Bishops Lydeard Parish - Featuring Cothelstone

Parish News

Somerset Coronavirus Support Helpline Launched

Somerset Coronavirus Support Helpline launched

A single phone number is now available for anyone in Somerset who needs Coronavirus-related support from their councils.

The Somerset Coronavirus Support Helpline number, 0300 790 6275, is now live and will make it easier for people access any local authority help they may need, including emotional support, in the current crisis.

It links together the district and county council contact centres and will be operating seven days a week, 8am to 6pm, making it the one number you need to remember for Coronavirus-related enquiries. The district and county councils usual phone numbers will be running as normal alongside the new number for non-Coronavirus related issues.

The new number won’t cover medical advice, for which people will need to continue to use the 111 NHS online service and only ring 111 if they cannot get help online.

Anyone who can’t find help within their own local networks and volunteers, can use the new number to get help and advice around:
• Personal care and support including food and delivery of prescriptions
• Support for the homeless
• Emotional support if you’re feeling worried or anxious
• Transport to medical appointments
• Waste collection and disposal
• Financial support

Callers will be asked to describe the support they require and will be connected with others for resolution.

The 0300 790 6275 number is being staffed by the five councils in Somerset and will be available seven days per week 8am – 6pm.
Meanwhile, the five councils in Somerset are getting in touch with people on their data base that may be vulnerable to see if they need assistance with anything like supplies of food, help with transport and other support.
If people are interested in volunteering for example helping people out with shopping or picking up prescriptions they can go to https://www.corona-helpers.co.uk/ to register.

Resources available whilst the library is closed

While the library is closed – if you have access to the internet and have a PC, phone or tablet which can download Apps, you can have free access to books in a different way – give the library Apps a try. Have a look at the chart below and see what you could use.
You can’t argue with free emagazines, ebooks and audio books at the moment! An amazing service!
There is a great section on the library website which gives a guide for the Apps
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/libraries-leisure-and-communities/libraries/library-facilities/e-books-e-magazines-and-e-audiobooks/
All you need is your library number from your library card and your library pin number. Don’t worry if you have forgotten your pin number – you can retrieve it on the library website –
www.librarieswest.org.uk – Click on ‘login’ and then ‘Forgot my pin’
If you are not a library member – don’t worry – you can join the library online during the closures, so you can still use these services
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/libraries-leisure-and-communities/libraries/libraries-services/library-membership/
You can download the Apps from your App store on your device, or from the library website links then you follow the instructions for each one.

Some tips:
• Don’t be put off by the fact that not all audio books or ebooks are instantly available. You can always find one you want to read instantly and it is quite fun having them queued up by date. They don’t always take as long as they say to become available.
• On some devices they will download instantly but on others you may need to prompt the download
• You can change the size of the font on ereader but not the font itself
• With audio books you can have a listen to a ‘trial’ first – with an audio book, who is reading it is as important as the author!
• The audio books will renew for over 40 days and the ebooks for over 20 days
• The magazines (a really great range of 136 titles – from Chat to Good Housekeeping to Gardeners World to Cycling Plus to National Geographic to Radio Times. You will be pleasantly surprised at what is there) can also be downloaded and they stay on your device – no automatic checkout date
• You can set up the magazines to automatically download new issue

A poster providing more information about the apps is available here: poster

Fiveways Magazine and Coronavirus

I am writing to update you with the position regarding the publication of Fiveways during the period of Government restrictions due to the outbreak of Coronavirus.

By a miracle of excellent planning, the last edition of Fiveways (April) went to the printer a few days before the ‘lockdown’ imposed the the Government designed to prevent the spread of the virus. Consequently, when Mike Hansford collected the printed magazines we were unable to ask our volunteers to deliver the magazine, most of whom are 70+ and anyway, people were restricted in their movements and social contacts. It would not have been right for Mike to ask our people to deliver the magazine.

Subsequently, we have decided to suspend publication of Fiveways magazine until the current restrictions have been lifted and normal life can resume. There would have been little ‘news’ to report even if we had been able to publish.

Take care of yourself during this time of ‘lockdown’ and we can all look forward to happier times. Fiveways will be back!

Parish Council Meetings Cancelled

Following the most recent statement made by the Prime Minister, the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting scheduled to take place this evening (24th March) and on 8th April have both been cancelled.

If you wish to contact the Parish Council regarding any matter, please contact the Clerk Amy Shepherd on 01823 412922 or clerk@bishopslydeard.org