March 21st 2020

Hello Everybody

As the Parish Council was advised to cancel the March meeting, we have decided to use the PC Newsletter to provide information on the Support Group that has been set up. You will have already received an information leaflet on how to make contact if you want to receive or provide help. Several potential helpers have indicated their interest on Facebook and they are being followed up to provide contact details.  These will be kept on a spreadsheet until the crisis is over, when it will be deleted. Thank you to the volunteers who have already delivered these leaflets and given offers of help.

It is essential the everyone keeps their distance – 2metres – but conversations over the garden fence will keep up morale – I can see keen competition for the best kept gardens at the Show, as everyone will have more time and less excuse for gardening! Hopefully we have a good hot summer to kill off the virus and encourage the growing of beautiful flowers, fruit and vegetables.

Melsonby is a very caring community and it is great to see this coming to the fore. Please remember that even if you are young and healthy and may only get a mild dose, the older and less healthy members of our community are at a greater risk.  It looks like it will be a long haul before the crisis is over and hopefully new friendships – even at arms’ length and over the phone will come out of this.

Keep smiling and keep well!

Judith Stansfield     Chair Melsonby Parish Council

MELSONBY SUPPORT GROUP STRATEGIES

1. The information leaflet. This has been provided courtesy Johnson Land with a contact number and an answerphone facility and has been circulated throughout the village.  It’s aim is to provide a contact point where anyone needing help or able to provide assistance can be connected.  Please do use it to indicate whether you need help now, or may do at some point, even if it is only to flag up a need for a chatty phonecall.
2. Janet Brown is the Co-ordinator (718028). She is using a compiled list of volunteers to match up with people who need help and will be giving them a card with their contact details and how they can help with shopping / collection of prescriptions / dog walking / a friendly phone call / posting mail / mental health support. Janet will give the client and volunteer a code word so that the client knows that is the right volunteer and won’t be afraid of scammers.
3. Shopping. Some people already use online shopping for food from the main supermarkets and this has become so popular now that there can be a long delay between ordering and delivery.  If you already do this, it would help if you could combine an order with neighbours, especially if they are in the vulnerable group and do not currently use the internet – give them an old-fashioned phone call? Local businesses are rising to the current situation and providing delivery of food orders and cooked meals. This is a useful service that helps them and the customers and it is an important way of supporting them through a difficult time.

ü  Acorn Dairies (466999 or organic@acorndairy.com) deliver to your door milk, yogurt, butter, bread, kefir, eggs

ü  Barton Stores (377201) food, newspapers, cigarettes and alcohol as part of food order. Pay by phone or cash on delivery.

ü  Granny’s Kitchen (01748 850200) ready meals bread, eggs, quiche, pies, cakes

ü  Mainsgill Farm Shop (718860 info@mainsgillfarm.co ) Food, fruit, veg, alcohol, readymeals. Free delivery for orders over £30

ü  Meynells (01748 825 532) Pet food, plants

ü  Neeps and Tatties (01748 825391) fruit and veg

ü  Ringtons https://www.ringtons.co.uk/doorstep-delivery  tea/coffee/ biscuits

ü  Stuart Hamilton (01748 822205) meat and meat products

ü  Ravensworth Nurseries (718370) plants, seeds, flowers etc

ü  White Swan Gilling West with Age Concern (01748 825122) ready meals

4. Payment can be made by internet banking, by phone, or cash or cheque in an envelope on delivery. If you do not have access to any of these facilities, ring the Co-ordinator to discuss alternative arrangements.
5. Prescriptions: If you need repeat prescriptions contact the surgery by phone (374332) or internet (https://www.doctorslanesurgery.nhs.uk/), indicating that you would like it picked up. Mrs E Reah, the Practice Manager has set up a ‘Judith Box’.   The surgery will ring me each day to say if there are any to be picked up. I’ll deliver to your door, knock and move back but wait until you pick the bag up.  Most repeat prescriptions are free, but if you have to pay, you will need to talk to the surgery to arrange an alternative pickup.  There are no dangerous drugs in repeat prescriptions and your name and address are on the sealed bag, so your privacy is preserved.
6. Dog walking. If you become ill and cannot walk your dog, there are volunteers who can help. It is a permissable activity, even with a friend, if you keep your distance and if you don’t have your own dog, could be a new, enjoyable experience?
7. Scam Awareness

Sadly there are unscrupulous villains taking advantage of the situation who may ring, email or knock on your door.  Remember that HMRC(tax) /  DVLA(cars)/ Microsoft/ Amazon Prime/ BT /Google/ various Banks etc will NOT ask you for banking details, so just ignore them.

8. Keeping in contact. It is very important to prevent yourself becoming lonely and depressed.

• If you are on social media, interact or lurk on the Melsonby Facebook pages: Melsonby / Melsonby Memories and More / Melsonby Bullets/ Melsonby WI/ Melsonby Sports Day
• Look on Melsonby website for updates http://www.melsonbypc.com
• Phone a friend or relative
• Use Facetime or Skype to see and talk to friends and relatives
• Church is closed but you can phone the Rector, Camilla 374634 or the church wardens Ian Black 718188 or Ruth Abbey 718794 if you need to chat
• For latest Coronavirus information https://www.doctorslanesurgery.nhs.uk/coronavirus/
• NYCC Support: 01609 780780 http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-community-support

Do remember that not all items on social media are true – rumour, scams and scaremongering are circulated accidentally or on purpose, so take some things you see with a large pinch of salt, but there are a lot of heart-warming stories of how people are helping each other – Keep Calm and Soldier on and we’ll get there in the end!

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