Redbourn ommunity Newsletter No 4 This newsletter aims to ...Redbourn ommunity Newsletter No 4 This newsletter aims to provide information which could be useful to all Redbourn residents

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Redbourn Community Newsletter No 4

This newsletter aims to provide information which could be useful to all Redbourn residents during the Coronavirus pandemic, focussing on local information and responding to questions

being asked in our community.

We hope you are aware that Redbourn Care Group is working in conjunction with Redbourn Coronavirus Volunteers. We are here to provide help for anyone, of any age, in need in our

community. Our village volunteers are already in contact with many of you day to day. Sometimes it can be hard to ask for help especially if you feel you can usually cope on your own. If you are

struggling and finding things harder than normal, please do contact us. For instance, we can help do shopping and deliver it to your doorstep, post mail and collect prescriptions.

Please call the Redbourn Care Group on 01582 794550 calls are answered every day 10am-4pm.

Contact details for organisations are listed in a document “Coronavirus Directory” on the Redbourn Care Group www.redbourncaregroup.co.uk/ and in Redbourn Common Round May issue (p.16-18).

This week’s thanks for their ongoing service and access to get food and essentials, without driving out of the village, go to our local food shops. They value your continued support and appreciate your patience when waiting if there is a queue.

Weymans Nisa Local and Post Office – open 7am-7pm 01582 792396

Redbourn Co-op – Mon 7-6pm, Tues 8-6.30pm, Wed-Fri 8-8pm, Sat 7-8pm, Sun 8-8pm 01582 794693

Handy Store. The Convenience Store, Lybury Lane. Closes at 8pm 01582 793237

Share this newsletter with friends and neighbours.

Please find out if neighbours need a printed copy for those without internet or email access. If you have missed previous newsletters, you can still access them on the website. We try to ensure our information is as accurate and up to date as possible.

Please let us know of useful information or stories you would like to share for our next newsletter.

Email [email protected]

Many thanks.

Redbourn Care Group (registered charity 297955).

This is a newsletter for everyone. No matter what your circumstance.

In this issue: Good news stories from the community, sustaining our efforts regarding social

distancing and travel, local walks, gardening, information about AIR’s community calls and

the launch of the on-line well-being workshops - and news about our Bear Hunt.

Next issue: Health, what to eat (and what not to eat!) during lockdown, Celebration of VE

Day – and answers to the photo challenge.

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The nation has been asked to ‘show the same optimism and energy as Colonel Tom Moore and the same spirit of unity and determination as we have all shown in the past six weeks.’ At this time, there is no clarity over when we will be able to ‘get back to normal’.

This newsletter aims:

• to celebrate what we have done well and to share some positive stories (page 2-3)

• to think about, and to plan, how we sustain our efforts (page 4-7)

• to share ideas and events you can get involved in (page 8-10)

Let’s celebrate

We should all be proud of our efforts in following the guidelines by staying at home to protect ourselves, our families, the NHS and our communities.

Ongoing praise to those who have kept aspects of our nation running – the NHS and all who care for others, drivers, shop workers, post office staff, chemists, etc. The one-minute silence (28th April 11am) was a powerful reminder and to show our respect to those who tragically have lost their lives from the virus. The Thursday night clap provides a time as a nation to come together and a weekly reminder to us that we have ‘got through’ another week of lockdown.

Let’s all wish Colonel Tom Moore birthday greetings for his 100th birthday on 30th April. He’s also made the record books twice for being the oldest person to get a No.1 song in the charts and for raising the most money ever doing an individual charity walk! A staggering £30 million!

Children in Need joined with Comic Relief for ‘The Big Night In’ to raise money to support local charities and projects in the UK, so they can continue to provide vital emergency support. Even in these times of financial hardship for many, it has raised a total of over £67 million. The Government pledged to match the amount raised on the night, with the first £20 million going to National Emergencies Trust.

Watford Football Club has become an extension of Watford General Hospital. No Club staff have been furloughed as they are supporting the hospital. They have opened up the hospitality to serve free food to NHS staff, executive boxes are converted into bedrooms, scrubs have been washed in the on-site laundry and the Sir Elton John Suite has been opened for counselling.

Changing Views working with Sally Yates, and The Redbourn Sewing Group, have been involved in making masks, headbands, scrubs, and bags for scrubs. There is a desperate and urgent need for these. Headbands have been delivered to St Matthew’s Care Home for every staff member and to individuals working on the frontline. Over 100 headbands have been sent to the paramedics. The next batch will be sent to local hospital wards and respite centres. There has been a request for 400. Over 100 scrub bags have been sent to a hospital unit for teenagers with mental health needs in Oxford.

