The First Window Opens This Evening (& other news)

The first window

The first windowThe First Window Opens

This news round-up starts with the First Window opening this evening and then also covers:

How it Started

Inspired by other places around the country that turn their village into a giant advent calendar, St Mary’s are very grateful to those who volunteered to decorate a window representing a part of the nativity story.

The idea is that each window has a number in it representing their day and that the actual design is not revealed until the allocated day. The revealed designs are then lit each Continue reading “The First Window Opens This Evening (& other news)”

Holiday Hunger Programme

holiday hungerHoliday Hunger Programme

The Holiday Hunger Programme has been launched to provide extra support to children and their families this half term.  The County Council is working with the Active Essex Foundation to extend the programme.  It will see 33 programmes available across the county and more than 1,000 children provided with free activities and food.

St Mary’s Church is Helping

St Mary’s church is offering support, on Tuesday to Friday of this week,  to families adversely affected by the Pandemic;

Continue reading “Holiday Hunger Programme”

Day 107 since Lockdown – the ‘Free Bus Travel’ edition

On the buses

On the busesDay 107 since Lockdown

On day 107 we see Essex opening a free bus travel scheme.  In other news we have:

Stop. Swap. Go!Stop. Swap. GO! campaign launched

A new sustainable travel campaign aiming to make it easier for people in Essex to switch from cars to sustainable travel, such as walking, cycling and using the bus, is launched today. Continue reading “Day 107 since Lockdown – the ‘Free Bus Travel’ edition”

Day 100 of (flexible) Lockdown – the ‘Ton-up’ edition

Art Week

100Day 100 of (flexible) Lockdown

On Day 100 of lockdown Colchester Borough Council looks at launching a Garden Club.  Meanwhile not to be outdone, Essex are launching:

… and we end with a bit of fun

Another news short – Colchester Zoo will be opening indoor & play areas from Saturday 4th July.

Brown wheelie binNew Garden Waste Options

Proposals for a new options-based garden waste service are being published by Colchester Borough Council.  Councillors will Continue reading “Day 100 of (flexible) Lockdown – the ‘Ton-up’ edition”

Day 94 of (heating up) Lockdown – the FC/PC edition

4th July Celebration

Walk poo home with the dogDay 94 of (heating up) Lockdown

On Day 94 lockdown we will have done well to have kept our cool with temperatures in the 30’s!  ECC are also getting a little heated about the amount of litter & waste that those visiting parks, countryside & beaches are leaving behind; expect to see a few more signs like the one on the right.  News today includes:

West Bergholt FC Thank PC for Grant

West Bergholt FC were grateful for the Continue reading “Day 94 of (heating up) Lockdown – the FC/PC edition”

Day 84 of (shopping) Lockdown – the ‘Primark’ edition

Heart of methodists thoughts

Day 84 of (shopping) Lockdown

Day 84 is also day 3 of the Siege of Colchester some 372 years ago, that siege only lasted 77 days and here we are at day 84 of our COVID-19 siege.  With the shops reopening, are we at the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning?  If we want it to be the former then I guess we need to stay alert?  Today is also the start of Loneliness Awareness Week, other news:

Loneliness Awareness WeekLoneliness Awareness Week

The Marmalade Trust started Loneliness Awareness Week (LAW) 4 years ago to raise awareness Continue reading “Day 84 of (shopping) Lockdown – the ‘Primark’ edition”

Day 72 of Lockdown – the Bowling Along edition

Volunteers week

Day 72 of (irregular?) Lockdown

The day 72 update starts with Woods Bowls Club keen to welcome you for a rollup.  There then follows:

Woods Bowls ClubWoods Bowls Club Restarts

Woods is a small but very friendly lawn bowls club that is normally open to all ages and abilities throughout the spring & summer months of April to September.  The club consists of a mixture of male and female members with ages ranging from ‘Thirty-somethings’ to, sprightly Octogenarians! You are never too young or too old to play Lawn Bowls. Continue reading “Day 72 of Lockdown – the Bowling Along edition”

Day 67 of (un?) Lockdown – the Heatwave edition

Heatwave joke

Heatwave mapDay 67 of (un?) Lockdown

Day 67, several weeks into unprecedented weather and virus, HMG has issued a raft of information to prepare for a heatwave.  Some of the key elements of this are summarised below with a link to the full advice.  Other topics are:

Heatwave

Heat Exhaustion vs Heat Stroke
For heat exhaustion, cooling the patient will normally resolve, if not call 111. For heatstroke, you should call 999 and start cooling the patient.

As part of its’ daily advice output, our government have today issued quite a lot about risks of heatwaves. Continue reading “Day 67 of (un?) Lockdown – the Heatwave edition”

Day 64 of (un?) Lockdown – the Spare Plants edition

Allotments Surplus

Allotments SurplusDay 64 of (un?) Lockdown

Day 64 seems to be full of controversy but not much news.  Here is what little we have, news relating to the allotments first and then a couple of health-related items from ECC.  As ever, some light relief at the end.

Spare Plants & Produce

Whilst COVID-19 has prevented the Allotments’ Charity Stall opening it is still possible to obtain surplus produce & plants.  A neighbour of the allotments on New Church Road is happy for their driveway to be used for plot holders to deposit their surplus and for villagers to take what they need. Continue reading “Day 64 of (un?) Lockdown – the Spare Plants edition”

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