Month: April 2020

Coronavirus Update no 7 for Stratton Audley

by

Continuing to Wrestle with the Covid 19 Mugger

 Whilst we all want to start seeing some easement of the Lockdown restrictions, in reality we know they are going to continue for some weeks. We have been asked to remind everyone to adhere strictly to the government’s guidance, so please:

  • Continue to stay at home – only go out for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
  • If you do go out, stay two metres away from other people at all times
  • Wash your hands before you go out and especially as soon as you get home
  • Wearing gloves and a face mask is optional

Please remember– you can spread the virus even if you do not have any symptoms.

To find the latest Government advice and information about Covid 19, go to: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

The NHS has information on how to prevent the virus spreading at: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We have been asked to share the following information about the availability of health services in the County.

A&E: The Emergency Departments at the John Radcliffe and Horton General Hospitals are still open 24/7 to anyone who becomes ill with serious health conditions including stroke, heart conditions, difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, or heavy bleeding. People should be reassured that systems are in place to treat patients with suspected COVID-19 in a different area, so everyone who comes to one of the hospitals with other conditions will be treated in a separate and safe manner.

For other worrying health concerns that are not an emergency please contact your GP practice; they are open or partially open and will be able to give advice and support over the phone in the first instance. The national advice for people who think they may have COVID-19 is to visit NHS 111 online and self-isolate for seven days. OCC urge people to seek help if you need it. Avoiding medical care can lead to reduced recovery rates, and even prove fatal.

Stratton Audley Volunteers still standing by and ready to help

A reminder that if you need help, most likely with shopping, there are many people in the parish who are willing and available to help. Please do not feel you cannot pick up the phone to anyone on the Volunteer list

Delivery of Medication

As most people know, we joined a Cherwell Council initiative to pick up medication every Thursday from Montgomery House Surgery, Bicester Health Centre and/or Alchester Surgery and deliver them to residents in Stratton Audley, Godington and several other local villages. 12 volunteered from Stratton Audley and for the time being the task has been taken on by two people who are coordinating their efforts. So this is just to acknowledge and thank them  – Clare Hedgecox for Stratton Audley and Alice Broome from Godington.

VE Day Celebrations

As you know, Friday 8th May (only 8 days’ time) is a bank holiday to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day and although most of the public celebrations have been cancelled because of the emergency, Cherwell Council have suggested we show our support by decorating our houses with Union flags and bunting.

The link below includes a template so that children can help make bunting, which strikes me as a brilliant prop for an impromptu history lesson while they are all being home educated.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4TrqYDyf4PMdLypxzyTwGDg/great-british-bunting

Furthermore, everyone is being encouraged to undertake the ‘Nation’s Toast to the Heroes of WW2’ at 3pm on the day, from the safety of their own home or door step, by standing up and raising a glass with a toast – “To those who gave so much to ensure we all enjoy and share the freedom we have today, we thank you”.

Why not also invoke the spirit of Vera Lynn with some impromptu sing-a-longs of her famous song….”We’ll meet again”

Additionally, BBC Radio Oxford is backing the call to make your own bunting which can be decorated with pictures of people who fought on the frontline or those who worked on the Homefront.  Or they are suggesting it could be poppies to commemorate the fallen, doves to celebrate lasting peace or rainbows to symbolise hope. For more ideas see their website bbc.co.uk/makeadifference.

They are also asking people to send their pictures and to tag @BBCOxford in their social media as well as using the hashtags #GreatBritishBunting and #VEDay75 so that all the effort people put in can be shared far and wide.

All the Best

John

P.S. There will be more news at the weekend specifically on local services that may be on interest, including the return on Monday of the Nepalese food wagon.

 

Momo man in village a great success

by

The village arranged for a Nepalese food van to visit the village (Momotime), this Monday evening and set-up outside the Red Lion. People queued with correct social distancing and observed all the rules.

It was a great success, however he didn’t bring enough food and sold out of curry by 7.15pm! Sorry to those who came and were disappointed or  were only able to buy the dumplings. The good news is that he will be back next Monday with much more food and will prepare in advance so as to be able to start serving at 6pm. Because he was not ready this evening, some people who arrived on time had to place their orders and collect later which  gave the impression that pre-ordering in advance had taken place. This was no the case

Next Monday he will be serving to the queue only from 6pm.

READ THE SHELSWELL NEWS FOR FREE – HERE

by

Due to Coronavirus, the Shelswell News is not being printed and distributed  by hand until further notice. Under normal circumstances it is a monthly subscription magazine for the Shelswell Group of churches. However  Alice Goodall, the Rector for the group of churches has asked for it to be made available on line, so this is your chance to sample it for free by clicking on this link.

May issue:  here

April issue: http://www.shelswellparishes.info/documents/Shelswell%20News%20April.pdf

The Shelswell News is published monthly and covers ten villages. It is much more than just a church magazine as it features all the latest news  and stories from the villages and also carries many useful advertisements for local traders. It is in effect a local noticeboard for the parishes of Cottisford, Finmere, Fringford, Godington, Hardwick, Hethe, Mixbury, Newton Purcell, Stoke Lyne and Stratton Audley.