Headbands - made with two buttons on either side of the head so that the wearer can hook the elastic of the face mask round the buttons rather than behind the ears – the constant rub of elastic is very sore after a 12 hour shift.

Bags for scrubs – drawstring bags are used to contain a uniform once it is removed after wear. The uniform is put into the bag and then both are washed together which avoids handling the contaminated uniform.

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Request – donations of good quality and CLEAN pillowcases and duvet covers for bags and headbands. Buttons needed that are over 2cms in diameter.

Contact Sarah Withers 07952 167877 (Redbourn co-ordinator) if you are able to donate fabric or buttons, or to offer to help with sewing. Fabric can also be donated via collection bins at Aldwickbury School.

Why not have a go at making bags or masks yourself? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DImz9ZIMDA0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QrW4zIjMwY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4FB--BOyTiU

Sadly, Neighbourhood Watch had to inform us that they are investigating a number of graffiti incidents on benches around the common. Some of you will have been upset by these. One resident took it upon herself to get her children to make some rainbow posters to cover up the graffiti. Thank you to this kind community minded person. And thank you to Redbourn Parish Council for getting onto this so quickly and getting them cleaned. This is further evidence of all the positive things we are seeing happening across our lovely village. Have you attached a heart on the tree on the common to thank the NHS and other key workers? Have you noticed how people often stop and say hello to others now? And have you seen the number of posters displayed in house and shop windows in support or our workers?

Redbourn Care Group and Coronavirus Volunteers have been thanked for their ongoing support with shopping. The added bonus is that it creates a few moments for those who are isolated at home to have some contact, albeit 2 metres away, with a different person and to feel valued and remembered, and simply to have chance to talk to someone face to face.

We have received some lovely feedback from Pam on her volunteering. This is an excerpt from Pam’s comments:

‘I’m a very recent volunteer for the Caregroup. I’ve been delighted to help during the Covid 19 lockdown. It was a brilliant initiative by the Caregroup to check that the villagers it regularly helps are supported by neighbours, families and friends at this time and not feeling isolated or lonely. I was

more than happy to make courtesy calls and have been checking in regularly with four lovely ladies in the village. All of them are in their late 80s and into their 90s, live alone and some a long way from their nearest relatives. All the calls always involve a giggle over something and afterwards I sometimes wonder who has got the most out of it – me or them!’

Let’s sustain our efforts

We need to be thinking about how we will cope during the coming weeks. There is a real need to sustain our efforts and avoid ‘virus fatigue’ if we are to keep as positive as possible, and to protect ourselves and others from further spread of the virus.

It may be becoming a struggle to maintain our isolation and to maintain ‘lockdown’, but it is essential that we continue to follow the advice and guidelines if we are to avoid a second major peak of the virus.

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There is a useful YouTube clip that explains clearly why we need to continue with social distancing and maintain lockdown in order to ‘flatten the curve’ and manage NHS critical care capacity. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCOkEXsfPoQ

Thanks for your input

We have received some uplifting comments about our newsletter - people generally are finding it comprehensive, accessible and informative. Feedback from our survey was useful and will be acted upon in our newsletters. Thank you to all who responded and gave comments.

We have based the information below on requests that have been made by the community either through emails to the Care Group office or through the Survey. People wanted to know more about – socialising, travel, walks, pet walking, food and eating during this time. Let us know if there is other information that would be helpful to you.

Social distancing Having talked to others, there is desperate need to be able to see families and relatives and, for many, this is the most distressing part of being socially isolated. Grandparents often feel this keenly as the children can be the main source of joy for people who live alone. One lady commented that she ‘has to keep the bedroom doors closed as the toys remind her that she can’t see the children, and this makes her sad.’ We must continue to maintain social distancing and not be tempted to meet up with others. Social distancing measures are steps you can take to help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). So far many

of us have managed to keep contact to a minimum, have observed the 2-metre rule when out and about and shopping, avoided going into different homes thus reducing contact with a wider group of people. This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks yet. We must avoid letting these rules slip or thinking’ it won’t matter if I just pop in and see my friend’. ‘I think in past week there’s lots more people are ignoring social distancing, so this message needs firmly and visibly reinforced - distance apart, reasons to go out, not mixing with other households etc’ (Response from Survey Monkey)

1. Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough.

2. Avoid non-essential use of public transport when possible. 3. Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. 4. Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces, noting that pubs, restaurants, leisure centres and

entertainment venues are currently shut as infections spread easily in closed spaces where people gather together.

