The York Knights and York City activity days for young people in west York have been cancelled. Organisers hope to reschedule them when the current health crisis is over.
Those worried about the length of their hair may also been wondering about the length of the grass on the lawn.
Enforced isolation may provide the opportunity for a best trimmed hedge and manicured lawn competition is some neighbourhoods.
But where will the
green waste go?
The York Council is
scheduled to recommence green bin emptying at the beginning of April. Other Councils
have suspended this garden waste system, so it is a little surprising that
there has been no announcement from West Offices yet.
Green waste may
already be building up.
We did hear from the Council a few days ago that DIY was being “discouraged” if it added waste to the collection streams (the household waste sites have been closed).
One option would be to make a delivery – using perhaps local taxis – of a composting container to any household that wants one. Subject to supply of course. Maybe many would continue to compost even after the current crisis is over. So, a win, win for everyone.
The City needs a “no
personal contact” collection and delivery system for prescriptions and food
supplies. With many “click and collect” services suspended at local stores
there is a gaping hole in the City’s food chain system.
Time to get that fixed, with the Council taking the lead.
City of York Council is urging anyone who wants to offer financial support to others affected by Covid 19, to support the Coronavirus Community Fund, set up by Two Ridings Community Foundation
The fund has been set up to offer local charitable or community organisations emergency funding to deal with emerging issues as a result of the continuing threat of Coronavirus.
Any funds received will be used to help local charitable and community organisations support the people who need it the most. It will also work to assist people and organisations where there are no current suitable services, in order to maintain some level of viability through these uncertain times.
Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said:
“In such unprecedented times, I am encouraged by the incredible response from our communities to support those most in need, whether that is through formal volunteering opportunities, or simply by helping their immediate friends and neighbours.
“Many people have asked how they might be able to support others at a time when so many are faced with great financial uncertainty. In response, the council has worked closely with the Two Ridings Community Foundation, who in the past have supported the city’s response to flooding, and I’m pleased that they have set up the Coronavirus Community Fund to support those most in need.
“I would strongly encourage anyone who is interested in donating, or any group who feel they may be eligible for support, to find out more online.”
Jan Garrill, Chief Executive of Two Ridings Community Fund, said: “We will work to make sure the fund reaches the communities that need the most support. We are in touch with local charity umbrella bodies and front-line organisations to see what’s needed and how funds can be spent.
“From our 20 years’ plus experience, we know a lot of these organisations and so will quickly be able to assist them. We expect the first wave of funding will go to organisations working with older and vulnerable people who are likely to be most seriously affected by social isolation and illness caused by the virus.”
If you do not have any support, but need it because of the impact of COVID-19, we may be able to help you through this difficult time. To get help, please contact us by:
“We haven’t taken the decision lightly but with elderly drivers (over 30 volunteers) we have to respect their decision to isolate. Carrying elderly on the bus for shopping at dial and ride is important but going everyday is not good for elderly this is not how to isolate.
If required we have 3 mini buses and volunteers who can help any groups who need buses.
York hospital visiting stopped
Hospital visiting cancelled
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust sites.
This includes York, Scarborough, Malton, Bridlington, St Monica’s Easingwold, and Selby hospitals, as well as St Helen’s and White Cross Court rehabilitation units.
BT caps call charges from landlines
BT is telling its land line customers that they will not have to pay more than £5 a month for calls to other UK landlines or mobiles.
York Minster services on line
Stations of the Cross 2020
This year’s Stations of the Cross will be coming to you online.
Join us through Lent for prayer & meditations written by Canon Chris Collingwood, based on Jerry Scott’s Stations of the Cross drawings. The services are led by Canons Chris Collingwood and Maggie McLean, with music performed by Ben Morris.
A new Station will be uploaded daily (excluding Sundays) and will be available as text, audio, or as a video with the visual aid of the relevant Station (recommended)
As a result of the Coronavirus, from Tuesday the 24th March the animal home will close to the public and all rehoming activity will stop.
Front line animal staff will still be working in the home to look after our current residents and accepting animals brought in by the RSPCA inspectors. During this time we will be reducing the number of staff working at the branch so will be unable to respond to general queries regarding fostering, adoptions or volunteering.
During this time we will not be able to accept animals from the general public during this time, this includes injured wild animals. We will only be accepting donations of food, but ask that members of the public do not break lockdown to deliver these donations themselves.
In the last week we have seen 90% of our income disappear. We rely almost entirely on self generated income and unlike other businesses we cannot close down to save costs. The branch costs around £60,000 a month to operate and we are today launching an emergency appeal to try and secure some of the funding we need to run. We desperately need your support at this time.
If you know of anyone who is looking for work, please let them know that we are recruiting staff to help keep up with demand for our chicken as the Coronavirus crisis deepens.
We anticipate that we will temporarily lose up to 50% of our team as a result of Covid-19 self-isolation and are recruiting in all areas of the business to ensure continuity of supply.
