Laura and Stephen have your morning update on essential information, available services in the Petersfield area, calls for help and generous offers to help you and other members of the local community through the Coronavirus pandemic.
Today, some inspiration for healthy ways to get through the lockdown with Steve Amos of the Adhurst Estate Allotment Association and personal trainer Rob Carr.
Plus – free seeds.
Contact the team on 01730 555 500 or email team@petersfieldradio.uk
Rob’s details
Email robcarrpt@gmail.com
Website https://www.robcarrpt.co.uk/
Resources posted to Facebook https://facebook.com (subscription)
Information transcript
The main points are that we must all stay at home, except when:
- Shopping for basic necessities, like food and medicine, and do that as infrequently as possible.
- One form of exercise a day, like a run, walk, or cycle – you can do that alone or with members of your household.
- Any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person. 1
- Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.
Shops selling non-essential goods must shut, gatherings in public of more than two people who do not live together are prohibited, and if we do not follow the rules, the Police have the power to enforce them.
It means many shops are now closed and the only stores which are permitted to trade are:
- Supermarkets for essential food
- Pharmacies for medical supplies
- Newsagents
- Hardware stores
- Banks
- Pet shops
- Post Offices
- Petrol stations
- Vets
- Retail shops in hospitals
- Laundrettes
- And funeral homes
Clearly, we’re going to have to get used to being stuck at home a lot more than usual. For many of us, it’s a new way of life but the Government says it’s absolutely necessary to help slow the spread of Covid-19.
But of course we still need to get exercise and the whole purpose of the restrictions is to help the nation manage its health and protect our health services.
The Prime Minister recognised the need for exercise and said we can go out once each day alone or with members of our immediate household to stretch our legs.
In today’s Morning Report we’ll ask what’s the best way to exercise under these circumstances when we speak to Petersfield Personal Trainer, Rob Carr.
And the weather’s good – if you’re unexpectedly at home today – what can you do in the garden or on your windowsill to grow plants and stay physically and mentally fit?
Steve Amos of the Adhurst Estate Allotment Association will join us with some inspiration – and news of how you can get your hands on some free plant and herb seeds if you need a head start in the garden.
If Hampshire Police need to get a message quickly to the community, one way they do it is via Hampshire Alert messaging. You can sign up for the alerts at hampshirealert.co.uk – it’s quick and free and means you’ll be among the first to know when there’s an important message to share.
Petersfield Community Hospital has announced that from today [Tuesday] it can unfortunately no longer allow visitors to patients on Rowan and Cedar Wards as they are in the highest risk group. They appreciate that this is a distressing situation but have to act in the best interests of the patients as well as the staff attending them.
Petersfield Market tomorrow will only have traders attending who supply food. They can’t confirm which food traders will be attending, but are able to say the fresh fruit and vegetables stall will be there. They stress it is important to follow the social distancing guidelines, and vacate the square as soon as possible. The stalls will be spaced out with as much distance between them as possible.
St Peter’s Vets is still open, but is not allowing any clients to enter the practice, with a handover of pets outside. It has also introduced a telephone consultation service.
If you need medicines, the major pharmacies are open, but both Boots, on the High Street, and Day Lewis, in the central Car Park, are observing safe distancing rules, so only a small number of people can enter those stores at any one time.
The midnight pharmacy on Swan Street is operating on reduced hours and Day Lewis is closing for an hour every lunchtime to allow for staff breaks and re-stocking.
HELP AVAILABLE
The Village Shop in East Meon is taking orders on everyday essentials and a team of locals is delivering around the village. If you’re in the East Meon area you can place your order on 01730 823276.
The PACT Food Bank based at the Salvation Army Hall in Swan Street is giving out food parcels to you and your family if you’re in need. It happens every weekday morning between 9.30 and 11.30
You’ll need to fill-in a Referral Voucher from Food Bank or Salvation Army volunteers. Fill it in and it will be exchanged immediately for bags of dried and tinned food and any toiletries they have in stock. You can also get Food Vouchers to exchange at the Petersfield Market for Fruit, veg, bread, cheese and eggs.
If you have any concerns about getting to the Salvation Army to collect your emergency provisions, or you are in quarantine or self- isolation, you won’t miss out.
Just call Terry Doubleday, of PACT Food Bank on 07837 030576 and an emergency delivery will be organised by a volunteer.
The Malabon says it will serve food and drinks for HOME DELIVERY ONLY. They’re only taking payment by contactless card and you can book online, by phone or on the Just Eat app. They will not not serve you if you walk into the restaurant.
Their delivery drivers will knock on your door and leave the food on your doorstep. They say you should not greet the driver at your front door and if you see him/her coming please close the door and wait until the food drop has been made before opening again.
Lidl wants you to know it holds sufficient stocks and is increasing supplies to stores where necessary but is limiting some items to no more than 4 per purchase so everyone can get some.
Waitrose has turned the first hour of trading into a priority period for the elderly, vulnerable and those who look after them. Many products are heavily in-demand and these will be restricted per shop.
East Hampshire District Council’s offices at Penns Place and their outreach offices are now shut to the public. Don’t try going to Penns Place – contact the council by phone on 01730 266551 or through their website at easthants.gov.uk.
EHDC is working alongside voluntary organisations to manage the response in the community and make sure that support, services and supplies reach everyone that needs them. It is working in partnership with organisations such as Community First, Citizens Advice East Hampshire, the East Hampshire Primary Care Network and local town and parish councils to keep residents safe and well.
Community First has volunteers who will make sure vulnerable residents are contacted and have what they need. If you are worried about how you’ll cope or you have a relative who is vulnerable, please contact Community First on support@cfirst.org.uk.
And if you’re willing to volunteer for the community effort – you can at www.volunteerwessex.org.
TRAVEL
South Western railway is running a slimmed-down service with just one fast train and one stopping service, per hour, in each direction. The trains are for essential travel only and following last night’s instruction from Government, the only reasons to legitimately travel are for necessary work, or to get food or medicine.
And don’t forget bus users, Stagecoach is running to a school holiday timetable across Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex until further notice. When you pay, please use a contactless card for a clean and quick transaction, not smelly old cash transferring germs between fingers.
WEATHER
Sunny today with temperatures up to 13 degrees in the afternoon. Light south easterly winds and a cold clear night to follow.
-
-