5. Avoid gatherings with friends and family.

If you are concerned about your health and general welfare or are in danger from a family member, please make sure you are using help systems to support and protect you. You can call the Redbourn Care Group 01582 794550 go to the Redbourn Directory https://redbourncaregroup.co.uk/ or one of the local or national support schemes.

For domestic abuse - Leave your home and seek help by either dialling 999, or to alert silently call 999 and press 55 – or call Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse Helpline 08 088 088 088

www.hertssunflower.org https://www.herts.police.uk/Information-and-services/Advice/Coronavirus-COVID-19/domestic-abuse

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Connecting with others Maintaining relationships with people you trust is important for your communication skills and for your mental wellbeing. Stay in touch with friends and family via telephone, video calls or social media. Why not send a letter or a card with a photograph? One positive outcome appears to be how actively people are making an effort to connect with old friends. Arranging a regular time to be in contact with family or friends creates an appointment on the calendar. It is something to look forward to. Video calls where you can see the other person are also beneficial. They enable you to connect better and it can be reassuring to see others looking well and to share in events e.g. seeing birthday candles being blown out. Why not arrange an on-line quiz with friends? This takes the pressure off the conversation but enables you to be in contact for a few minutes doing something mutual and shared. Active in Redbourn (AIR) is offering Redbourn Community a weekly opportunity to connect with others. Call 0800 022 9009 PIN 726747 starting from Wed April 29th. This will be free of cost to the caller. Lots of people can be on it at the same time. It will offer some entertainment, talk by local ‘celebrities’ and chance to participate with others.

Avoid unnecessary travel

There has been an increase in traffic over the last few days. Traffic data from TomTom showed that in the UK's 25 largest cities congestion levels had dropped by an average of 57% from 73% to just 16% during the initial lockdown although data now shows that there has been an increase of 48% of traffic on the same time last week.

The restrictions on travel have not yet been amended. The increase may be due to people starting to return to essential work – it should not be for leisure purposes - people must maintain patience and avoid going out for a day to the seaside! And avoid driving their cars for pleasure and racing! With quieter roads, the police are seeing more cars driving over the speed limit.

Public transport should be avoided unless it is the only means to get to essential employment.

General health and wellbeing

Daily exercise This can be a challenging time for people to maintain their

mobility, strength and flexibility. Working from home can make us more static as there may be less need to take a walk which may be part of a daily commute normally. You may be sitting on a chair and at a table that are not really designed for hours of work. For those of us who are isolated indoors it can become an effort to engage in exercise and activity, but it is essential if we are to maintain our physical wellbeing. A reminder that households received a leaflet produced by Active in Redbourn recently and this gives some great exercises that can be done indoors at home. They are suitable for all ages. www.activeinredbourn.co.uk/ Or why not join Joe Wicks daily? https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ

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A reminder that we are still only allowed one outdoor exercise per day with the exception of special needs children and their families who are allowed to go out 3 times per day.

Active in Redbourn have set up a series of well-being workshops including supple strength, yoga, singing techniques, breathing and mindfulness, pilates and running preparation.

For more details go to Facebook.com/activeinredbourn or visit www.activeinredbourn.co.uk/coronavirus

Lots of classes are being held on-line by individual organisations. Yoga and mindfulness support both physical and mental wellbeing. They enable you to be more aware of the moment and less anxious about what is happening in the world. Don’t forget about the classes we are holding in Redbourn.

Redbourn Physiotherapy – on-line zoom sessions of pilates, tai chi, yoga, physiotherapy – to book call 01582-794441 email [email protected] The Redbourn Recreation Centre has on-line classes. There is a charge of £9.99 to access them – this enables access to a lot of possible classes https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/redbourn-leisure-centre/

Walking pets Walking your pets enables you to combine exercise, with getting outdoors and being in contact with nature. Can I walk my dog if I’m self-isolating? Is it safe for someone else to walk my dog for me?

You shouldn’t leave your house while self-isolating, so this would include taking your dog for a walk. If you have a private garden, then you can take your dog there to go the toilet and to play games. However, a daily walk is really important for dogs’ physical and mental health, so if possible, ask a friend or family member to take your dog out for you.

You could also see if a professional dog walker can help you with this but let anyone coming to collect your dog know in advance that you are self-isolating so they can take the proper precautions. Do not allow someone to walk your dog who you do not trust or do not know. There could be a risk of your dog being stolen. Check they are reliable before letting them take your dog. https://professionaldogwalkersassociation.co.uk/

Dog walkers won’t be able to come into your house, they’ll need to use their own lead, and should wipe the dog over with a clean damp cloth or disposable wipe before they touch them. Keep the handover as brief as possible and make sure you both wash your hands before and after handling

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the dog. It’s important to maintain a minimum two metre distance at all times. https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/coronavirus https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-people-with-animals

Ideas and events for things you can get involved in Walks Government guidelines are very clear in setting out provisions for maintaining social distance and

getting daily exercise time. It is very evident individuals and families are making extensive efforts to

find time to walk and enjoy Redbourn.

