Wincham Word
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WINCHAM WORD Edition 2 – 2020 to cover May, June and July 2020 From Wincham Parish Council Delivered free to every home & business in Wincham News and information about our village and close neighbours Chairman’s Words by Councillor Ian Parr Wincham Parish Council As I write this, in the first days of April, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are really starting to bite in the UK. It is too soon to tell how effective lockdown measures are going to be against the spread of the virus. It isn’t clear whether our health system will be able to cope with the escalating number of cases. Many of us are worried about loved ones, friends, relations and colleagues who are at risk. Members of my family are still working in school and the food industry. My friends in the midst of cancer and other medical treatments are at high risk. Those who are alone face worse isolation than ever before. As daunting and unprecedented as this situation is, it is important to realise that we are not powerless in the face of this threat. There are things that all of us can and must do to keep ourselves and our community as safe as possible. Follow the latest government advice on staying safe. When you do have to go out, drive carefully. Be kind to each other. Just because we have to be apart physically does not mean that we have to be far apart mentally and emotionally. Already, people are finding new ways to support each other and to stand together (while keeping 2 metres apart) against this threat. Do what you can to support your friends, families and neighbours. Small things can mean a lot at times like these. This crisis has highlighted our society’s dependence on those who are the lowest paid. The nurses, carers, cleaners, shop staff, delivery drivers and more are those who are on the front line every day. Page 2 Chairman’s Words by Councillor Ian Parr Wincham Parish Council Wincham can be proud of our residents who are going out to work to maintain vital services whilst the struggle with this disease goes on. We can also be proud of the volunteers who are assisting those residents who are in isolation with the basics of living. It has become clear how fragile the support networks for many of these vulnerable people are. When we get through this, as we will, I hope that we can find ways to make a better future. Stay safe. Kind regards, Ian JIGSAW PUZZLES AND CRAFT MATERIALS Some of our residents have asked if there are any jigsaw puzzles that they could borrow. The Covid-19 virus cannot survive on card or paper beyond a day, so a jigsaw library or swap-shop is a good suggestion. If anyone can lend or donate a puzzle, or would like to borrow one or two, please contact Annie: 01565 734226 [email protected]. As the children are home, many are doing more craft activities. If you have any spare craft materials, please can you contact Debs May – 07847 187983 – [email protected]. We can then share the supplies out to other children in the village. Page 3 Contents Page Description 5 Waste, Recycling and Collections 6 & 7 Wincham Neighbours Helping Neighbours 8 to 10 Wincham Helpmates 11 VE Day Cancellation Notice 12 to 14 Gardening without a Green Bin! 15 PCSO Diana Wiggins 16 & 17 A Tribute to the lovely Joan Webb 18 to 20 Witton Albion; Home Schooling 21 Wincham Community Centre; Taxi Information 22 A time for Wildlife? 23 to 26 Coronavirus – Traffic Light Card Help System 27 Public Rights of Way Network 28 to 30 Wincham’s History continued by Janet Boyd 31 Sing along online with Heather Baker 32 to 35 Deliveries and Services 36 & 37 St John’s Church 38 to 40 Useful resources for everyone 41 Library 42 Pickmere and Wincham Methodist Church 42 & 43 Wincham Community Primary School 44 Wincham Parish Council – CWaC Covid 19 Info 45 to 47 Useful Information 48 Your Wincham Parish Councillors and Clerk Page 4 Waste, Recycling and Collections WASTE RECYCLING CENTRES All household waste recycling centres in Cheshire West are closed until further notice because of the impact of COVID-19. This was a joint decision between CWAC and its partners, HM Martins, HM Waste Ltd. Until the closedown, operations in Cheshire West had continued with measures in place to ensure staff and customer safety and safe distancing in line with Government guidelines. But due to the need for staff to support elsewhere, and limits in the ability to manage waste from contractors, the decision was taken to close all centres. Residents are asked to keep bulky items, DIY waste and other waste they usually take to the recycling