COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – information for all
Government advice on the lockdown and getting back to work is changing, effective tomorrow, so there are a few links to recent coronavirus updates and other guidance below.
Firstly, I would like to offer a huge thank you to all the volunteers of the UBW Coronavirus Support Group. The lockdown has been in place for 7 or 8 weeks now and I have had nothing but praise and gratitude from those you are helping. If any volunteer needs reinforcement in their 'patch' please let me know. We are fortunate to date, to my knowledge, that there have been only a very few cases of the disease in our area, but for many the lockdown will continue.
Advice for Volunteers. Updated guidance from OCC is here: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/107d44f9-ff08-497f-b4a9-7125533ba820/Guidance_for_Volunteers_30.3.20_002_.pdf
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - HMRC Update for employers. See attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/caa80997-50b9-4427-adb7-f5bc71a685d2/Coronavirus_Job_Retention_Scheme_HMRC_Update_for_employers.pdf
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: step by step guide for employers.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-guidance-launched-to-help-get-brits-safely-back-to-work?utm_source=9b81f82c-c1c9-4121-9d1b-3456ead7138c&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate
Chancellor extends furlough scheme until October.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-extends-furlough-scheme-until-october?utm_source=469e4bd6-b6c1-4149-a76b-97f84a86bb07&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate
Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Recycling centres re- open on 18 May for essential use Oxfordshire County Council will re-open Household Waste Recycling Centres on 18 May, for essential use. Essential use means waste that cannot be stored at home, or would cause hard to health if stored. There will be new site rules to ensure social distancing and the safety of residents and site staff. This includes reducing opening hours to 8am – 4pm to allow for cleaning, limiting the number and size of vehicles coming in and contactless payments only.
Queues are likely, so if it can wait, please do. If it's waste that can be disposed of legally and responsibly in another way, such as weekly kerbside collections or district council collection services, please do that. Full information about the changes to recycling centre rules can be found on their website - www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wastereopenquestions
From the Vale:
New discretionary grants scheme. You'll be aware that the government has announced a new discretionary grants scheme for those businesses affected by COVID-19 but were not eligible for the first round of funding. We know that our businesses will be eager to apply to this new scheme, so we've sent this message to those on our existing mailing lists to tell them what we currently know about the initial eligibility criteria and that we're still waiting on the full guidance.
We'll be handling these grants slightly differently as there will need to be a full application process, which we are setting up a system to handle. We'll provide further details on this in a future update.
Stay vigilant – beware of scams and potential cyber-attacks. We've been made aware that criminals have been targeting local authority staff and councillors by sending scam emails and attempting cyber-attacks while people are remote working.
Attempted cyber-attacks
Some fraudsters are replicating MS Teams, Skype and Zoom to ask people to login with their Office365 credentials. If you click the link, it redirects you to a Microsoft looking page for you to enter your details. Please don't enter your details if this happens to you - if you've already logged into Office365 then you shouldn't need to log in again.
Phishing, vishing and smishing emails – just think fishing!
These emails, social media messages, phone calls or texts, or fake websites are on the increase and working remotely, still means you can be targeted by scammers. You can help us to fight against online fraud by staying alert.
Top tips to help you: - Don't assume someone is who they say they are
- Never click on links in emails unless you know the sender is trustworthy
- Never give personal information
Here's somethings to look out for: - bad spelling/grammar or graphics in emails
- warnings such as 'urgent message', 'there's a secure message waiting for you' or 'if you don't respond…'
- suspicious web addresses
- unusual sender/caller addresses
Useful Websites -
https://www.oxfordshireallin.org/
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-at-home-tips/
http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/services-and-advice/coronavirus-community-support
https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/coronavirus-covid-19
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/c19/coronavirus-covid-19/
If you have found any others which have been useful for yourselves, please let me know.
Face Masks for sale – no warranty given or implied
Nina (who lives close to Shrivenham) has started to import reusable face masks from Germany that have a nano silver lining - they can be washed 30 times and cost £13.50. Her number is 07738 830495. A photo is attached here: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/308eecbc-f11d-4e2d-b42d-e9fcf913d0d8.jpg
I have had some problems with the mailchimp system in the last week, so apologies for any technical hitches; I am sending this note to the volunteers of the UBW Support Group as well as those who receive the weekly newsletter – so some of you may get a duplicate.
Village news 7 May 2020 - update This is a brief update to the News email I sent earlier. It contains the poster details for the Woolstone pub Quiz and information on how to register to be included in the Parish Council's Zoom meeting on Monday 11 May..
