Category: Sunday Email

Good afternoon and welcome to the 14th issue of this regular Sunday email.

The process of easing lockdown restrictions is now well and truly underway. The government hopes that it’s the beginning of a return to normal but we are all warned to continue to stay alert, control the virus, and, in doing so, save lives. It’s acknowledged that the dangers of Coronavirus are as real and deadly as ever, but as transmission is generally reducing, the easing of restrictions is seen as acceptable. Ok, there have been local spikes and renewed lockdowns in some places, such as Leicester, and worries emanating from other mainly larger cities, but we are generally being told that if we are sensible we can begin to live near-normal lives again. As I said last week, the responsibility is ours. If we act responsibly we can have more freedoms but if we don’t, we’ll be back in lockdown pretty sharpish and the consequences could be dire.

As part of the return to normal, it’s good to see The Swan open again and owners returning to Swaleside Holiday Park.

I am circulating this week’s email at a slightly earlier time than normal so that those of you who wish to visit the Farmer’s Market in Thirsk Market Place have time to get organised and get down there. It opened at 10am and is on until 3pm. The stalls are set up at a safe distance from each other and all visitors are asked to act responsibly by following the usual sage social distancing rules. Enjoy.

This week I have again included ‘Shopping’, ‘Take away food’ and ‘Places to Visit’ information in a separate Word attachment. This helps cut the size of the Sunday email and means you only need open the attachment if you have reason to access the information it contains.

As usual, get in touch with me if you have any news or information that you think village residents might like to hear about.

Doug

07785 223707

Lockdown relaxations from yesterday, 4 July

• You can meet in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) in any location – public or private, indoors or outdoors. You do not always have to meet with the same household – you can meet with different households at different times. However, it remains the case – even inside someone’s home – that you should socially distance from anyone not in your household or bubble. This change does not affect the support you receive from your carers.

• When you are outside you can continue to meet in groups of up to six people from different households, following social distancing guidelines.

• Those who have been able to form a support bubble (i.e. those in single adult households) can continue to have close contact as if they live with the other people in the bubble, but you should not change who you have formed a support bubble with.

• You can stay overnight away from your home with your own household or support bubble, or with members of one other household (where you need to keep social distancing).

• It will be against the law to gather in groups larger than 30 people, except for a limited set of circumstances to be set out in law, including attending weddings. Police will have the power to break up groups larger than 30, apart from the exceptions set out in law.

• Hairdressers are now open for business.

• Venues, including restaurants, pubs, social clubs, cinemas, visitor attractions, hotels, campsites and bingo halls can now reopen if they are prepared. They must be able to follow secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.

• Other public places, such as libraries, community centres, places of worship, outdoor playgrounds and outdoor gyms will be able to open. For the time being, swimming pools, spas, indoor gyms, bowling alleys, nightclubs, nail bars, beauty salons and conference facilities will remain closed.

The government trusts people to continue acting responsibly, and to follow the guidance on what they should and should not do. Everyone is expected to continue to do everything possible to reduce the risk of transmission, whether they are at work, leisure, or using public services. You should continue to practice social distancing from anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble – even inside other people’s homes. You should wash your hands regularly.

Family and friends

You should only have close social contact with others if you are in a support bubble with them. If you or someone in your household or support bubble are showing Coronavirus symptoms, everyone in your household or support bubble should stay home. If you or a member of your support bubble is contacted as part of the test and trace programme, the individual contacted should stay at home. If the individual becomes symptomatic, everyone in the support bubble should then isolate.

Getting out and about

You can spend time outdoors, including for exercise, as often as you wish. At all times, you should follow the guidance on group sizes and the guidance on staying safe outside your home. A list of some local places to visit is included in the attachment. If possible, you should avoid using public transport, and aim to walk, cycle, or drive instead. Do not share car journeys with people outside your household or bubble. If you need to use public transport to complete your journey you should follow the guidelines in place, and must wear a face covering. It is important to avoid large crowds where it may not be possible to socially distance.

Clinically vulnerable people and those who are ‘shielding’ (clinically extremely vulnerable)

From yesterday, clinically vulnerable people are able to meet other people, both indoors and outdoors, but they are advised to be especially careful and be diligent about social distancing and hand hygiene.

From Monday (6 July), those who are ‘shielding’ on medical grounds can spend time outdoors in a group of up to 6 people (including those outside of their household). Again, they are advised to take extra care to minimise contact with others by maintaining social distancing. This can be in a public outdoor space, or in a private garden or uncovered yard or terrace. Those shielding will no longer need to observe social distancing with other members of their household and they will be able to create a ‘support bubble’ with one other household, as long as one of the households in the bubble is a single adult household (either an adult living alone or with dependent children under 18). All those in a support bubble will be able to spend time together inside each other’s homes, including overnight, without needing to maintain social distancing. This follows the same rules on support bubbles that apply to the wider population now.

From 1 August the advice for clinically extremely vulnerable people will move in line with advice to those who are clinically vulnerable. In practice, this means staying at home as much as possible, and if people do go out, taking particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household (unless you are in a support bubble) and robustly practising good, frequent hand washing. The relaxation of the shielding guidance will mean people who are clinically extremely vulnerable will be advised they can go to work or to the shops, as long as they are able to maintain social distancing as much as possible and their workplace is Covid-19 secure.

Holiday travel abroad

The government has relaxed its travel quarantine rules for around 60 countries and some overseas territories, including the popular destinations of France, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Austria, Croatia and Italy. Greece is on our government’s list but the Greek government won’t allow Brits in until 15 July. It is no longer necessary for people travelling in both directions between the UK and these nominated countries to self-isolate. The fact that Portugal is excluded from the list has caused some consternation, especially as the Algarve has a very low number of Covid-19 cases. The government has made it clear that the list will be constantly reviewed as agreements are reached with more countries. The travel quarantine for people arriving in the UK from other destinations, including the USA, Brazil, Russia, China and India, remain in place.

Test and Trace

The position relating to Test and Trace is unchanged from last week. Contact tracers (NHS Test and Tracers or local public health officials) are in place to ask infected persons to list all the people with whom they’ve recently been in ‘prolonged’ contact. Those people are then obliged to self-isolate for 14 days, whether sick or not. The person asked to isolate will not be tested and the rest of the person’s household need not isolate. Anyone who develops symptoms of Coronavirus must isolate for seven days and the rest of their household for 14 days. Everyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or telephone 119 to arrange a test. If the test is negative, everyone in the household can go back to normal. But if positive, the person will receive a text, email or phone all to discuss where the person has been and with whom they have been in contact. If NHS Test and Trace calls you by telephone, the service will be using a single phone number 0300 0135 000. The only website the service will ask you to visit is https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk

Don’t forget to clap for carers tonight

At 5pm this evening there’ll be a one-off nation-wide clap for carers. This country-wide coming together will give the nation the chance to thank all those who have been helping us through the pandemic and recognise the vital community connections that continue to support us all. Everybody will be encouraged to stop what they’re doing and join with others – following social distancing advice of course – in their streets or neighbourhoods to applaud not just the NHS and other key workers but all those who have volunteered or helped keep services and community networks going. Following the applause organisers hope people will enjoy a drink or a cup of tea and reflect with family, friends and neighbours on the bonds that have sustained us in recent months. It will be a wholly inclusive occasion, with those still shielding also encouraged to take part in any way they feel able to.

Topcliffe’s two pubs

• The Swan opened its doors for customers yesterday – but for drinks only. Not surprisingly, they were extremely busy. Customers had to book a table in advance and were not allowed to stand or sit at the bar.

To book a table call 01845 595185.

• The Angel has announced that all of its facilities – bars, restaurant, gardens and rooms – will reopen for business at 4pm on Wednesday 15 July. Reservations for rooms and meals can be made between 10am and 5pm from Wednesday 8 July onwards by calling 01845 578000 or emailing info@theangelattopcliffe.co.uk

St Columbas Church

As of yesterday, churches can open for acts of worship, but not for other gatherings such as social events or meetings. But St Columbas will not be opening just yet as the Church Wardens and the Area Dean (who is involved because we don’t presently have our own vicar) have only just received guidance from the Diocese and need more time to consult and plan. As St Columbas is part of a Benefice (a grouping of parish churches) it is expected that the Area Dean will need to consult with the wardens of all the churches before any dates are fixed. The Area Dean will also need to be satisfied that the church is able to fully comply with the new guidance. So, at present, no actual change. Our Church Wardens are not convinced that they have the resources to undertake the necessary cleaning to guarantee visitors safety. Even when the church does reopen there will be ongoing restrictions – for example, no singing will be allowed, there’ll be no ‘social interaction’ or mingling before or after services, and there’ll probably be limits on both numbers attending and the length of services.

Committee announces the Village Hall will remain closed until at least 1 September

At an online Zoom meeting of the Village Hall Committee held on Friday evening, committee members agreed that the hall will remain closed at least until Tuesday 1 September. The government has declared that community buildings can reopen for certain activities from 4 July but the restrictions and safety requirements are so onerous that committee members agreed, after consulting regular hirers, that it is best to remain closed for the summer months. The committee will meet again in August to review the situation and decide whether the hall can be opened safely in September or if a further delay (perhaps because of any local spike in Coronavirus cases) is required.

The 2020 Produce Show

It has been decided that the annual Produce Show this year will be cancelled. It has become apparent that the arrangements for an event of this sort will be extremely difficult to organise and manage bearing in mind all the restrictions and rules governing the use of community facilities.

Swaleside welcomes owners back on site

Swaleside Holiday Park this weekend is allowing owners back on site after an absence of over three months. I asked Site Managers Amanda and Andrew to write a piece for this email and this is what they said:

“As promised, here’s a little of what we have in place on Swaleside in order to give villagers a bit of peace of mind. Naturally, we are very aware that more people on the site means a potential impact on the village but we

want to assure everyone that we have systems in place to make sure everyone is kept well and safe. Swaleside has been a very lonely place these last three months: the heart and soul – the people – have been missing so we are so glad our owners are coming back and putting some normality back into life.

“We are painfully aware that there is a now new kind of normal, that we have to be more alert in everything we do and how we behave on the park. Owners will not be allowed in each other’s caravans – they have strict rules and advice about how things are now and as managers we will ensure that these are followed. Our risk assessments are in place, notice boards are full of information. The reception area, office, library and laundry room are closed. Sanitising units are in place at important points around the park and safe distancing will be a requirement at all times. There are many elderly people on this site so they are more at risk and we will do everything we can to protect them.

“We are bound by the government’s and Visit Britain’s strict guidelines for holiday parks and closely involved with the government’s Test and Trace scheme. Records must be kept of anyone visiting the site in case any cases of Coronavirus occur. Owners planning to visit their holiday home must email or telephone in advance to indicate when they plan to arrive. We are required to keep details for 21 days of everyone who visits the park. Owners will be allowed to have guests from 11 July and these too must be recorded.”

The Elm Gallery

The Elm Gallery in Front Street re-opened yesterday, 4 July, following the lockdown. Liz and Dave have been really looking forward to seeing old and new customers and catching up with friends and neighbours. Please note that only one person or household will be allowed in the gallery at any one time, so if there is someone in the gallery, you will be asked to wait outside until that customer(s) leaves. There is a hands free hand sanitiser just inside the gallery entrance and customers are asked to sanitise their hands before they go into the gallery. There is also a protective screen round the counter to keep everyone – customers and staff – safe. If you haven’t been to the gallery before, pop in and see the wide range of lovely things on display, including cards, prints, paintings, glass, wood, basket ware, jewellery, ceramics, sculptures, hand-made bags and lots more! A warm welcome awaits you.