So this is a great opportunity to browse through it and if you like what you see, maybe think about taking out a subscription. It is another great way to stay in touch.

To subscribe, contact Becky Adams, Benefice Administrator, The Rectory, Water Stratford Road,
Finmere, Buckingham MK18 4AT . Tel 01280 848192. Email admin@shelswellparishes.info

CHECK HERE FOR THE UPDATED LIST OF VOLUNTEERS OR SEE IT ON THE NOTICE BOARD

by

If you are self-isolating & cannot get to the shops, needs some other help or just want to have a chat, just pick up the phone to one of the people listed in the pdf attached. If a zone coordinator is not available then phone one of the others for help.

Most people are already in touch with their neighbours with some even setting up Whatapp groups for their street . However please know that with so much goodwill in these difficult time, all you have to do is ask.

Click on this pdf to see the full list of supplementary volunteers. Covid 19 Volunteers 30.03.20

View the map here

TO VOLUNTEER

If you want to volunteer to help, in the first instance fill out the  contact  form on this site and provide your email & phone number. Your message will be picked up and you will be called by John Honsinger or one of the other volunteers.

CORONA VIRUS ADVICE FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL

by

LATEST PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE

We are now seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases every day and are approaching the peak of epidemic. It is therefore important all of us do our utmost to follow the government’s guidance, to protect ourselves, the NHS and save lives.

  • Everyone should stay at home
  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (where this absolutely cannot be done from home)
  • Stay 2 meters (6ft) away from other people
  • Wash your hands as soon as you get home

If you need more information on COVID-19 please visit: www.gov.uk/coronavirus which provides up to date reliable information.  As the situation evolves further new information will be added to this website.

Please continue to take sensible precautions to help slow the spread of almost any germs, including Coronavirus:

  • Always carry tissues to catch your cough or sneeze
  • Bin used tissues as quickly as possible

Wash your hands often with warm water and soap.

 

Previous Message from Director of Public Health – 15th March 2020

As a result of increasing number of cases, the government have announced the move from containment to delay phase of our response to COVID-19.

This leads to significant change in the way we identify and manage potential cases of COVID-19.

The updated advice for people who suspect they have coronavirus is as follows:

  1. You must stay at home (self-isolate), regardless of the travel history or contact with confirmed cases, if you  have:
    1. A new continuous cough
    2. High temperature (of 37.8c or higher)
  1. The geographic element of the case definition has now been removed. Travel and contact history are no longer important for diagnosis, which is on the basis of symptoms alone. If people who have travelled do not have symptoms they do not need to stay at home, regardless of their travel history.

Symptomatic Individuals should stay at home (self-isolate) for 7 days from the onset of symptoms following the current advice. People who have the above symptoms and suspect they have Covid-19 will no longer be tested.

If someone has serious symptoms they cannot manage at home they should use NHS 111 online (people should only call NHS111 if they cannot get online).

After 7 days of self-isolation, people who feel better and no longer have a high temperature can return to their normal routine.   If they have not had any signs of improvement after 7 days and have not already sought medical advice, they should use NHS111 before they leave their home or let visitors in. Cough may persist for several weeks in some people, despite the coronavirus infection having cleared.   A persistent cough alone does not mean someone must continue to stay at home for more than 7 days.

If you are a  suspect case and self-isolate, the public and the organisations concerned do not have to take extra measures beyond this, for now.  The above measures have been put in place to protect vast majority of the public while causing minimum impact on the day to day business.

As we move further into the Delay phase, the government may consider other measures like social distancing in the future.  It is very important that we don’t deviate from the current government position, which is based on best scientific evidence available to us. It is also important that we take a longer term view on this.  We need to make sure the right measures are put in place at the right time, to ensure maximum positive impact.  Otherwise it can be extremely counterproductive.  

The evidence still indicates that most cases experience mild flu like symptoms.  If you do have any concern please do visit the public health website www.gov.uk/coronavirus which provides up to date reliable information.  As the situation evolves further new information will be added to this website.

Ansaf Azhar

Corporate Director of Public Health and Wellbeing

Oxfordshire County Council & Cherwell District Council

Mobile: 07967228813| PA: Christine Jones | 07393001235 | christine.jones@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Anti-social behaviour by a few becomes a cause for concern by the pond

by

There have been reports by residents of several people flouting the rules during this lockdown. A number of them appear to be people from outside the village who have driven here to enjoy the pond area in particular. In one case there were four large dogs who were allowed to play in and out of the water fetching sticks whilst their owners sat on the benching drinking. This meant that several villagers were sufficiently concerned not to use the path.

As a result a decision was taken to put up notices at both ends of the public footpath and by the bench and put out traffic cones to deter visitors.

Under normal circumstances such measures would never be contemplated but under the current rules it is against the law to travel to another place in order to go for a walk. The Parish Council discussed various other options such as temporarily removing the seat or closing the path completely but this would have been to the detriment of people in the village who enjoy a short walk and need to rest from time to time.

By taking this action the Parish Council is acting in the interests of residents and we hope that everyone will understand and take note.