Our Managing Director, Nigel Upson said: “Independent retailers in our area have done an amazing job of providing fresh produce to our communities when the supermarkets couldn’t. We have taken the decision to keep production at full tilt to continue to feed Yorkshire through this network of butchers and farm shops, but we need your help. At the peak of this crisis we anticipate that more than 50% of our staff will not be available for work so we need to boost numbers now to maintain throughput.
“We seek some specialist skills like accounts staff, fork lift drivers, lorry drivers and also need a strong contingent of people willing to do whatever it takes including warehouse staff, packing boxes and cleaning the factory overnight.”
Please send an e mail torecruitment@soanespoultry.co.uk giving details of what work you normally do and what you are prepared to do. Everyone will have the opportunity to visit the site for a tour before committing but will have to agree to a screening for symptoms of illness before being allowed into the building.
Visit York have published a list of 30 takeaways that are still operating. mostly city centre.https://t.co/i0xUjQClm1?amp=1
Freecycle suspended
Freecycle, the surplus goods exchange service, has suspended its operations
Newspaper deliveries stopping
Although newsagents are specifically exempted from the government instruction to close, we understand that several have decided – for the safety of their staff – to suspend home deliveries
Good time to take out an “on line” subscription maybe? (unless you only rad the sports results, then maybe not!)
York Market only open for fresh food sales now
Make it York say the market is now closed but special provision will be made for those traders supplying fresh food, with social distancing measures put in place.
Opening hours are set to be 10am until 5pm and any further updates will be shared on the Shambles Market Facebook and Twitter accounts.
All measures are under continuous review, and Make It York will follow the advice given from local and national government over the coming days.
Stay at home
Government instructions available viathis link (click)
Many shops now closed
All non-essential shops are closing including clothes stores, department store chains, electronics and computer stores.
However, the list excludes food shops, pharmacies, corner shops, hardware stores, petrol stations, pet shops, post offices, banks, newsagents and shops inside hospitals.
Many parks will stay open, but gyms including outdoor gyms, play-parks and all places of worship, except for funerals, will close.
Jobs with the York Council
Times are tough at the moment for everyone and we want to help. If you need a job we could help you. We need HGV drivers and loaders. More at the links below or call Work With York. https://www.workwithyork.co.uk/jobs/hgv-lgv-driver/
Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has announced that from today (Tuesday) , all staff car parking charges will be suspended with immediate effect at York, Bridlington and Scarborough hospitals until further notice, ‘in a move to support staff getting to and from work for the duration of the outbreak.’
It tweeted; “From 1 April payroll deductions for parking will be stopped, and pay and display machines will be switched off this evening. Staff with parking permits can park on any site for free.
“We hope these small gestures will enable to you stay healthy and feel supported during what are challenging and increasingly difficult times. Thank you.”
With a little help from MinsterFM, we’ve put together a matrix showing the priority shopping arrangements and opening hours for York food supermarkets. The opening hours are subject to change at short notice.
We’ll update it as and when information become available. To download please click here
Links to individual store information is as follows (click for link)
The discount supermarket chain has just launched a new initiative of special food boxes, aimed at getting foods to people who are struggling to place orders online.
According to their website, each box includes ‘a selection of everyday items’ dependent on current availability of food and household goods .
There are two options: vegetarian or meat.
Elderly or vulnerable customers – such as those with underlying health issues who have been ordered to remain indoors – will be prioritised.
The boxes are fairly affordable at £30, with a £5 delivery fee on top (so £35 in total) and will feed two adults for one week.
As an example, the vegetarian box might contain canned baked beans, soup, dairy products, rice and pasta (yes, really), carrots and more.
Meanwhile, in the meat version, you also get chicken or beef.
But if you’re allergic, be careful as no guarantees can be made for specific requirements – so read the label before you dig in.
The government have published proposals which could see significant changes in the way that homes are planned and delivered in York. click
Government paper March 2020
The proposals include plans to make better use of brownfield (previously developed) land and a requirement for all local authorities to have an approved Local Plan.
One aspect, that has attracted local criticism, is the paragraph covering the introduction of “new rules to encourage building upwards, increasing density in line with local character and make the most of local infrastructure”. Permitted development rights (PDR) would be extended to allow residential blocks to be increased by up to two storeys. Some have claimed that this might affect views of The Minster. Indeed, it might, particularly if the proposals are applied to conservation areas and local PDRs have not already been restricted by the local Council.
That does need to be clarified before changes are published later in the year.
But the White Paper also includes some positive messages.
March 2020
Barbican development site
As well as plans to make better use of brownfield land, the paper says it will ensure land allocated for housing is built on. That will ring a bell with some who regularly walk past derelict sites like that next the Barbican. It has had planning permission for homes for over 5 years.
Many will also feel sympathy for the proposal to improve security for tenants by abolishing the use of ‘no fault evictions’. The papers says, “that tenants can put down roots in their communities and plan for their long-term future”.