Asenby Playing Field

Although the Asenby playing field continues to be open for exercise purposes, the Parish Council has decided that the playground section (swings, slide, roundabouts etc.) will continue to be closed until further notice.

Drainage works on Whaites Lane, Asenby

North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) will be carrying out drainage works on Whaites Lane, the Asenby to Cundall road, commencing Monday 13 July for five days. The works, which will be on the section around Poplar Hill Farm, will be controlled by traffic lights on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but then the road will be closed on Thursday and Friday. As with all NYCC roadworks, these dates may change due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

The Great Yorkshire Show

Organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show have announced that the agricultural show will be a virtual event this year. The show will be accessible via the internet during the original dates from Tuesday, 14 July to Thursday, 16 July. Three days of entertainment and video footage will be available free on the show’s site – https://greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/ Normally 130,000 people would flock to the event in Harrogate. Charles Mills, show director said: “While the coronavirus has caused the cancellation of our iconic annual event we recognise the show offers a fantastic platform to celebrate and champion the very best of British agriculture and so we hope to achieve that virtually. Attractions include TV stunt performers Atkinson Action Horses, a cook-off between top chefs Rosemary Shrager and Stephanie Moon, a Q&A with the stars of The Yorkshire Vet, Peter Wright and Julian Norton, and a behind the scenes tour with Olympic showjumper Graham Fletcher. Livestock, farriery, beekeeping, cheesemaking and many other events will be showcased alongside performances by sporting soprano Lizzie Jones and the Leyburn Band. There will also be a chance for retail therapy with a directory of businesses who would have welcomed show visitors to their trade stands in the past.”

Dalton Bridge

Engineers say the unprecedented flooding caused by back to back storms in February caused the failure of the scheme at Dalton Bridge. Despite the £4.1m scheme being designed to protect Dalton Bridge and Dalton Lane, from a one in 100-year flooding event, alongside a 20 per cent allowance for climate change, Dalton Lane flooded on three occasions in February this year – just 19 months after the scheme opened. A Hambleton Council report states an inquiry into the February flood events revealed various defects with the road drainage pipes …due to poor workmanship such as unsealed connections, open joints and sections of crushed pipe, drainage pipes forming a ‘choke point’, and possible flood water piping beneath the flood banks. Now there are plans for further works to ensure the scheme performs as intended in the future. The proposed project, which will be jointly funded by Hambleton District Council and North Yorkshire County Council, aims to raise part of Dalton Lane which will solve the issues which an investigation identified led to the flooding. The cost of this work is estimated to be £250 – £300,000.

Final reminder about drive-in cinema dates

There are two opportunities to go to a drive in cinema in the coming weeks – first at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground on 11 and 12 July and then at Ripon Racecourse on 18 and 19 July. Social distancing measures will be in place. The films will be shown on large screens using LED technology, and cars will be spaced out to enable everyone to see. The sound for the film will come through the car stereo system, with everyone tuning into a specific FM frequency. Portaloos will be installed at both sites. More details and bookings via https://tinyurl.com/y7jy3ykd

Bin Collections

Hambleton (Topcliffe):

• Refuse – Mondays 6 July and 20 July.

• Recycling and green bins – Thursdays 16 July and 30 July.

Harrogate (Asenby):

• Recycling – Mondays 6 July, 20 July.

• Refuse – Mondays 13 July and 27 July.

• Garden waste – Thursday 16 July and 30 July.

MESSAGES & INFORMATION FROM EARLIER EMAILS, BUT WORTH MAINTAINING FOR REFERENCE

• ‘Top Residents’ and ‘Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall’ Facebook sites have lots of useful information and chat about what’s going on during lockdown. Asenby’s community Facebook page ‘Asenby Institute Community

Space’ is keeping villagers well informed and in touch with each other.

• Our two Parish Councils are not meeting during the crisis. However, our Parish Councillors and Parish Clerks remain available to deal with any urgent matters. Details are on the two parish council websites –

www.topcliffe.org.uk and www.asenby.net

• Asenby Bus Shelter Library – a ‘community hub’ with library and games exchange. Organiser, Heather Allon, also runs a magazine and book loan scheme in the village for the housebound or those in lockdown. Telephone her on 01845 595080.

• Sowerby Waste & Recycling Centre – the site is now back to operation at its normal hours and days – 8:30am to 5pm six days a week. Closed on Wednesdays.

That’s all until next Sunday. Stay alert, keep safe and keep well.

SUNDAY EMAIL ATTACHMENT.docx

Good afternoon

The anticipated relaxations to the lockdown restrictions were confirmed last week and will come into force from 4 July. The government claims that this is being done in a way that continues to protect communities and the NHS (though news about many public gatherings where people have ignored all semblance of social distancing, would make you wonder). The aim of the easing of restrictions is to begin to return our lives to as near normal as possible, for as many people as possible, and as quickly and fairly as possible…in order to safeguard livelihoods. Despite the easing of rules, the most important thing is that we all continue to stay alert, control the virus, and, in doing so, save lives. It will be interesting to see if this difficult balance between health and economic activity can work without undoing the significant effort we all put in over the last three months.

The government acknowledges that although fatalities and infection rates continue to fall, the dangers of Coronavirus are as real and deadly as ever. The virus is still in general circulation but transmission is no longer high or rising exponentially, so the continued easing of restrictions is seen as acceptable at this time. The measures set out will be kept under constant review and if people begin to act recklessly, which could impact on the transmission of Coronavirus, restrictions will have to be implemented again. So, in a way, the responsibility lies firmly on our own shoulders.

The “Shopping” and “Take away” food information continue to be presented in a separate Word attachment and this week I have also added the “Places to Visit” section to the attachment. This helps cut the size of the Sunday email and means you only need open the attachment if you have reason to access the information it contains.

As usual, get in touch with me if you have any news or information that you think village residents might like to hear about.

Doug

07785 223707

Lockdown relaxations from 4 July

The latest announcement from the government means that from 4 July:

• You can meet in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) in any location – public or private, indoors or outdoors. You do not always have to meet with the same household – you can meet with different households at different times. However, it remains the case – even inside someone’s home – that you should socially distance from anyone not in your household or bubble. This change also does not affect the support you receive from your carers.
• When you are outside you can continue to meet in groups of up to six people from different households, following social distancing guidelines.
• Those who have been able to form a support bubble (i.e. those in single adult households) can continue to have close contact as if they live with the other people in the bubble, but you should not change who you have formed a support bubble with.
• Additional businesses and venues, including restaurants, pubs, cinemas, visitor attractions, hotels, and campsites will be able to open – but certain premises where the risks of transmission may be higher will not be allowed to reopen yet.
• Other public places, such as libraries, community centres, places of worship, outdoor playgrounds and outdoor gyms will be able to open.
• You can stay overnight away from your home with your own household or support bubble, or with members of one other household (where you need to keep social distancing).
• It will be against the law to gather in groups larger than 30 people, except for a limited set of circumstances to be set out in law. Police will have the power to break up groups larger than 30, apart from these exceptions.

Moving forward, from 4 July, people will be trusted to continue acting responsibly by following this and related guidance, subject to an upper legal limit on gatherings (as described above). The overwhelming majority of the British public have complied with the regulations, and the wider guidance on how to keep themselves and their friends and family as safe as possible. Taking this into account, the government trusts people to continue acting responsibly, and to follow the guidance on what they should and should not do.

These changes will reopen much of society and the economy, but it is essential that everyone in the country goes about their lives in a manner which reduces the risk of transmission, whether they are at work, leisure, or using public services. When you leave your home, you should follow the guidelines on staying safe outside your home. You should continue to avoid close contact and remain socially distant from anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble – even inside other people’s homes. You should wash your hands regularly. This will help to protect you and anyone you come into contact with and is critical to keeping everyone safe.

Meeting family and friends (many apologies if there is some repetition here, but it is important)

It has been difficult for people to be cut off from their family and friends in recent months. That is why the government has enabled people to see them more, as society and the economy start to open up more. To avoid risks of transmission and stay as safe as possible, you should always maintain social distancing with people you do not live with – indoors and outdoors. You should only have close social contact with others if you are in a support bubble with them. You should:

• Only gather indoors with members of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) – this includes when dining out or going to the pub.
• Only gather outdoors in a group of more than six people from different households or in larger groups if everyone is from up to two households only.
• Only gather in slightly larger groups of up to 30 for major life events, such as weddings.
• Only gather in groups of more than 30 for specific set of circumstances that will be set out in law.
• Only visit businesses and venues in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) or with a group of six people from different households if outdoors.
• Not interact socially with anyone outside the group you are attending these places with even if you see other people you know, for example, in a restaurant, community centre or place of worship.
• Try to limit the number of people you see, especially over short periods of time, to keep you and them safe, and save lives – the more people you have interactions with, the more chances we give the virus to spread.
• Not hold or attend celebrations (such as parties) where it is difficult to maintain social distancing when gathering in the group sizes advised.
• Only stay overnight away from your home in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household).
• When asked, provide your contact details to a business so that you can be contacted as needed by the NHS Test and Trace programme.

If you or someone in your household or support bubble are showing Coronavirus symptoms, everyone in your household or support bubble should stay home. If you or a member of your support bubble is contacted as part of the test and trace programme, the individual contacted should stay at home. If the individual becomes symptomatic, everyone in the support bubble should then isolate.

Businesses and venues

As of 4 July, many of the businesses and venues that were previously required to stay closed to the public will be able to reopen. All businesses and venues will be required to follow secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers. For the time being, certain businesses and venues will still be required by law to stay closed to the public. These include: nightclubs, casinos, bowling alleys, indoor skating rinks, indoor play areas including soft-play, spas, nail bars, beauty salons and tanning salons, massage, tattoo and piercing parlours, indoor fitness and dance studios, indoor gyms and sports venues/facilities, swimming pools and water parks, exhibition and conference centres.

Visiting public places

You can spend time outdoors, including for exercise, as often as you wish. At all times, you should follow the guidance on group sizes and the guidance on staying safe outside your home. If you can, you should avoid using public transport, and aim to walk, cycle, or drive instead. It is not possible to social distance during car journeys and transmission of Coronavirus can definitely occur in this context. So avoid travelling with someone from outside your household or, your support bubble unless you can practise social distancing. If you need to use public transport to complete your journey you should follow the guidelines in place, and must wear a face covering. You should plan ahead to ensure that, where you are visiting places like National Parks, beaches or other visitor attractions, you have checked that they are open and appropriately prepared for visitors. It is important to avoid large crowds where it may not be possible to socially distance.

Going to work

People who can work from home should continue to do so. Your employee must decide, in consultation with you, whether it is viable for you to continue working from home. Where it is decided that workers should go into their place of work employees will have had to complete a risk assessment and include details of actions taken to manage the risks of transmission. These will keep you as safe as possible, while allowing as many people as possible to resume their livelihoods. In particular, in your workplace, employers must ensure you can socially distance from other workers, or have robust mitigation measures where distancing is not possible. At all times, workers should follow the guidance on self-isolation if they or anyone in their household (or support bubble), shows coronavirus symptoms. You should not go into work if you are showing symptoms, or if you or any of your household (or support bubble) are self-isolating.

