Dear Member, 11th April 2021 Our councillor, Francis Guidera, is leaving the country! He has stepped down as councillor and Mayor and he will be much missed. Thank you for your dedication to , Francis, and best wishes for the future. (There will be a by-election, included with the May local elections.) Other Tilgate news: K2, Tilgate Nature Centre and Tilgate Park Weddings are re-starting from 12th April (see below). Covid in : In the seven days to Monday 05 April there were 15 new cases (13 per 100,000 population). So on average 2 people are testing positive for COVID-19 each day in Crawley. This is fewer than the previous week. [ Covid-19 data dashboard.] Nationally, deaths have gone down: there were 719 deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales in the week ending 26 March 2021 – the fewest since the week ending 16 October 2020. However, positive tests of people aged 50 to 69 years in England have increased in the week ending 3 April 2021.... There were also early signs of an increase in those in school year 12 to age 24 years....[Office for National Statistics] From 9 April home testing is being made available as part of a government drive to encourage everyone who does not have coronavirus symptoms to get tested twice a week. Visit W. Sussex County Council for information on how to access tests. Why get tested? Dr Tony Hill, Interim Director of Public Health at West Sussex County Council, said: “Rapid testing helps identify when someone has the virus but isn’t displaying symptoms and so could be spreading it without knowing..." [One third or more of people with Covid-19 infection confirmed, reported no symptoms.] Vaccination and pregnancy/fertility. See NHS video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut3GZ8x5sDQ Vaccination and blood clots: The NHS says the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) “is carrying out a detailed review of reports of an extremely rare blood clotting problem affecting a small number of people who have had the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The problem can also happen in people who have not been vaccinated.... The COVID-19 vaccine can help stop you getting seriously ill or dying from coronavirus. For people aged 30 or over and those with other health conditions, the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh any risk of clotting problems. For people under 30 without other health conditions, it's currently advised that it's preferable to have another COVID-19 vaccine instead of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.” See NHS Vaccination-and-blood- clotting. Beware misinformation: a warning from the government ●Sharing false information about the COVID-19 vaccine can be dangerous. Make sure you’re not contributing to the spread of harmful content online. ●Check information about the COVID-19 vaccine before sharing it online. The NHS is the best source of information — find more information here. ●Inaccurate claims can circulate quickly — you can stop the spread of misinformation by checking the accuracy of information before passing it on. ●Check before you share online by asking yourself three questions: ○Look closely — does the information seem trustworthy? ○Check — is it coming from an expert? ○Still unsure if it’s true? Don’t share it. ●Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and those around you from COVID-19. The vaccine can save lives. Free travel: Sussex Health say residents who have no means to get to their COVID-19 vaccination appointment can now book a free return journey to help them attend. To book free travel please book your vaccination appointment first and then call: 01444 275 008.

Roadmap out of lockdown: Council services reopening from Monday 12th April: Town Hall will reopen for pre-booked appointments .... only from 10- 4pm. Public toilets All nine public toilets will also reopen with the exception of the five, fee- charging 'superloos'. Leisure centres K2 Crawley and The Centre, managed by Everyone Active, will reopen their doors with strict operational measures in place. Tilgate Nature Centre is also preparing to welcome visitors with pre-booked tickets only. Crawley residents can find discounted tickets using their myCrawley account. Tilgate Park Weddings See webpage wedding venue at Tilgate Park Crawley libraries will reopen for browsing during the week beginning Monday 12 April. From WSCC: We are very much looking forward to welcoming you back. Our aim is to continue to increase our services, whilst keeping our offer limited, in order to manage the safety measures required for both customers and staff. This includes making sure that everyone in the library has space to move around safely and that returned stock can be quarantined for 72 hours. During this time, our Select and Collect offer will remain in place, so whether you wish to reserve specific items, or would like a member of staff to choose for you, your time in the library can be minimised. [Editor's note: I can recommend this service — staff can make better selections than I make myself!] From Henry Smith M.P.: Crawley will receive over £21 million from the Government’s Towns Fund through a new Town Deal. The Towns Fund supports long-term economic and social regeneration as well as immediate recovery from the impacts of Covid-19. High street support: Crawley Borough Council will receive more than £100,000 from the Government to help the high street reopen and attract shoppers and tourists.

Children and Family Centres: Consultation on Early Help service from West Sussex County Council: Do you go to Children and Family Centres to enjoy their sessions? If so, West Sussex County council would like you to take part in the consultation on redesigning the service. The proposals would close 32 of the county's 43 centres, and stop group work (eg stay and play groups) in the remaining 11 centres. The consultation runs until midnight on Monday 17th May. More information on the proposals can be found on the Consultation webpage above.

Jobs: Crawley Council has vacancies from Financial Inclusion Officer to Procurement Officer. Check out the jobs page crawley.gov.uk/vacancies and start your CBC career!

As we look forward to re-opening, we have roles as Hawth Operations Assistants (Casuals). Click here for details bit.ly/323H2Pz

Best wishes to you and yours, Sylvia. Secretary, Tilgate Forum [email protected] www.tilgateforum.co.uk