Where's it all gone wrong - time for a life change?

[megilleland]

The way we run our lives and how we expect others to respond to our couldn't care less attitude is imposing great stress on all concerned. We need to start with our home life. Are we part of a strong family unit who can cope and help one another. Can we help other people in our street - the neighborhood watch scheme, useful for keeping an eye on each other and also crime prevention leads to a healthier living environment. Support local shops, leave your car behind and get out into the fresh air. In Newton Farm we are lucky to have a local medical centre, shops and post office. However the youth club was demolished along with the church - two facilities which encouraged benefical activities for users. 

On the news today we are told there are not enough people to plant trees and that carers and nurses are in short supply. Let's set up proper training schemes with decent wages. A university degree is not the answer to many simple matters which can be resolved locally. A recognised work scheme will make people of all ages feel useful and regarded.

Over the years our local lives have been bundled into larger segments run by faceless bureaucrats who continually are hell bent on cutting services, transforming our simple ways of living into regional units and giving our money to corporations unable to carry out the work , but can cash the cheques regularly each month into the pockets of a favoured few.

Maybe we can seek solutions to these problems and use this forum to give people the opportunity to add their point of view. After all with the government's impending lockdown there has never been a better time to think locally. Please add suggestions and concerns to do things in a better way below:

 

[megilleland]

The lack of personal contact is a major problem. Do we know our neighbours to help out when needed. There are plenty of charities who can help, but do we know where they are and how they can help. There was a plan to build a local community centre as part of the Oval housing development - any news of this or has it slipped off the agenda? Do we know who our local political figures are at parish council, city council, county council and national levels who should be working for the benefit and well being of all. Maybe local craft centres could be built to teach us local skills. Schools need to bring back home economics, which was a first step into looking after oneself, and removed from the curriculum due to computer and technology subjects. Encourage young people to join clubs and societies which foster further knowledge and experiences beyond walking down the street clutching a mobile phone.

[Denise Lloyd]

At our Parish Council meeting a little while a go we had a presentation from Gemma Johnson who gave a presentation on Community Hubs which in theory is a good idea 

https://mycommunity.org.uk/resources/community-hubs/.

Another one is the Smart Water set up by the Police but this is so expensive and has to be done as a parish/group and with the ever decreasing precept there have not been many able to do it.

Communities do come together in times of need - look how so many volunteers worked tirelessly for the poor souls who were flooded.

The problems seem to arise when individuals are in need and these are not necessarily being picked up by Social Services or at one time would have been the District Nurse. Many neighbours are afraid of being considered interferring or nosey. 

There are a lot of good young people however there are probably too many who roam.. I know not the answer to roaming youngsters.

It is a real concern that so many social clubs of which many of the elderley consider a life line are being postponed because of Coronavirus and this is where somebody should be checking on those people but who? And of course through some of these clubs the older people were at least getting one good meal

[Denise Lloyd]

Gareth Ratcliffe

1 hr

Later on today there will be a Facebook group set up looking g for community volunteers to join to support the statuary services in the event of community help needed to respond the covid-19 outbreak. This page will help coordinate support for most vulnerable in our community.

Please look out later for more information

Thank you to the residents who have already contacted me offering support

 

 

This is a post from Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe Powys CC it has a coloured chart which I am unable to copy over from Facebook but it is certainly a very good idea and perhaps one that Herefordshire Council could adopt

 

 

 

[megilleland]

On the Nextdoor Blog. Seems to be saying what I said in earlier post.

Community Action Response launched in the face of emerging coronavirus crisis

Nextdoor is the neighbourhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services. We believe that by bringing neighbours together, we can cultivate a kinder world where everyone has a neighbourhood they can rely on.

Building connections in the real world is a universal human need. That truth, and the reality that neighbourhoods are one of the most important and useful communities in our lives, have been a guiding principle for Nextdoor since the beginning. Neighbours in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, and Canada are using Nextdoor to:

* Find trustworthy local services, such as babysitters, plumbers and electricians
* Share information on crime and suspicious behaviour
* Organise neighbourhood events, such as street parties and fêtes
* Help in finding lost pets or items
* Sell or give away items like an old kitchen table or bike

Nextdoor is free, and it’s easy to sign up.
 

[megilleland]

Carers looking after my partner at home appeared today wearing masks. They say that those who have no family to help will be the priority if the virus gets out of hand. Good job there are two of us who can cope if this happens. These carers do an amazing job looking after the vulnerable who need special assistance every day.

[ragwert]

17 hours ago, megilleland said:

Carers looking after my partner at home appeared today wearing masks. They say that those who have no family to help will be the priority if the virus gets out of hand. Good job there are two of us who can cope if this happens. These carers do an amazing job looking after the vulnerable who need special assistance every day.

Wearing face masks is no protection to the virus as the mico organisims of the virus will pass right through.
One problem with this virus is it takes some four weeks after someone has been infected for signs to show so unless we self isolate

for up to four months we are prety much doomed. 
Saying that we are a very long way from the damage the winter flu does in the Uk each year.This winter alone has seen 180,000 people hospitalised and over 10,000 deaths

 

[megilleland]

How many confirmed cases are in your area?

Enter a postcode, English council or Scottish NHS area to find out. Wales and Northern Ireland are not currently providing localised figures

There is 1 case in County of Herefordshire out of a local population of 192,107.

Figures last updated 19:00 GMT, 15 March.