Clinically vulnerable people

If you have any of the following health conditions, you may be clinically vulnerable, meaning you could be at higher risk of severe illness from Coronavirus. Although you can meet people outdoors and, from 4 July, indoors, you should be especially careful and be diligent about social distancing and hand hygiene. Clinically vulnerable people are those who are:

• Aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
• Under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (that is, anyone instructed to get a flu jab each year on medical grounds):

• chronic (long-term) mild to moderate respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis.
• chronic heart disease, such as heart failure, chronic kidney disease or chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis.
• chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy.
• diabetes.
• a weakened immune system as the result of certain conditions or medicines they are taking (such as steroid tablets).

• Seriously overweight (with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above).

• Pregnant women.

Those who are ‘shielding’

There is a further group of people who are defined, also on medical grounds, as clinically extremely vulnerable to Coronavirus – that is, people with specific serious health conditions and who have been advised to ‘shield’. The government is relaxing advice to those shielding in two stages – as long as the incidence rate in the community remains low:

From 6 July:

• those shielding can spend time outdoors in a group of up to 6 people (including those outside of their household). Extra care should be taken to minimise contact with others by maintaining social distancing. This can be in a public outdoor space, or in a private garden or uncovered yard or terrace.
• those shielding no longer need to observe social distancing with other members of their household.
• those who are shielding will be able to create a ‘support bubble’ with one other household, as long as one of the households in the bubble is a single adult household (either an adult living alone or with dependent children under 18). All those in a support bubble can spend time together inside each other’s homes, including overnight, without needing to maintain social distancing. This follows the same rules on support bubbles that apply to the wider population now.

From 1 August:

Advice for clinically extremely vulnerable people will move in line with advice to those who are clinically vulnerable. In practice, this means staying at home as much as possible, and if people do go out, taking particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household (unless you are in a support bubble) and robustly practising good, frequent hand washing. The relaxation of the shielding guidance will mean people who are clinically extremely vulnerable will be advised they can go to work or to the shops, as long as they are able to maintain social distancing as much as possible and their workplace is COVID-19 Secure. Support for those shielding will continue to the end of July so that people can plan for these changes.

Corridors to the sun!

The government is planning to relax its travel quarantine rules for some countries, including Portugal, France, Italy, Greece and Spain. It’s expected there’ll be an announcement tomorrow (29 June) that "travel corridors" will be created so that people travelling in both directions between two countries would not have to self-isolate after they travel (at present, anyone arriving back in the UK has to quarantine for 14 days).

The first travel corridors could come into force on 4 July, although that date has yet to be confirmed. Even if certain routes are exempt, the travel quarantine for people arriving from other destinations will remain in place. A senior aviation source said that the quarantine could remain throughout the summer for anyone arriving from countries which do not have a travel corridor with the UK.

Daily Press Conferences Scrapped

The daily Downing Street press conference on Coronavirus has been stopped. Boris Johnson led the final regular briefing last Tuesday, flanked by chief advisers Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, who have been regular participants. From now on televised briefings will be given on an "ad hoc" basis to "coincide with significant announcements," Downing Street said. There have been 92 briefings, and two national addresses by the prime minister.

Test and Trace

The position relating to Test and Trace is unchanged, but the information is important and remains relevant so this paragraph is again repeated, with only minor change, from previous weeks. Contact tracers are now busily tracking down people who have been near those testing positive for Coronavirus. Their role is to ask infected persons to list all the people with whom they’ve recently been in ‘prolonged’ contact. Those people will then be obliged to self-isolate for 14 days, whether sick or not. The person asked to isolate will not be tested and the rest of the person’s household need not isolate. Anyone who develops symptoms of Coronavirus – a persistent cough, fever or a sudden loss of taste or sense of smell – must isolate for seven days and the rest of their household for 14 days. Everyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or telephone 119 to arrange a test. If the test is negative, everyone in the household can go back to normal. But if positive, the NHS Test and Trace or local public health will get in touch via text, email or phone to discuss where the person has been and with whom they have been in contact. The requirement to self-isolate isn’t enshrined in law, but complying is described as a civic duty. If NHS Test and Trace calls you by telephone, the service will be using a single phone number 0300 0135 000. The only website the service will ask you to visit is https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk

For more detailed information about Trace and Trace, please see the government’s website – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works

The Test & Trace App

Considerable effort and resources are now being applied to the development of the app promoted by tech giants Apple and Google. It remains uncertain when even the app will be ready for use.

Topcliffe’s two pubs

• The Swan will be opening for drinks only on Saturday 4 July at 4pm. There’ll be no standing or sitting at the bar and customers will be required to book a table in advance by ringing 01845 595185. Landlord George Lamberts said: “The Swan is only a small country pub and it won’t be easy to accommodate many customers at the same time, especially as we have to maintain strict social distancing. The booking arrangement is an attempt to ensure we can meet demand and seat customers who get in touch with us in advance. We’d rather not be turning people away, but I regret it might come to that, especially if people just turn up. We’ll be monitoring the situation and will review the arrangements as necessary.”
• The Angel has announced that all of its facilities – bars, restaurant, gardens and rooms – will reopen for business at 4pm on Wednesday 15 July. There’ll be more details soon about how to book meals and they’ll be included in next week’s email. Appropriate safety arrangements will be in place.

St Columbas Church

To date, St Columba’s hasn’t opened its doors for private prayer because to do so would mean having someone in attendance during opening hours to direct visitors, undertake constant cleaning and maintain the highest standard of safety. The Parish does not have enough people to cover this.

The government has announced that churches can open for worship (but not other gatherings or social events or meetings) from 4 July but with a number of important restrictions that must be followed but the church is still awaiting detailed guidance on which to base advice to parishes. In the meantime, and following a meeting of our bishops and archdeacons on Friday last, the Church Wardens have been advised that they must not feel that they must reopen the church until they are confident they can do so safely.

What is pretty clear is that even when we do open there will be ongoing restrictions – for example, it will be some time before any singing is permitted, there will be no scope for “social interaction” or mingling before or after services, and there are likely to be limits on both numbers attending and the length of services.. It may also be the case that all-age worship in the church may need to be rethought for the next few months while there continue to be limitations on singing, physical distancing, touching shared materials and interaction between households.

As the Church of England begins to plan for weddings returning, the church hopes to publish suitably-updated ‘Weddings FAQs’ quite soon.

Toilets open for your convenience

It’s certainly a relief that public toilets are slowly re-opening. In Thirsk the toilets in Millgate are now open 10am-4pm every day. The toilets in Tesco are also open. Many of the open-air visitor attractions listed in the attachment to this email have reopened their loos. These include Beningborough Hall, Fountains Abbey, Thorp Perrow Arboretum, Mount Grace Priory and the visitor centre at the top of Sutton Bank (daily 10am-3pm).

Plans for NHS birthday celebration

Celebrations to mark the NHS’s 72nd birthday will take place over the weekend of 4 and 5 July will culminate in an epic pause for applause at 5pm on Sunday the 5th. This huge country-wide coming together will give the nation the chance to thank all those who have been helping us through the pandemic and recognise the vital community connections that continue to support us all. Everybody will be encouraged to stop what they’re doing and join with others – following social distancing advice of course – in their streets or neighbourhoods to applaud not just the NHS and other key workers but all those who have volunteered or helped keep services and community networks going. Following the applause organisers hope people will enjoy a drink or a cup of tea and reflect with family, friends and neighbours on the bonds that have sustained us in recent months. It will be a wholly inclusive occasion, with those still shielding also encouraged to take part in any way they feel able to.

What’s planned:

• On the evening of Saturday July 4 everyone is asked to place a light in their window in remembrance of all who have died during the pandemic.

• At 5pm on Sunday 5 July there’ll be a one-off clap for carers – the biggest yet, because this time it is to say thank you to everybody. Afterwards neighbours are encouraged to have a drink – alcohol or just a cup of tea –

to toast those who have helped us through the pandemic…and ourselves for making the lockdown work so effectively.

• Broadcasters will suspend normal transmissions at 5pm on 5th as people across the country pause what they’re doing to think of others.

• Public buildings will be lit up in NHS blue, including the Royal Albert Hall, Blackpool Tower, the Shard and the Wembley Arch.

Hawks temporary return to RAF Linton-on-Ouse

Some flying exercises have recommenced at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Tutor aircraft of the Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron are back in the air and, until 20 July, six Hawk jet aircraft will take to the skies for training purposes. Flying hours are 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Once the Hawk aircraft depart 20 July it is expected that the airfield will return to routine Tutor flying until their final departure in December 2020, when the RAF base closes.

Asenby Bus Stop Library

The library has been replenished with about 40 new books, and some of the older ones have been taken away ready for the charity shops. As we seem to be relaxing restrictions and libraries will soon be reopening, the organisers are happy if anyone would like to take any of the books for personal retention: it will save disposing of them once the bus stop library isn’t needed anymore. They’d also be grateful if future donations could be restricted to books and children’s games.

Reminder about drive-in cinema dates

There are two opportunities to go to a drive in cinema in the coming weeks – first at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground on 11 and 12 July and then at Ripon Racecourse on 18 and 19 July. Social distancing measures will be in place. The films will be shown on large screens using LED technology, and cars will be spaced out to enable everyone to see. The sound for the film will come through the car stereo system, with everyone tuning into a specific FM frequency. Portaloos will be installed at both sites. More details and bookings via https://tinyurl.com/y7jy3ykd

Thirsk Community Library

Thirsk Community Library continues to offer its members the opportunity to request books by email or telephone. The library, which is operated by volunteers, can only offer books that are currently in stock. There’s an online booking form on which you can indicate your favourite author/genre, which allows the volunteers to put together a selection of books that hopefully might suit. There’s a delivery service for anyone unable to get to the library in person. New library members are very welcome. You can sign up over the telephone or online. If you choose the latter, please follow it up with an email to alert the volunteers to your registration.

The library is also offering a printing and photocopying service for anyone in need. Simply contact the volunteers and they’ll do their best to help. Contact details are: www.thirskcommunitylibrary.org.uk and the email address is library@thirskcommunitylibrary.org.uk Telephone: 01609 534589 (this is a direct line to Thirsk Library) and Facebook: facebook.com/thirskcommunitylibrary . Opening hours Monday, Thursday and Friday 10-12 and 2-4; Tuesday 2-4; Wednesday Closed; Saturday 10-12.

Fly Tipping Survey

North Yorkshire Police are doing a piece of work around fly tipping, trying to identify how it effects rural communities, how we report it and also what we can learn from the exercise about those involved in the offence. The first area being looked at is the Hambleton area which, in particular, has suffered from a number of fly tipping of spent cannabis plants. The Police would like as many residents as possible to complete their survey.

https://survey.sogosurvey.com/r/uH40dM

Bin Collections

Hambleton (Topcliffe):

• Recycling and green bins – Thursdays 2 July, 16 July and 30 July.

• Refuse – Mondays 6 July and 20 July.

Harrogate (Asenby):

• Refuse – Mondays 29 June, 13 July and 27 July

• Garden waste – Thursday 2 July, 16 July and 30 July.

