, but one stood out more than most. Redundant.

‘It’s all over,’ I sobbed into my husband Mark’s arms. It was summer 2020 and, like lots of other people all around the world, my job had become yet another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a member of cabin crew for EasyJet, I’d been furloughed when the world went into lockdown in March. ‘It’ll just be for a few weeks,’ Mark had reassured me. Only, restrictions didn’t ease as quickly as I thought they would, and now I was being told that I wouldn’t be going back. Ever.

STARTING AFRESH

It was all I’d known for 17 years. Looking after people was second nature to me, and I loved dressing in my smart suit and heels, lippy on, with every strand of hair lacquered into place.