Pub Quiz. You are invited to celebrate VE Day with a Virtual Pub Quiz on Friday 8th May @ 18h30. Please see attached poster for more details or email woolstonepubquiz@gmail.com. The poster is here.
Parish Council Zoom Meeting - Monday 11 May. Parish Council meetings will continue during the lockdown period but will take place by Zoom videoconferencing rather than in the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall. As always, the public is welcome to join these meetings and there will be a Public Forum within the first 30 minutes or so. The agenda is here. To register please email the Clerk for details of the Zoom meeting: uffingtonpc.clerk@gmail.com
Village news 7 May 2020 I am circulating this edition of the Village News a day earlier than usual, because it contains information about tomorrow's Bank Holiday.
From the Vale
We've got some important messages for you ahead of this Bank Holiday weekend: - Help is available
- Friday's waste collections moved to Saturday
- Stay at home – get gardening
- VE day celebrations at home (There is a link to the VE Day website which has 'heaps of information on how you and your household can get involved at home, with educational packs')
See: http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/news/2020/2020-05/four-important-messages-ahead-bank-holiday-weekend
75th anniversary of VE Day - 8 May 2020
The programme for the day notified by OCC is here:
https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-to-mark-the-75th-anniversary-of-victory-in-europe/
Pub Quiz. You are invited to celebrate VE Day with a Virtual Pub Quiz on Friday 8th May @ 18h30. Please see attached poster for more details or email woolstonepubquiz@gmail.com. The poster is here:
Planned Road Closure - Baulking Lane, Faringdon, SN7 8NR. The road closure for work by Thames Water is scheduled to start on 15 May. Diversion routes are available on the Parish Council website here: https://www.uffington.net/app/download/16309005/Baulking+Road+Diversions.pdf
Village upkeep
Members of the village Maintenance Group are tidying the verges around the Jubilee Field, cutting the area between the road and stream for road safety reasons; inside the stream will be left in a natural state, for wildlife.
Fresh, local meals - straight to your door! (Revised notice)
As you may remember my name is Mac and I run a small company called Passion Fine Dining Ltd here in Woolstone. I am fortunate enough to still be able to receive meat orders from my butchers and vegetable suppliers. I have been approached by a few people locally and in other villages asking if I would consider doing a delivery service of various meals around the area. I would love to be able to help make life just a little easier for people during these present times. I am now producing a small selection of 'comfort' meals for locals to order and my partner Karen will then deliver them in the safest conditions. I will also be donating 10% to the NHS or local charity of choice.
The meals will now be prepared in 1 portion packs and delivered either vac packed in plastic bags (easy to freeze/refrigerate) or in foil containers to put in the oven. At present I'm offering the following but am also looking to provide a vegetarian dish from this coming week.
Vegetarian Thai red curry. (contains cashew nuts and coconut cream) £7.00
Cottage Pie (in foil dish) - £7.00
Beef Bourguinonne (vac pac) - £7.00
Beef Rendang (Malaysian Curry vac pac) - £7.00
Chicken Curry (Madras heat level and vac pac) - £7.00
No rice is provided with the curries due to the hazards of reheating.
If this proves to be popular I will continue the service but change the dishes and provide a new menu every two weeks that can be ordered up until 9am on the Wednesday for delivery Friday and Saturday. There will be a minimum order of 4 portions ( any combination of the dishes ) and payment can be made either in an envelope with cash or an electronic transfer on-line. Please feel free to contact by mobile 07786268401 direct or by email: passionfinedining@gmail.com
Reminder: White Horse Garden Club Plant Sale on Saturday 9th May - 10 am - 4pm
Garden club members will place plants in their driveways (not on the pavement) for people to choose and make a donation into an honesty box.
All proceeds we will give to charity: Prospect Hospice, Moorhead Road, Wroughton, Swindon.
Please respect social distancing at all times
Any queries please contact: Pamela Preene at parrottspreene@aol.com or 820251
VE Day - Friday 8 May | VE Day - Victory in Europe – Friday 8 May 1945. Attached are some ideas for activities on Friday, as we remember the end of the War in Europe 75 years ago, whilst observing the lockdown and social distancing rules, which are still very important.
See: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/e07f0366-7e94-4d52-8cc6-3c229e35c7df.jpg The day will start with a 2-minute silence at 11.00 am, at the War Memorial in St Mary's Churchyard. Please note that the World War 2 air raid siren kept in the Museum will be sounded after the 2-minute silence.
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