• Recycling – Mondays 6 July, 20 July.

MESSAGES & INFORMATION FROM EARLIER EMAILS, BUT WORTH MAINTAINING FOR REFERENCE

• ‘Top Residents’ and ‘Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall’ Facebook sites have lots of useful information and chat about what’s going on during lockdown. Asenby’s community Facebook page ‘Asenby Institute Community

Space’ is keeping villagers well informed and in touch with each other.

• Our two Parish Councils are not meeting during the crisis. However, our Parish Councillors and Parish Clerks remain available to deal with any urgent matters. Details are on the two parish council websites –

www.topcliffe.org.uk and www.asenby.net

• Freecycle Stall – every Saturday and Sunday, the Burnett family, who live in Pear Tree Cottage on Long Street in Topcliffe, organise a Freecycle Stall so that other villagers can pick up books, magazines, toys and more.

Feel free to pop by the stall, but don’t forget to observe social distancing when you’re there…and appropriate hygiene when handling the items.

• Asenby Bus Shelter Library – has become a ‘community hub’ with village library and games exchange. Please note that users are required to wear gloves and should sanitise books before leaving them or picking them up.

• Heather Allon organises a magazine and book loan scheme in the village. Those who are housebound or in lockdown who would like to be involved should telephone her on 01845 595080.

• Sowerby Waste & Recycling Centre – the site is now back to operation at its normal hours and days – 8:30am to 5pm six days a week. Closed on Wednesdays.

• Rural Arts activities: find out more about the arts and craft activities on offer from Rural Arts – email Sorcha McCabe at sorcha@ruralarts.org or call 01845 526536 and leave her a message on the answerphone.

That’s all until next Sunday. Stay alert, keep safe and keep well.

SUNDAY EMAIL ATTACHMENT.docx

Hi

Twelve weeks! Three months! A quarter of a year! Doesn’t time fly when you’re in lockdown and self-isolation? I never imagined that the weekly Sunday email would still be a regular feature of village life so far down the line, but here we are with the 12th edition. Ok, things are beginning to change with the easing of regulations, relaxation of social gatherings and the opening of shops, but the dangers of Coronavirus are as real and deadly as ever and there’s still a long way to go before we are back to what we might call “normal”. The re-emergence of the disease in China demonstrates how easy it is for second spikes to occur and the danger here in the UK is that moving too quickly to remove restrictions could see us in the same position.

Each week there seems to be sufficient new and interesting information to circulate and I know that many recipients look forward to reading the latest announcements. So I aim to keep going for now and there’ll be another email next Sunday. I am always happy to include information that village residents think others would like to have, so If you have any information that you would like me to include please feel free to contact me.

Last week I changed the format slightly and included “Shopping” and “Take away” food information in a separate Word attachment. That arrangement cut back the size of the email considerably, so I am making that a permanent feature.

A very happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there.

Doug

07785 223707

Local coronavirus deaths

The Office of National Statistics has published details of local deaths from the disease over the months of March, April and May where Covid-19 was mentioned as a cause on the death certificate. The grouping of towns and villages may appear a bit disjointed, but it makes more sense when you view them on the map accessed via the link below.

• Thirsk North (including Knayton, Boltby, Sutton) – 6 deaths
• Thirsk South and Coxwold (including Sowerby, Topcliffe, Thirkleby, Kilburn, Husthwaite, Kilburn and Sessay) – 4 deaths
• Leeming, Pickhill and Thornton – 2 deaths
• Northallerton South and Leeming Bar – 14 deaths
• Brompton, Appleton and Thimbleby – 7 deaths
• Dishforth, Baldersby, Asenby and Bishop Monkton – 1 death
• Linton, Tollerton and Raskelf – 0 deaths
• Boroughbridge and Marton-cum-Grafton – 13 deaths

You can search for your own or any another area at https://tinyurl.com/y9pho36c

New Covid cases continue to drop across the Uk, but vigilance is essential if we are to avoid a spike as lockdown restrictions are eased.

Lockdown relaxations: What you can now do

Under the latest relaxations of the government’s restrictions:

• You can form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household if you live alone or are a single parent with dependent children – in other words, you are in a household where there is only one adult. All those in a support

bubble will be able to act as if they live in the same household – meaning they can spend time together inside each other’s homes and do not need to stay 2 metres apart. Support bubbles should be exclusive – meaning

you should not switch the household you are in a bubble with or connect with multiple households. ????

• You are able to meet outdoors with groups of up to six people from different households, provided social distancing is observed and you stay two metres away from anyone outside your household or support bubble.

• You can attend your place of worship for the purposes of individual prayer.

• You can visit any type of shop and some additional outdoor attractions.

• It is mandatory that you wear a face covering on public transport.

You still can’t:

• Visit friends and family inside their homes (unless you are in a support bubble).

• Stay away from your home or your support bubble household overnight – including holidays – except for in a limited set of circumstances, such as for work purposes.

• Exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or go swimming in a public pool.

• Use an outdoor gym or playground.

• Gather outdoors in a group of more than six (unless exclusively with members of your own household or support bubble).

Shops and businesses

• Non-essential shops have been allowed to open again since last Monday. They’ve all had to meet new social distancing and hygiene measures to protect customers and staff from the virus, and by and large the

arrangements appear to have worked well.

• Charity shops can now reopen but many have decided to delay starting up again and we’ll see more open their doors during the rest of this month and in early July.

• We still await an announcement from the government about when hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants will be allowed to reopen. Gregg Tassel, Manager of The Angel at Topcliffe recently posted on

Facebook that he was hopeful that there’d be an announcement fairly soon. The 4 July has been in some media as a likely reopening date for pubs with gardens, but that hasn’t been confirmed by the government.

Similarly, there’s no sign yet that clubs, cafes, cinemas, theatres or places such caravan parks, hotels, holiday accommodation or libraries will be allowed to open soon. You can pop in to places of worship to say a private

prayer, but there are still no congregational services.

• Dental practices are now operating again and I heard of several villagers who were invited in for their regular check-up last week, so it’s not just special treatment on offer. Still, it’s best to check out the level of activity

at your own practice. We now know that opticians have also reopened for business, but beauty salons and hairdressers must wait until 4 July before they can reopen.

• Care Homes are looking at imaginative arrangements that allow families to visit their loved ones, in many cases for the first time in three months. Special meeting facilities are being built in the gardens of some homes

where care home residents can meet their loved ones in safety.

Test and Trace

The position relating to Test and Trace is unchanged, but the information is important and remains relevant so this paragraph is repeated, with only minor change, from last week. Contact tracers are now busily tracking down people who have been near those testing positive for coronavirus. Their role is to ask infected persons to list all the people with whom they’ve recently been in ‘prolonged’ contact. Those people will then be obliged to self-isolate for 14 days, whether sick or not. The person asked to isolate will not be tested and the rest of the person’s household need not isolate. Anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus – a persistent cough, fever or a sudden loss of taste or sense of smell – must isolate for seven days and the rest of their household for 14 days. Everyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or telephone 119 to arrange a test. If the test is negative, everyone in the household can go back to normal. But if positive, the NHS Test and Trace or local public health will get in touch via text, email or phone to discuss where the person has been and with whom they have been in contact. The requirement to self-isolate isn’t enshrined in law, but complying is described as a civic duty. If NHS Test and Trace calls you by telephone, the service will be using a single phone number 0300 0135 000. The only website the service will ask you to visit is https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk

For more detailed information about Trace and Trace, please see the government’s website – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works

The Test & Trace App

The government has conceded that the long-promised Test & Trace app that it has been developing is flawed and will not be available until sometime during the winter. As well as having some technical issues, it is now understood that the government is leaning more towards the use of human test and tracing, rather than reliance on a technological solution. Although the app was initially promoted as a vital and very sophisticated system able to identify people an infected person may have been close to in a crowded place, the government says it is not essential to its test and trace arrangements. Resources are now been reallocated to an app model being developed by tech giants Apple and Google, and which is being supported by many other countries. But it’s uncertain when even that app is going to be ready for use.

NHS Test and Trace scams

The NHS Test and Trace service naturally plays an important role in the fight against Coronavirus so it’s vital the public have confidence and trust in the service. Unfortunately, like most other areas of online activity, it is also providing the opportunity for criminals to commit scams. So please remember that contact tracers will only call you from the number 0300 0135 000. Anyone who does not wish to talk over the telephone can request the NHS Test and Trace service to send an email or text instead, inviting them to log into the web-based service. All text or emails sent by NHS Test and Trace will ask people to sign into the contact tracing website and will provide a unique reference number. It is advised that you type the web address www.contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk directly into your browser, followed by the unique reference number given to you, rather than clicking on any link provided in the message.

The NHS Test and Trace service will never:

• ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to them (for example, those starting 09 or 087)

• ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product of any kind

• ask for any details about your bank account

• ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts

• ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone

• ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else

• ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, please report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Plans for NHS birthday celebration

There is now widespread national support for the planned celebrations to mark the NHS’s 72nd birthday over the weekend of 4 and 5 July. The aim is to mark the birthday but also to again thank key workers for their support during the coronavirus pandemic and remember those who have died due to Coronavirus or who are in hospital fighting the awful disease.

The two key moments during the weekend will be:

• A minute’s silence on the evening of July 4 when people will be asked to light a candle in their window in remembrance of all who have died during this time.

• A moment of thanks and connection on July 5 when we take part in one last country-wide clap of thanks and then stay out to raise a glass or have a cup of tea with our neighbours.

Watch out on the TV News, in newspapers and on social media for more information.

Flying takes off at Linton-on-Ouse

RAF Linton-on-Ouse recommences flying operations from 22 June, having been closed to all flying since early March. From tomorrow, Tutor aircraft of the Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron will be operating and from 3 to 20 July up to six Hawk jet aircraft will be flying. Planned flying hours will be 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and Media & Communications Officer, Flt Lt Mike Lumsdon, has apologised in advance for any noise disturbance experienced. Once the Hawk aircraft have departed after 20 July it is expected that the airfield will return to routine Tutor flying until their final departure in December 2020, when the RAF base closes.

Football kicks off again

The Premier League resumed last Wednesday behind closed doors after a break of three months. There’ll be nearly ninety more matches crammed in to the next 40 days or so and they’ll all be shown on one channel or another.

But schools delay more openings until September

The anticipated restart of education for more children has been put on hold until September due to concerns over social distancing and safety. But there is a national outcry that children’s schooling hasn’t been sorted… yet we can restart activities like going shopping and travelling on public transport. The government is standing firm for the moment but there is increasing pressure from many quarters to get all children back in school as quickly as is viable. We all know it’s vitally important to see our children in school again as soon as possible, but parents need to have every confidence that the conditions in schools will be completely safe.

Year 10 and 12 pupils in secondary schools and further education colleges have begun to receive some face to face support.

The good news this week was the announcement that a billion pounds of extra cash is being made available to schools to support learning programmes that will aid children’s educational ‘catch-up’ over the coming months.