Local amenity organisations will surely welcome proposals to revise the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to embed the principles of good design and placemaking – “this will make clear that high-quality buildings and places must be considered throughout the planning process”?
Another commitment is for urban tree planting and giving communities a greater opportunity to influence design standards in their area. “This will put tree lined streets at the centre of future plans, so that they become the norm not the exception”
The government plans to give local authorities the ability to ensure that new homes conform to “local residents’ ideas of beauty” through the planning system. “Using the National Model Design Code, we will set out clear parameters for promoting the design and style of homes and neighbourhoods local people want to see. We will ask local places to produce their own design guides and codes, informed by listening to local people and considering local context”.
There is more than a whiff of centralised control about the paper and, of course, the actual implementation of ideas often proves illusive.
The world and the City may in any event look very different in 6 months time.
But there is still something to be positive about in the White Paper
City of York Council is offering advice on how people can look after their emotional wellbeing while social distancing – two metres apart – and isolating themselves to slow the spread of Coronavirus.
On Friday, new social distancing measures were announced by the Government, which has resulted in the closures of pubs, cafés nightclubs, bars, theatres, restaurants, leisure centres and gyms across the city and the country.
This latest measure is to further support social distancing, which involves:
Avoiding contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough.
Avoiding non-essential use of public transport, varying your travel times to avoid rush hour, when possible.
Working from home, where possible;
Avoiding gatherings with friends and family but keeping in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media.
Using telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services.
Sainsbury’s has changed its new opening time policy for the elderly and vulnerable and NHS staff. The chain now says it will open half an hour earlier for all NHS staff each day at 7.30am.
While special shopping times for the elderly or at-risk will continue to be every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 8am-9am.
Morrisons
Morrisons has changed its hours. 7am – 8am Mondays to Saturdays, are for NHS workers (need badge), Normal hours 8am – 8pm. Sundays, 10am – 4pm.
Changes that most supermarkets are making although some are reserving first hour on some days for over 70’s. Really need the Council, Make it York or Chamber of Trade to put up a web site with opening hours, delivery slot availability and stock position information for all stores.
Council newsletter planned
The York Council has pledged to issue a newsletter to every residence in the City giving Corona virus advice before the end of the week.
National Trust
We’ve closed our parks and gardens to restrict the spread of coronavirus, as well as, built properties. Many of our car parks for countryside and coastal locations are now likely to be closed. We urgently request people to stay local, observe social distancing and to not travel.
Self employed
An important message for self-employed residents of York from City of York Council.
Libraries to expand online and home delivery service
This follows the Government’s announcement yesterday that pubs, restaurants, cafes and leisure centres are to close.
A service to safely deliver and collect books for those who can’t access the internet are also being scaled up. Residents now don’t have to return borrowed items until 30th June, and won’t be fined.
After receiving advice from Public Health, from midday today (Saturday 21 March, 12 noon), Explore Libraries are moving their services online.
Cllr Darryl Smalley, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities, said:
Explore Library and Archives already has many fantastic online services and are working quickly to create even more.
“In this period of social distancing and self-isolation, I hope and expect residents’ engagement in York’s library service to rocket.
Reading for pleasure is a brilliant and restful way to relax, especially important for those in self isolation, and will continue to support people’s emotional wellbeing whilst they are at home.”
City of York Council will be working with communities in the coming week to ensure community hubs are in operation across York, supporting the most vulnerable residents with foods and medicines, and making the most of the city’s increasing pool of volunteers.
We’re also looking at how council services which currently run from Explore’s Library Learning Centres can be delivered differently; we’ll keep you informed about them as soon as possible.
Fiona Williams, chief executive of Explore Learning Library Centre, said:
We are working hard and in close partnership with City of York Council to deliver a range of online services to support people at this difficult time.
“We are also looking at ways to safely deliver books to those who can’t access the internet. Any items currently on loan from us don’t need to be returned until June – and we won’t be fining anyone for them!
We will ask for details of their skills and capacity, match them to an existing voluntary group or train them ourselves, coordinating with city groups and council requirements, manage them to deliver support where it is needed.
Residents who do not currently have any access to support, but who need help because of impact of COVID-19, are asked to contact our Community Support Coordinators by email: covid19help@york.gov.ukor telephone: 01904 551550 for assistance.
Vulnerable Groups
NHS England is set to write to 1.5 million peple in the UK most at risk.
Those at-risk people will receive letters or text messages, strongly advising them not to go out for 12 weeks to protect themselves.
This includes people who have received organ transplants, are living with severe respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis or specific cancers, such as blood or bone marrow.
York Corona cases
The number of coronavirus cases in York increased by two – from six to eight. No confirmation has been published on the number of early cases (from Janaury) who have now recovered
The discount supermarket chain has just launched a new initiative of special food boxes, aimed at getting foods to people who are struggling to place orders online.
City of York Council is offering advice on how people can look after their emotional wellbeing while social distancing – two metres apart – and isolating themselves to slow the spread of Coronavirus.