Walks in the Redbourn area

If you want to plan your own walk, the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 182 “St Albans & Hatfield”

covers Redbourn, or you can use a footpath app on your phone. A number of local organisations have

developed circular walks in Redbourn using local footpaths which can be downloaded from websites.

Here are some walks to try out:

Active in Redbourn

Ver Valley Society

Short heritage walks

There is a wonderful range of walks available and centred on Redbourn suitable for adults and children. Active in Redbourn (AIR) www.activeinredbourn.co.uk AIR has established the “Redbourn Mile” as a popular short walk, jog and stroll. This is just less than a mile and can be started from the cricket pavilion or any point on the route. For the more experienced walker AIR has two walks. Both start and finish at the cricket pavilion.

Redbourn to Rothamstead (Nickey Line and Porridge Pot)

Redbourn to Flamstead (across the fields)

The Ver Valley Society

The Ver Valley Society developed a series of walks along the Ver Valley. All these

walks are on the Ver Valley Society website http://www.riverver.co.uk/walks/

There are 3 downloadable Redbourn -based walks, each leaflet has a map and

directions – The Winterbourne Walk, Redbournbury and Views of the Ver Valley

Short heritage walks in Redbourn

The Redbourn village website has 6 heritage walks in ideal for families and children. We are indebted

to the generosity of Joyce and Richard Clayton for these. Each walk has a map and different guides for

adults and children explaining the history of the village and the buildings you will see on the walk.

They are accessible on your smart phone. If you click on the map, it brings up old photos of the

different buildings with historical information and questions to answer.

https://www.redbournvillage.org.uk/heritage-walks-click-on-the-maps-to-find-the-walking-guides/

The Friends of the Nickey Line http://www.nickeyline.org/walks/ developed 6 walks which are all

available to download from their website.

Walk 1 - A short 2.8mile walk near Harpenden exploring Rothamsted estate

Walk 2 - Porridge Pot & Harpendenbury Farm 1.7 miles

Walk 3 - 2 mile (3 km) walk around Redbourn

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Walk 4 - Redbournbury Mill Short Circuit under 3 miles

Walk 5 - Beaumont Hall and Dane End Farm

Walk 6 - Highfield Hemel Hempstead

Gardening

Gardening can be good therapy to support both physical and mental health. Why not consider getting an allotment? https://www.redbourn-allotments.co.uk/ Enter the Able Community Care (a provider of Live-in Care Services for older people and for people who have a disability) competition to grow sunflowers. To enter the competition, email [email protected] and you will be sent you your seed pack and further details.

Enter the Redbourn in Bloom Virtual Competitions for Families, Residents and Local Businesses. Birds and Bees Under 16yr olds competition? Make a bird or a bee from recycled materials – please keep sculpture for an exhibition later in the year (hopefully!).

Best Hanging Basket – for residents and local businesses Best Innovative Planted Container – for residents – from Wellies to water-butt, to bath to bucket – wacky ideas welcome! Best Area of Sustainable Planting for residents. Drought or Japanese garden, shrubs and trees, perennials. Send your photos by 1st July and send to [email protected]

by 1st July with family or business name and contact details. Prizes will be awarded. We will select the best three from each category to send to Anglia in Bloom for the Regional Competition. Please include your family or business name and contact details, (which will not be published). Have fun and Good luck! Goldings nursery – Geraniums, Fuchsias, Basket Plants and Summer Bedding – open every day 10am to 4pm Waterend Lane, Redbourn 07778 190636 – will deliver.

Hertfordshire Garden Centre https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/

The Garden Centre and Rose Garden Tea Rooms are CLOSED until further notice. They are offering a local DELIVERY SERVICE* to anyone wishing to garden during isolation. If you would like to place an order call 01582 792255.

For extra fun on your daily walks

We're Going on a Bear Hunt............how many bears can you find in the windows of

houses in Redbourn? During the month of May, there will be a bear hunt for the

children. Please put bear(s) in your window so children passing by can count the

number of bears they find on their walk............

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Photo challenge

Can you identify these local places around the village? Just a bit of fun for you to have a go at. Courtesy of Pat Scofield and Tim Kirby for use of some of their lovely photographs. Answers in next newsletter.

1. 2.

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4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 10.