Places to Visit

Many attractions are now open (or partly open) to visitors again. Here’s just a few places that you can now visit:

• Newby Hall Gardens – This 40 acres of gardens and woodland at this stately home are open, but the house itself, along with the playground, railway, dancing water jets and restaurant remain closed for now. All visitors to Newby must have a pre-purchased ticket. Pre-purchase or validate your ticket at https://www.newbyhall.com/ticket-selection
• Beningborough Hall Gardens – The car park, gardens, parkland and toilets are now open but you’ll need to book tickets before you visit. National Trust members can book for free, while non-members will need to pay when booking. Tickets are released every Friday. Follow brown signs instead of SatNav after leaving the A19. The car entrance is via Newton-on-Ouse village. Book at https://tinyurl.com/yc8jc283
• RHS Garden Harlow Carr – The garden is open and you must book a time slot in advance for your visit. You can arrive at any point during your booked visit and can stay as long as you wish within the normal opening hours. Booking confirmation must be presented on arrival (as a print out or on your phone). Open 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sundays. https://tinyurl.com/yc3b9chw
• Fountains Abbey – Limited numbers of visitors at any one time and booking essential (if you turn up without a booking you will be turned away, even if you are a Trust member). You’ll be asked to arrive within your 30-minute timeslot and can stay until closing time. Parking is at the visitor centre car park only. The toilets are open. Members can book for free: non-members will need to pay when booking. MAX card, Essential Companion card holders, or English Heritage members should call 0344 2491 895 to book. Tickets are released every Friday. Booking closes at 3pm the day before your visit. https://tinyurl.com/y8c5axq3
• Thorp Perrow Arboretum – The Bird of Prey & Mammal Centre as well as the Arboretum are now open. There is no need to pre-book. Open 7 days a week 10am to 5pm. The tearoom operates a take-away service only. Toilet facilities are available. The playground remains closed. Groups and guided walks are not allowed, and mobility scooters are not available for hire. Season ticket holders have the option to freeze their membership for the two full months of April and May closure. For further information call 01677 425323 or check out www.thorpperrow.com
• Kiplin Hall Gardens – You can again enjoy long walks around the lake, the parkland and woodland paths. Take in the quiet calm of the walled garden and have the perfect picnic on the rolling lawns. Open 10am-5pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. £12 adult, with concessions, to be paid contactless or chip & pin. Booking not necessary. https://kiplinhall.co.uk
• The Himalayan Garden – This unique garden and sculpture park in Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, is now open. It has beautiful woodland, gardens, an arboretum and three lakes. The toilets are open but the playground
• and the tearoom remain closed – but you can bring your own refreshments. The number of visitors per day is limited and tickets must be purchased in advance online, for a specific day up to two weeks in advance. £9 per person, with concessions. Book at https://tinyurl.com/ya8cjdw2
• Mount Grace Priory – The priory and gardens (and toilets) will re-open on Saturday 4 July, but the house will remain closed until further notice. There are limits on visitor numbers and you won’t be able to visit without booking a timed ticket in advance. Free access to members but they still need to book in advance. https://tinyurl.com/ybp5bkf9
• Castle Howard’s Gardens and Grounds are open. Pre-booking required online. Extensive safety measures have been put in place to reflect the government’s social distancing guidelines. In the first weeks of opening the focus will be on allowing visitors back into the gardens with limited facilities. Reopening of outlets will happen over the coming weeks. The Gardens opening will not include the playground at this stage, but will include takeaway catering outlets and the Farm Shop and Garden Centre remain open daily.
• Middleham Castle – Best known as one of the childhood homes of Richard III, the castle dominates the North Yorkshire town of Middleham. Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III) spent his youth here and it became one of his royal homes. The castle will open on 4 July. Booking for timed tickets is available now. There are limits on visitor numbers and you won’t be able to visit without your booking confirmation. English Heritage member have free access but they still need to book in advance. Free on-street parking nearby. There is a setting down point on the road outside the entrance. https://tinyurl.com/y75p4o8n

Fancy a film at a drive-in cinema?

Going to the theatre or cinema certainly isn’t possible right now but how do you fancy going to drive-in cinema? There are two opportunities in the near future – first at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground on 11 and 12 July and then at Ripon Racecourse on 18 and 19 July. Social distancing measures will be in place. The films will be shown on large screens using LED technology, and cars will be spaced out to enable everyone to see. The sound for the film will come through the car stereo system, with everyone tuning into a specific FM frequency. Portaloos will be installed at both sites. More details and bookings via https://tinyurl.com/y7jy3ykd

Textile Recycling Event

As many of you suggested there should be another textile recycling event at the back end of the summer, it has been agreed to repeat the event in early September. That gives everyone plenty of time to sort out their wardrobes and drawers and store filled bags ready for the collection day. The organisers hope you will store your bags of recyclables until then so that as much money as possible can be raised to support the Village Hall

And 1st Topcliffe scout troops.

Click & Collect from Thirsk Community Library

Although the Thirsk Community Library can’t yet open its doors to the public it is offering its members the opportunity to request books by email or telephone. Orders are parcelled up for collection and borrowers can either make an appointment or drop by during opening hours to collect their books. An application form for this service is available on the library website. There’s also DVDs to keep the family entertained on rainy days and audio books. The library, which is operated by volunteers, can only offer books that are currently in stock: there are no inter-library transfers at the moment. Existing members familiar with the NYCC website can search online to see what is in stock and request specific items. Alternatively, there’s space on the application form for members to ‘flag’ their favourite author/genre, which allows the volunteers to put together a selection of books that hopefully might suit. There’s a delivery service for anyone unable to get to the library in person. New library members are very welcome. You can sign up over the telephone or online. If you choose the latter, please follow it up with an email to alert the volunteers to your registration.

The library is also offering a printing and photocopying service for anyone in need. Simply contact the volunteers and they’ll do their best to help.

Contact details are: www.thirskcommunitylibrary.org.uk Email: library@thirskcommunitylibrary.org.uk Telephone: 01609 534589 (this is a direct line to Thirsk Library) and Facebook: facebook.com/thirskcommunitylibrary

Opening hours for Call/Click/Collect/Copy: Monday, Thursday and Friday 10-12 and 2-4; Tuesday 2-4; Wednesday Closed; Saturday 10-12.

Community Works

Last week I mentioned that the Clock Works community reuse shop In Thirsk had reopened for business. It’s located in Thirsk Market Square (behind the Greengrocer) and offers a range of items including furniture, household items, beds and mattresses, cycles, TVs, paint, fridges and freezers, and other electrical items. I’ve now been advised that the charity is now able to collect donated items of the type listed, but collection staff can’t enter homes. Any items must be in reasonable condition and furniture must have a fire certificate, if appropriate. The special donation hotline number is 07598 187846.

The merger between two separate charities – The Clock and Thirsk Community Care – has created a new charity called Community Works, with the re-use shop operating under the name Clock Works. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity has been providing food parcels and meals for the elderly and vulnerable, providing telephone support and helping with those who are homeless or suffering domestic violence. They are always looking for volunteers and if anyone wants to help they should get in touch.The charity’s Head Office is behind The Methodist Church on St James Green and there’s still a manned office down the alley between Herriot’s shop and Lees Butchers. Telephones – Head Office 01845 524494 and Market Place office 01845 523115.

Pick your own

Spilmans in Sessay, have opened their fields for ‘pick your own’ strawberries. You have to pre-purchase an admission ticket online for a chosen time slot and you will be asked to wash your hands before entering. To book your session and print a £10 credit voucher to redeem on-site go to: www.spilmans.co.uk The farm is closed on Mondays.

Bin Collections

Hambleton (Topcliffe):

• Refuse – Mondays 22 June, 6 July and 20 July.
• Recycling and green bins – Thursdays 2 July, 16 July and 30 July.

Harrogate (Asenby):

• Recycling – Mondays 22 June, 6 July, 20 July.
• Refuse – Mondays 29 June, 13 July and 27 July.
• Garden waste – Thursday 2 July, 16 July and 30 July.

MESSAGES & INFORMATION FROM EARLIER EMAILS, BUT WORTH MAINTAINING FOR REFERENCE

• ‘Top Residents’ and ‘Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall’ Facebook sites have lots of useful information and chat about what’s going on during lockdown. Asenby’s community Facebook page ‘Asenby Institute Community

Space’ is keeping villagers well informed and in touch with each other.

• Our two Parish Councils are not meeting during the crisis. However, our Parish Councillors and Parish Clerks remain available to deal with any urgent matters. Details are on the two parish council websites –

www.topcliffe.org.uk and www.asenby.net

• Freecycle Stall – every Saturday and Sunday, the Burnett family, who live in Pear Tree Cottage on Long Street in Topcliffe, organise a Freecycle Stall so that other villagers can pick up books, magazines, toys and more.

Feel free to pop by the stall, but don’t forget to observe social distancing when you’re there…and appropriate hygiene when handling the items.

• Asenby Bus Shelter Library – has become a ‘community hub’ with village library and games exchange. Please note that users are required to wear gloves and should sanitise books before leaving them or picking them up.

• Heather Allon organises a magazine and book loan scheme in the village. Those who are housebound or in lockdown who would like to be involved should telephone her on 01845 595080.

• Sowerby Waste & Recycling Centre – the site is now back to operation at its normal hours and days – 8:30am to 5pm six days a week. Closed on Wednesdays.

• Rural Arts activities: find out more about the arts and craft activities on offer from Rural Arts – email Sorcha McCabe at sorcha@ruralarts.org or call 01845 526536 and leave her a message on the answerphone.

That’s all until next Sunday. Stay alert, keep safe and keep well.

SUNDAY EMAIL ATTACHMENT.docx

Hi

This is the 11th edition of my weekly Sunday email. There’ll be another email next Sunday so If you have any information that you would like me to include please feel free to contact me.

I hope that you enjoyed reading the latest edition of The Tattler, which should have been delivered to your home during the last week. Anyone who didn’t get a copy put through their letterbox can pick up a copy in the Post Office or read it on Topcliffe village website at www.topcliffe.org.uk.

To save space in this and future emails, I am putting the “Shopping” and “Take away” food information into a separate Word document, which I will keep updated and attach to each Sunday email.

Doug

07785 223707

Lockdown relaxations: What you can now do

From yesterday, Saturday 13 June, you can:

• Form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household if you live alone or are a single parent with dependent children – in other words, you are in a household where there is only one adult. All those in a support bubble will be able to act as if they live in the same household – meaning they can spend time together inside each other’s homes and do not need to stay 2 metres apart. Support bubbles should be exclusive – meaning you should not switch the household you are in a bubble with or connect with multiple households.
• Attend your place of worship for the purposes of individual prayer.

From tomorrow, Monday 15 June, you will be able to:

• Visit any type of shop and some additional outdoor attractions – for example, zoos, and safari parks.
• Year 10 and 12 pupils in secondary schools and further education colleges will begin to receive some face to face support.

It will be mandatory that you wear a face covering on public transport. You will still be able to meet outdoors with groups of up to six people from different households, provided social distancing is observed and you stay

2 metres away from anyone outside your household or support bubble.

As before, you cannot:

• Visit friends and family inside their homes (unless you are in a support bubble from 13 June) or for other specified reasons.
• Stay away from your home or your support bubble household overnight – including holidays – except for in a limited set of circumstances, such as for work purposes.
• Exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or go swimming in a public pool.
• Use an outdoor gym or playground.
• Gather outdoors in a group of more than six (unless exclusively with members of your own household or support bubble.)