centre stored safely at home until the sites re-open. Residents are asked not to put items out with the kerbside collections as they will not be collected. WASTE COLLECTION The Green bin collections have been suspended indefinitely. Recycling and non- recyclable waste are being collected as normal at the moment. But we are aware that many members of the council waste team are not in work due to illness and self-isolation, so the bin collections may change at any point - we will let you know of changes via facebook: Wincham Parish Post. (Please share such information with neighbours who do not use facebook.) We have been informed that a number of street bins around the village are full. We have informed the council and hope to have the bins emptied soon. You can report full bins on the CWaC website. You can help by taking your rubbish home with you and placing it in your black bin. Page 5 Wincham Neighbours Helping Neighbours Each year Wincham Parish Council hold an ‘Unsung Heroes’ event to say thank you to all the people who help in so many ways, including the deliverers, the litter pickers, the Friends of the Memorial Gardens, the teachers, the Governors - the list goes on. But at crisis times, even more Unsung Heroes appear and we want to thank them. Many we do not know by name - the neighbours who are helping neighbours with shopping, the friends who are supporting other friends emotionally (this lockdown is tough on us all, especially the children) - but some we do know and so here are a few thanks. Our local Spar and Post Office have been kept open by with Janet Bennett and her team. We know it has been tough and unpleasant at times but we really appreciate all that you are doing. A brilliant thanks to Matt Boot, Headteacher of Wincham CP School and Mark Webb of Multiflex (and their teams) for providing online support, fun and games for the children. Thanks to Pickmere and Wincham Methodist Church for their online support and guidance. Pickmere Press have been wonderful coming up with weekly quizzes and games for the children to play. Thanks for letting us share your facebook games. To all the people who have volunteered to help with Wincham Helpmates, your support has overwhelmed us. All the people you are helping are truly grateful. Page 6 Wincham Neighbours Helping Neighbours Max Ashbrook delivered a live DJ set (DJ EWOK) from his garden on Saturday, 4th April. Residents of Shores Green Drive really enjoyed listening to him. Thanks Max. The Old Dairy Farm Shop – Wendy and your team, thank you for organising deliveries to the vulnerable and self-isolated. It means so much to everyone to see your friendly face and wonderful fresh produce. Hanks to Ian Fishwick for his wonderful playing and his fantastic poems. Keeps us all smiling. Elizabeth (Boo – Aged 4 ½ ) and her Nana, Dianne Green, posted (very carefully) parcels of tea and biscuits to the Wincham residents living on Ashwood Park. Page 7 Wincham Helpmates VOLUNTARY SUPPORT Annie Makepeace here, you may remember me from the back of the Wincham Word, as councillor and chairman, until I got lazy and let my old man do all the work. When this pandemic situation raised its ugly head, the Parish Council was forced into social Annie Makepeace 01565 734226 distancing and isolation. [email protected] The next Parish Council meeting is due Wednesday, 22nd April and it has taken time but the law has been adapted to allow important matters to be agreed virtually, but as an interfering old bat who is too impatient to wait for anything, I hoped I could still help by setting up a co-ordinated support system. Fortunately, as it has proved, I am no longer on the council so I’m allowed. I checked in with our Parish Clerk and the Chairman, and they were comfortable with it, so I ordered the cards that were delivered to each of you offering a point of contact for those who needed help and for those offering. The Parish Council would have done this but could not, especially as costs were involved and any spending needs approval at a council meeting. Can I emphasise, then, that this support group CANNOT be linked to the Wincham Parish Council. So where are we at? Volunteer offers and calls for assistance started pouring in. I registered this group with our local government co- ordinators. A name was required, so we are Wincham Helpmates. It’s short and I can spell it. We have, as of April 1st, three dozen volunteers. Every call for assistance has been answered. Calls from concerned relatives outside the UK have been received at CWaC and passed on to us, so I suppose we are co-ordinating with Spain and America.