Having safe gatherings in your garden

You are reminded that when you have visitors to your garden they should ideally bring their own chairs. You should not allow children from other households to share garden play equipment, like toys, paddling pools or climbing frames, because of the risk of transmission. If this is not possible, any items shared should be thoroughly cleansed after use. If you are in someone else’s garden, you must not go inside to help the host carry out the food or to assist with the washing up. The only reason for going indoors is if you are passing through to a rear garden or to use the toilet. Avoid touching surfaces and if you use the toilet wash your hands thoroughly, wipe down surfaces, use separate or paper towels and wash or dispose of them safely after use. You can share food and drink but stay alert to the dangers in these circumstances.

Shops and businesses now opening for business

From tomorrow non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen. This includes hardware/homeware, fashion, shoes, gifts, bookshops, electronics, mobile phones, betting, tailors, auction houses, antiques, retail art galleries, craft fairs, photography studios, and retail spaces in theatres, museums, libraries, heritage sites and tourism sites. All these premises must be able to meet new social distancing and hygiene measures to protect customers and staff from the virus.

As mentioned last week, charity shops can reopen from tomorrow but not all will be ready to start operating again. More recently, the government has announced that outdoor attractions such as zoos and safari parks can begin to operate again. But, although there has been much debate, there’s still no definitive details about when hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants will be allowed to reopen. The earliest date mentioned is

4 July. Similarly, there’s no sign yet that clubs, cafes, cinemas, theatres or places such caravan parks, hotels, holiday accommodation or libraries will soon get the all-clear to reopen. Places of worship are only open for individuals to pray, but not for normal communal services.

Although dental practices are now allowed to open again, many are offering a minimum service because dentists are finding it difficult to get hold of necessary personal protective equipment, without which they can’t carry out normal treatments. So individual practitioners are having to exercise their professional judgement on the pace of change and if you need dental treatment it’s best to check out the level of activity at your own practice. The position regards opticians is unclear: they could be classed as “non-essential shops” in which case they might reopen tomorrow, but it is possible that they may delay opening until 4 July, the anticipated date beauty salons and hairdressers can start operating again.

Test and Trace

For more detailed information about Trace and Trace, please see the government’s website – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works

Over 25,000 contact tracers are now employed to track down people who have been near those testing positive for coronavirus. These tracers will ask infected persons to list all the people with whom they’ve recently been in ‘prolonged’ contact. Those people will then be obliged to self-isolate for 14 days, whether sick or not. The person asked to isolate will not be tested and the rest of the person’s household need not isolate. Anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus – a persistent cough, fever or a sudden loss of taste or sense of smell – must isolate for seven days and the rest of their household for 14 days. Everyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or telephone 119 to arrange a test. If the test is negative, everyone in the household can go back to normal. But if positive, the NHS Test and Trace or local public health will get in touch via text, email or phone to discuss where the person has been and with whom they have been in contact. The requirement to self-isolate isn’t enshrined in law, but complying is described as a civic duty. If NHS Test and Trace calls you by telephone, the service will be using a single phone number 0300 0135 000. The only website the service will ask you to visit is https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk

Important: If you are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service you will not be asked to provide passwords, bank account details or PINs. Watch out for attempted scams.

The Test & Trace app is still not ready. It continues to be trialled on the Isle of Wight but it would seem it is taking more time than anticipated to get sorted. When it is launched, the plan is that it will tell people if they have been near to someone with the disease and may need to self-isolate. The app will be a much more sophisticated system able to identify people an infected person may have been close to in a crowded place, such as on a bus or a train. We wait with baited breath.

Plans for NHS birthday celebration

People are being encouraged to celebrate the NHS’s 72nd birthday and thank key workers for their support during the coronavirus pandemic with a nationwide round of activities over the weekend of 4 and 5 July.

The two key moments during the weekend will be:

• A minute’s silence on the evening of July 4 when people will be asked to light a candle in their window in remembrance of all who have died during this time.
• A moment of thanks and connection on July 5 when we take part in one last country-wide clap of thanks and then stay out to raise a glass or have a cup of tea with our neighbours.

I’m looking for specific guidance on the timings of these two events and will publish details in next Sunday’s email.

Back to school…for some…but not for all

The government approved the reopening of schools for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils earlier this month, but has now cancelled the plans for all other children to go back to school before September.

Textile Recycling Event

We had an amazing response to the recycling event last Wednesday. Over 80 bags of textiles, were delivered to the front of the Village Hall and later collected by the Bags2School organisation. The bags weighed in at one ton and we raised a total of £400, to be split between local scout, cubs and beaver troops and the Village Hall. Thank you to everyone who donated items. Quite a few residents asked if there would be another recycling event at the back end of the summer, so we have agreed to repeat the event in early September. That gives everyone plenty of time to sort out their wardrobes and drawers and store filled bags ready for the collection day.

Clockworks

Clockworks is the new name for the merged The Clock and Thirsk Community Care. The charity’s re-use shop in Thirsk Market Square (behind the Greengrocer) will re-open for business on Wednesday 17 June at 9am. They have a range of furniture, household items, cycles, TVs, paint, beds, fridges and freezers available.

Brave time to set up a new business

At a time when many businesses are in difficulty and at real risk of failing and millions of people are furloughed, it is refreshing to hear about someone who is brave enough to set up their own business. But that’s what new Topcliffe resident Ruby Barber has done. Ruby has launched herself as a Body Shop home consultant and is trading via Facebook. She said: “I am 20 years old, a trumpet player and opera singer studying at the Royal College of Music in London. Like all students, I need an income to help me survive my years at college, so I looked around for something to do. I have always adored Body Shop products, which are all produced cruelty free, so it seemed like a good idea to set up a home consultancy on social media. I launched on 9 June and got over 100 members within 12 hours…and now, in a matter of days, have nearly 200. My clients can access paper or electronic catalogues of the full range of products, including skincare, hair care, birthday, special occasion gift sets and so much more.” Ruby’s Facebook group – Rejuvenation Station by Ruby B – has lots of information about sales, product reviews, offers and competitions to win free gifts. There are generous discounts and customer specials every month, for example, 10% off all products over £4.50 until the end of June. Anyone who prefers to receive a catalogue through their letterbox should call or text Ruby on 07907 159687.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1093236644410080/?multi_permalinks=1093276267739451&notif_id=1591740315290058&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

Pick your own

Last Friday, Spilmans in Sessay, opened their fields to those who would like to pick their own strawberries. You have to pre-purchase an admission ticket online for a chosen time slot and you will be asked to wash your hands before entering. To book your session and print a £10 credit voucher to redeem on-site go to: www.spilmans.co.uk The farm is closed on Mondays.

Bin Collections

• Hambleton – recycling and green bins – Thursday 18 June. Refuse – Monday 22 June.

• Harrogate – refuse Monday 15 June. Garden waste Thursday 18 June. Recycling 22 June.

North Yorkshire Adult Learning

There’s currently a wide range of online courses e.g. sewing machine skills, basic sign language, bookkeeping and lots more, available free of charge from NYAL. For more details check out the website at www.facebook.com/NorthYorkshireAdultLearning

One particular opportunity that caught my eye this week is an online course for those who would you like to learn how to use social media. It’s a free two-hour course suitable for those who have not used social media before. You will need to be able to access the internet and apps on your device – mobile phone, laptop, tablet or personal computer – and have an email account. During the course you will learn about different social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and how to connect with people and share pictures, videos and messages online. You’ll also find out how to stay safe online and how to protect yourself when using social media. Delivery will be over Zoom, giving you the opportunity to ask questions with your tutor and speak to other learners across the county. The course will be on Tuesday 30th June between 13:00 – 15:00. To enrol and for more information, please call 01609 532536 Monday to Thursday 8.30am – 5pm, or Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm or email AdultLearningService@northyorks.gov.uk

MESSAGES & INFORMATION FROM EARLIER EMAILS, BUT WORTH MAINTAINING FOR REFERENCE

• ‘Top Residents’ and ‘Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall’ Facebook sites have lots of useful information and chat about what’s going on during lockdown. Asenby’s community Facebook page ‘Asenby Institute Community

Space’ is keeping villagers well informed and in touch with each other.

• Our two Parish Councils are not meeting during the crisis. However, our Parish Councillors and Parish Clerks remain available to deal with any urgent matters. Details are on the two parish council websites –

www.topcliffe.org.uk and www.asenby.net

• The AA is offering free roadside assistance to any NHS worker if they have a breakdown travelling to or from work. The number to call is 0800 072 5064.

• Freecycle Stall – every Saturday and Sunday, the Burnett family, who live in Pear Tree Cottage on Long Street in Topcliffe, organise a Freecycle Stall so that other villagers can pick up books, magazines, toys and more.

Feel free to pop by the stall, but don’t forget to observe social distancing when you’re there…and appropriate hygiene when handling the items.

• Asenby Bus Shelter Library – has become a ‘community hub’ with village library and games exchange. Please note that users are required to wear gloves and should sanitise books before leaving them or picking them up.

• Heather Allon organises a magazine and book loan scheme in the village. Those who are housebound or in lockdown who would like to be involved should telephone her on 01845 595080.

• Sowerby Waste & Recycling Centre – the site is now back to operation at its normal hours and days – 8:30am to 5pm six days a week. Closed on Wednesdays.

• Rural Arts activities: find out more about the arts and craft activities on offer from Rural Arts – email Sorcha McCabe at sorcha@ruralarts.org or call 01845 526536 and leave her a message on the answerphone.

That’s all until next Sunday. Stay alert, keep safe and keep well.

SUNDAY EMAIL ATTACHMENT.docx

Hi

This is the 10th edition of my weekly Sunday email since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s amazing how much information is flying about which I think might be of interest to some villagers, so I include it in the hope that it will be useful. As a regular communication, I try to ensure it remains relevant and I hope that you think I am presenting the right balance of news, information and bits and pieces.

As I stated last week, I am happy to keep going with the Sunday Email for as long as recipients appear to want it and find the reports interesting and beneficial. There’ll be another email next Sunday so If you have any information that you would like me to include please feel free to contact me.

Incidentally, there’ll be an edition of the quarterly newsletter, The Tattler, distributed to all households within the two villages of Topcliffe and Asenby next week – most likely on Tuesday or Wednesday. At eight pages it’s a smaller edition than usual, but nonetheless it will be packed with information and photographs of our communities in lockdown and the VE Day celebrations. Anyone who doesn’t get a copy put through their letterbox can read it on Topcliffe village website at www.topcliffe.org.uk from Wednesday onwards.

Doug

07785 223707

Relaxation of restrictions

Since last Monday, groups of up to six people from different households have been able to meet in places like gardens and parks, as long as people from individual households maintain social distancing, keeping two metres apart. With noticeable exceptions on certain beaches and riverside beauty spots, on the whole the relaxations so far appear to be working. To avoid the risk of transmission from one family to another the advice is to try and limit the number of households we see in quick succession. The more people we have interactions with, the more chance the virus has to spread. Therefore, we’re advised to try and limit the number of people we see, especially over short periods of time. Public gatherings of more than six people from different households are prohibited in law.

We can now travel to outdoor open space irrespective of the distance, as long as we can get home the same day and not put anybody else at risk. You shouldn’t travel with someone from outside your own household unless you can practise safe distancing, for example by cycling. We can exercise or play sport in groups of up to six people from other households, but only if we can maintain the two metre rule. Any equipment used should be cleaned from time to time and any that is shared should be cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis.

From June 15, face protection must be worn if travelling on public transport. This is mandatory.

Having safe gatherings in your garden

When you have visitors to your garden it would be best not to share garden furniture such as tables and chairs. People should ideally bring their own chairs. You should not allow children from other households to share garden play equipment, like toys, paddling pools or climbing frames, because of the risk of transmission. If this is not possible, any items shared should be thoroughly cleansed after use. If you are in someone else’s garden, you must not go inside to help the host carry out the food or to assist with the washing up. The only reason for going indoors is if you are passing through to a rear garden or to use the toilet. Avoid touching surfaces and if you use the toilet wash your hands thoroughly, wipe down surfaces, use separate or paper towels and wash or dispose of them safely after use. You can share food and drink but stay alert to the dangers in these circumstances.

Over 70s and those shielding

The advice for over 70s remains unchanged: they should continue to take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household. If they do go out more frequently, they should be careful to maintain distance from others. They and everyone else should continue to comply with any general social distancing restrictions. Those aged 70 and over can be absolutely fit and healthy and it’s not the case that everybody over 70 has a chronic health condition or an underlying disease, but unfortunately, it’s also known that as you get older, there is a higher risk of coronavirus having a more serious impact with infection. Complications and deaths are more common in the elderly, even those without pre-existing conditions.

Anyone who has been advised to shield by the NHS or their GP, including those 70 and over, is advised to continue to do this until at least the end of June. But if they wish, they can now spend time outdoors once per day with members of their own household or, for those shielding alone, with one person from another household. However, extra care should be taken to minimise contact with others.

Shops and businesses start to reopen

Also from last Monday, department stores, outdoor markets and car showrooms were allowed to reopen for business if they were able to demonstrate safe arrangements. This resulted in very long queues at many stores including IKEA.

Dental practices can provide face-to-face patient care from tomorrow, Monday 8 June, but check your own practice as many are delaying opening until they have all the necessary precautions in place. Reopening will not necessarily mean dentists are back to normal – it is likely there will be varying levels of treatments made available, with individual practitioners exercising their professional judgement on the pace of change. Apparently, many dentists are finding it impossible to get hold of PPE – personal protective equipment – and without it they cannot offer safe treatment so will delay treatments accordingly.

From 15 June all non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen. This includes hardware/homeware stores, fashion shops, shoe shops, bookshops, electronics, mobile phone shops, betting shops, tailors, auction houses, antique stores, retail art galleries, craft fairs, photography studios, gift shops and retail spaces in theatres, museums, libraries, heritage sites and tourism sites. All these premises must be able to meet new social distancing and hygiene measures to protect customers and staff from the virus.

Charity shops can reopen from 15 June but not all will be so best to check before you go as some have said it’s unlikely they will. There’s still no news about when hospitality venues such as pubs, restaurants, clubs, cafes, cinemas, theatres or places such as hairdressers, beauty salons, caravan parks, hotels, holiday accommodation or libraries will get the all-clear to reopen. Nor is there any news regarding places of worship though they are subject to a review right now.

Enforcement of Restrictions

Most readers of this email won’t have considered the consequences of not complying with the rules and restrictions. I looked up the penalties and they are potentially quite severe. The police will act with discretion and common sense in applying the law, but if you breach the regulations you can be instructed to disperse, leave an area, be issued with a fine or even arrested in certain circumstance. There fines that can be levied are not inconsiderable: – first offence £100, second offence £200, third offence £400, fourth offence £800, fifth offence £1,600 and a maximum penalty of £3,200.

Track, Test and Trace

Contact tracing is now in operation and a team of 25,000 contact tracers are busily tracking down people who have been near those testing positive for coronavirus. The hope is that contact tracing will avoid the need for national lockdowns with more local restrictions used instead. Tracers will ask infected persons to list all the people with whom they’ve recently been in ‘prolonged’ contact. Those people will then be obliged to self-isolate for 14 days, whether sick or not. The person asked to isolate will not be tested and the rest of the person’s household need not isolate.

Anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus – a persistent cough, fever or a sudden loss of taste or sense of smell – must isolate for seven days and the rest of their household for 14 days. Everyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or telephone 119 to arrange a test. Under 5s can also now be tested too. If the test is negative, everyone in the household can go back to normal. But if positive, the NHS Test and Trace or local public health will get in touch via text, email or phone to discuss where the person has been and with whom they have been in contact. The requirement to self-isolate isn’t enshrined in law, but complying is described as a civic duty. If NHS Test and Trace calls you by telephone, the service will be using a single phone number 0300 0135 000. The only website the service will ask you to visit is https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk

The long-promised app is still not ready but it will be available soon. It will tell people if they have been near to someone with the disease and may need to self-isolate. The app will be a much more sophisticated system able to identify people an infected person may have been close to in a crowded place, such as on a bus or a train.

Back to school…for some

From Monday 1 June the government wanted all Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils to go back to school – though some headteachers will be delaying until they are totally satisfied with all the planning that is required to ensure pupil and staff safety. From Monday 15 June secondary schools and further education colleges will also prepare to begin some face to face support for Year 10 and 12 pupils who have key exams next year in support of their continued remote home learning.

Message from Abi Clay, Headteacher, Topcliffe C of E Academy

These are strange times. Never in the history of Topcliffe Primary School has it ever seen anything like this. On 20 March we closed our doors to most of our children and only remained open to support those whose parents were critical key workers. Then, on 6 April we officially closed the school to make a hub with Carlton Miniott Academy based on their site. We then reopened back at Topcliffe on 1 June and are now getting used to a new way of working with a small number of children returning as we phase year groups back in.

How school looks now compared to before is very different. Class sizes of no more than 15. Everyone spaced 2m apart. Hand washing throughout the day and every time we touch something. No additional adults in the building, including parents. Individual equipment packs for every child. No traditional team sports. No major summer events like sports day, performances and church services. Lunch eaten in the classroom. No trips out. However, despite all these adjustments we have had to make, there is still an amazing sense of school community that lives on and that is with huge thanks to the staff and the families that have worked together to care for our children. Throughout this pandemic the staff have remained caring, giving, brave and supportive. They have continued to support the children of our school, either from a distance or in school and have worked so hard to get the environment right for the return last week. The staff have responded to the challenges with flexibility and courage and I feel very proud to be a member of Team Topcliffe.

The NHS is still open.

Topcliffe Surgery have put out a reminder to non Covid-19 patients that the NHS is still open to them. Whilst it is really important to follow the government guidance during this period, it can be confusing to know what to

do when you are feeling unwell. The surgery’s doctors want to ensure people that they are still available to help, particularly with serious illnesses as these conditions have not gone away just because of coronavirus. Initial consultations with the surgery will be via a telephone triage service and patients will then be directed to the most appropriate care. Other NHS services including pharmacies, NHS 111, out-of-hours services and emergency departments are also still available to non Covid-19 patients.

Bags 2 School – bring out your textiles for recycling

This is the final reminder about the ‘Bags 2 School’ recycling event being staged on Wednesday 10 June. Topcliffe Village Hall and Topcliffe Scout groups are organising the event to raise funds for the two organisations. You are encouraged to have a cupboard and wardrobe sort out and bag items that you are prepared to donate. On this occasion we won’t be delivering bags to every house – please just use black bags. On the 10 June please deliver your bags to the village hall garden between 9am and 12 noon. If you are unable to deliver bags yourself because you are elderly or still in lockdown, the organisers will provide a home collection service – ring Doug Allan on 07785 223707 to request a pick up.

We would welcome any of the following items: – Men’s, Ladies’ and Children’s clothing – paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around) – handbags – hats – bags – scarves and ties – jewellery – lingerie – socks – belts – soft toys – household linen – household curtains – household towels – household bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers). Please note that we are unable to accept duvets and blankets, pillows and cushions, carpets, rugs and mats (including bath, shower and toilet mats), soiled, painted, ripped or wet clothing, school uniforms with and without logo, corporate clothing and workwear or textile off cuts, yarns or threaded material.

PS. A different charity distributed collection bags in Topcliffe and is planning collections on Tuesday. Of course, it is entirely your choice which charity you support, but it is hoped that residents will give maximum support to their Bags 2 School event as this will raise much needed funds for the Village Hall and local scout troops at a time when they have no income of their own.

Say it with stones

Topcliffe resident Jane Smith has raised the idea of placing painted stones at a central point in the village. At the start of lockdown another resident, Michelle Larder and her children started putting painted stones with messages around the village for other children to seek out and add to. It created a great game and became part of many youngsters exercise regime. Now Jane is suggesting that it would be nice to see stones placed at the cross near the Post Office. She says “They could be in memory of a loved one, or an individual’s Covid 19 experience, or just a general decoration. I hope it gets off the ground and I look forward to seeing the artistic talents of local children…and adults too!

Forget Me Not could be the Covid-19 Remembrance

Here’s an idea from Barry Wilton-Middlemass, who is known to a few local people as he takes the Art Connection classes in the Village Hall during normal times. He says: “My wife, Vivian, and I are classed as vulnerable so we have been in self isolation throughout the lockdown. Fortunately we have been able to take exercise by taking a walk with the dog. We have been amazed at the abundance of hedgerow flowers – first snowdrops, then daffodils, primroses, bluebells and garlic flowers. But the flower that has most caught our attention is the Forget Me Not, a small and delicate little five petal blue flower with a white middle and centred with orange.

“I was reminded that when I was in the Forces I used to wear a small lapel badge shaped like a Forget Me Not and after doing some basic research, I find this flower, which is the national flower of Canada, has long been associated with remembrance. Here is a picture of the actual flower and of that lapel badge.

“This got me thinking that the nation could consider adopting this beautiful little flower to wear in memory of all those who have sadly died, many on their own away from their families, during the Coronavirus pandemic. Family members in some cases literally did not have the chance to say goodbye and this must have been very painful. So I am promoting the idea of the Forget Me Not as a mark of remembrance for all of those who have died as a result of the cruel disease.”

Barry has corresponded with his local church authority in Malton and has asked them to bring the idea to the attention of national church dignitaries. He has also put the idea out on Facebook. If you like the idea maybe you’ll want to give it your backing. But please note, at this point Barry is merely looking to promote the idea and get some national organisation to run with it. He does not have s supply of lapel badges to sell or give away.

The Blue Cross Rehoming Centre, Topcliffe

The reception area at the Centre has had a bit of a change around and deep clean during lockdown. Now the staff are appealing for artists of any age to fill bare walls with pictures of their own pets and other animals. They’re inviting local people to draw and paint their pets and send them in to The Blue Cross, Parklands, Station Road, Topcliffe YO7 3SE. You can drop your artwork off at the Centre if you prefer. There are donation bins outside the facility that could be used. Call 0300 777 1540 if you want to let them know you’re visiting.

Bin Collections

• Hambleton – Refuse, Monday 8 June and recycling and green bins Thursday 18 June.

• Harrogate – Recycling, Monday 8 June, refuse Monday 15 June and garden waste Thursday 18 June.

Sowerby Waste & Recycling Centre

The site is now back to operation at its normal hours and days – 8:30am to 5pm six days a week. Closed on Wednesdays.

Disposal of PPE

Local councils have issued a reminder that masks, gloves or other personal protective equipment (PPE) should not be disposed of with your recycling. These items cannot be recycled. Throw them in the bin instead. Anyone who has coronavirus symptoms or lives with someone who does, needs to take extra precautions before throwing away PPE.

North Yorkshire Adult Learning

There’s currently a wide range of online courses eg sewing machine skills, basic sign language, bookkeeping and lots more, available free of charge from NYAL. For more details telephone 01609 780780 or checkout the website at www.facebook.com/NorthYorkshireAdultLearning or email: north.adultlearning@northyorks.gov.uk

Rural Arts activities

There’s lots going on that should interest anyone with a leaning towards art and crafts. If you want to know more about activities being organised by Rural Arts at the Old Town Hall, Thirsk, you can email Sorcha McCabe at sorcha@ruralarts.org or call 01845 526536 and leave her a message on the answerphone.

Yorkshire Vet special

On Tuesday 9 Jun at 8pm on Channel 5 there is chance to see again the episode where Peter and Julian explore the legacy of James Herriot.

Roll of Honour

This week the following name has been added to the villages’ Roll of Honour:

• Victoria Thomis for her hard work and commitment to growing plants and selling them to raise over £60 for the Jennyruth Workshops in Northallerton, which she attends and loves.

Opening times for Local Shops (please note, there are changes in this section since last week)

This is a compilation of supermarket, convenience store, pharmacy, Post Office and other outlets in our area. It includes opening times, and it priority times for elderly, vulnerable and key workers where known.

• Adam Jackson Plants, Sessay – take orders for delivery the following week. The fixed bundles may differ each week (no compost is available). See the Facebook page AdamJacksonPlants for details. To order send your

address, post code, phone number and which bundles you would like. Payment will be taken on delivery in cash or by contactless card. tel: 07743 870205.

• Aldi, Topcliffe Road – Mon-Sat: 8am-10pm and Sun: 10am-4pm.

• Bland of Ripon – home delivery service for supply milk, yoghurt, cream, bread, oil, water, fruit and vegetables. Ring 01765 603049.

• Boots Pharmacy, Market Place – Mon-Sat: 9am-5.30pm, Sun: Closed. Boots Pharmacy, Chapel Street – Mon-Fri: 8.30am-6.30pm (closed noon-1pm), Sat and Sun: Closed.

• Buck Inn, Maunby is supplying fresh produce and household essentials. Free delivery on orders over £25 or to any NHS cardholder. Email: info@thebuckinnmaunby.co.uk

• Carl’s Fruit, salad and vegetable boxes. Orders only by Facebook or email: carlsflowers@btinternet.com Requires payment by Bacs two days in advance of delivery.

• Carlton Miniott Post Office – Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm, Sat: 7am-5pm and Sun: 8am-noon.

• Chip n’ Dales – Paul and Karen Bumby are in Topcliffe to serve fish & chip suppers each Friday between 5 to 7.30pm. Customers must adhere to social distancing with only one person at a time at the counter. They

are still not taking advance or telephone orders.

• Cooperative, Market Place – Mon-Sat: 7am-10pm, Sun: 11am-5pm. Priority for elderly and vulnerable people, NHS workers and carers – Mon-Sat 8-9pm and Sun 10-11am.

• Greengrocers, Thirsk will deliver boxes (£15 or £20) to Topcliffe every Monday. Plants and compost can be added if you order fruit and veg. You can put in an order any time before the delivery day. 01845 527899.

• Heron, Market Place – Mon-Sat: 8am-6pm and Sun: 10am-5pm.

• Johnson’s the Butchers, Thirsk, are supplying the usual meats, plus fish and ready-made meals. Ring 01845 523212 or via Facebook.

• Just Plants (Thirsk) is selling high quality bedding and perennial plants produced on-site at Thirsk (on A19 to York). They offer garden plants for all seasons and open weekends only – Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday

10.00am – 4pm until further notice. Phone 07375 352737 or email contact@justplantsthirsk.co.uk

• Kristinas Gift Shop, Thirsk will deliver to Topcliffe a range of ethical, Fair Trade and sustainable products, including washing up liquid, hand wash and laundry liquid. The range is eco, vegan and cruelty free. There’s also

a range of gifts – from baby clothes to homeware. Deliveries on an evening or a Saturday or Sunday. Call 01845 574573, email kristinas@hotmail.co.uk or check out the website at www.kristinas.co.uk

• Lidl, Station Road – Mon-Sat: 8am-8pm and Sun: 10am-4pm.

• Morrisons, Boroughbridge – Mon-Sat: 7am-9pm and Sun: 9.30am-4pm. Priority openings for NHS workers and carers – Mon-Sat: 6am-7am, Sun 9am-9.30am. Morrison’s offer a special ‘essential’ delivery service to

vulnerable and elderly members of the community who are unable to shop in-store. There’s an order form on the company’s website – you download it, tick your choices and then call 0345 611 6111 and press option 5

to place the order. Orders take 24 hours to process and payment is taken by contactless card by the delivery driver. Cash and cheques cannot be accepted.

• Nisa, Long Street – Mon-Sun: 7am-10pm.

• Occasions, Thirsk – an independent card and gift store is operating through their online website offering a wonderful selection of gifts, homewares and cards. Gifts by Joma Jewellery, Ashleigh and Burwood, Inis

fragrance to name but a few. Secure online payment with free delivery. Contact on 07946 404492, via Facebook, by email to occasionthirsk@btconnect.com, or online at www.occasions2celebrate.co.uk

• Tesco, Station Road – Mon-Sat: 8am-10pm, Sun: 10am-4pm. Priority for elderly and vulnerable people – Mon, Wed and Fri 9-10am. Priority for NHS workers – Tue, Thu and Sat 9-10am. All the time: care workers, NHS

and emergency services will be invited to come to the front of the queue. Tesco Pharmacy – Mon: 8am-10.30pm, Tue-Sat: 6.30am-10.30pm and Sun: 10am-4pm.

• Thirsk Garden Centre is now open Monday – Saturday 10am -5pm. It also operates a click & collect service. Orders taken on their webshop – www.thirskgardencentre.co.uk Staff will ring you to confirm day and time to

collect from their car park.

• Thirsk Post Office, in Cooperative Supermarket – Mon-Sat: 7am-10pm and Sun: 11am-5pm.

• Topcliffe Post Office is back to normal opening hours – Mon-Fri: 7am-5pm, Sat 7.30am-11.30am and Sun: closed. Tel: 01845 577517. Social distancing rules are in place.

• Upstairs Downstairs Deli, Thirsk are delivering to all YO7 postcodes. Check them out on Facebook.

If you order from Johnson the Butchers, the Greengrocers and Upstairs Downstairs everything can be delivered together in one go.

Take Away Food (please note, there are some changes in this section since last week)

• Bagels & Bakes, Kirkgate, Thirsk – takeaway open from 10am for bagels, salads, coffees, ice cream milkshakes, smoothies. Friday is Burger Night 5-8pm. Pre order only on 07989 753420.

• Bambudda Oriental Cuisine, Ripon – 01765 278020 – Orders by phone only. Demand is very high so there may be a delay in getting through. On weekends the line opens at 3pm for pre-orders. Delivery charge £5.

• Bianco Ristorante, Thirsk – takeaways, 4-9pm Wednesday to Sunday. Pizza, pasta, burgers and chicken are available. NHS workers have 10% discount on production of ID. Order online by Messenger at

m.me/biancothirsk or phone 01904 412405. NEW! Deliveries to Topcliffe only £2 per order.

• Bliss Café, Thirsk – Soup, main meals and puddings for the elderly and infirm. Can be delivered frozen or ready to eat within a five mile radius, 7 days a week. Ring two days in advance to discuss your needs, Phone 07584

633669 or email blisscafe@mail.com Pay by card over phone, bank transfer or cash by special arrangement. Please phone 8am-1pm.

• Fantinos Italian, Sowerby – takeaway wood oven pizzas available on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 9pm. Italian beers and wines also available. For menu check them out on Facebook and Instagram or call 01845

523655.

• Grand India, Long St, Thirsk – takeaway service 6 to 11pm every day. 01845 526917 / 526866

• Mooshakes, Mocktails and Munchies – orders for milkshakes and cakes must be in by 12pm for afternoon deliveries or 4.30pm for evening deliveries. Topcliffe deliveries Wed 1.30 to 2.30 and Allenbrooke 5.30 to 7.30.

• Mozzarelli’s, Ripon 01765 603333

• The Old Red House, Thirsk has organised Carvery Sundays and also do free deliveries to Topcliffe 5-8pm Wednesday to Saturday. Ring 01845 525769 for bookings and information.

• Pizza Pronto, Catterick Garrison – 01748 833777

• Racha Thai Bistro in Thirsk is offering take aways and deliveries – 01845 524265. There is a 50% discount for NHS and emergency worker staff who can provide ID.

• Regency Pizza, Thirsk Industrial Estate – 01845 522331

• The Bay Horse, Rainton – 01845 578697 – on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Wide range of take away meals on offer.

• The TeaTime Café, Thirsk – Bake Boxes with varied contents changing each week, or individual items. Delivery on Thursdays is free to Topcliffe and Asenby. Orders by 2pm Tuesday. Full details are on the café’s website

at www.teatimeyorkshire.co.uk

• Uno Momento, Thirsk – takeaway pasta, pizza, chicken, burgers and more. 4-10pm. Card payment only. Message Facebook page to order or call 01845 591777.

• Westgate Fisheries will accept orders by telephone 07703 686774 – ring from lunchtime onwards to place an order for evening pick up (no deliveries to Topcliffe and Asenby). Open Monday to Saturday 4 – 9pm

• White Horse Café – Fish & chips – open Monday to Friday 11.30am to 2pm and 4 – 8pm, and Saturday 11.30am to 2pm and 4 – 7.30pm.

MESSAGES & INFORMATION FROM EARLIER EMAILS, BUT WORTH MAINTAINING FOR REFERENCE

• ‘Top Residents’ and ‘Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall’ Facebook sites have lots of useful information and chat about what’s going on during lockdown. Asenby’s community Facebook page ‘Asenby Institute Community

Space’ is keeping villagers well informed and in touch with each other.

• Our two Parish Councils are not meeting during the crisis. However, our Parish Councillors and Parish Clerks remain available to deal with any urgent matters. Details are on the two parish council websites –

www.topcliffe.org.uk and www.asenby.net

• The AA is offering free roadside assistance to any NHS worker if they have a breakdown enroute to or from work. The number to call is 0800 072 5064.

• Freecycle Stall – every Saturday and Sunday, the Burnett family, who live in Pear Tree Cottage on Long Street in Topcliffe, organise a Freecycle Stall so that other villagers can pick up books, Magazines, toys and more.

Feel free to pop by the stall, but don’t forget to observe social distancing when you’re there…and appropriate hygiene when handling the items.

• Asenby Bus Shelter Library – has become a ‘community hub’ with village library and games exchange. Please note that users are required to wear gloves and should sanitise books before leaving them or picking them up.

• Heather Allon organises a magazine and book loan scheme in the village. Those who are housebound or in lockdown who would like to be involved should telephone her on 01845 595080.

That’s all until next Sunday. Stay alert, keep safe and keep well.