Eden Local July 2020

ISSN 2516-1431

Your Independent Community Magazine Penrith and areas of the Eden Valley

Eden 107

THE

Don’t You Just Love Bees Adapting to a Changed World Chocolate Treasure Island Daffodil Walk Penrith Town Council Annual Report 2019 - 20

GOOD

ESTATE AGENT PENRITH

Eden107.5

01768 631488 07533 291439

MAKING MOVING BETTER - see back page 1 Cumbrian Local Publications • Issue No. 159

The team look forward to welcoming you back

Open: Wednesday - Sunday The Old Station, Plumpton, Nr Penrith CA11 9PA 01768 894528 35 Wildman St, Kendal LA9 6EN 01539 729174 www.cumbriaoak.co.uk 2

Contents Contents & Introduction

Pages 3 - 6

Release Cash From Your Home Now

Page

Don’t You Just Love Bees

7

Pages 9 – 10

Summer Word search by Charlotte Quinn

Page

10

Bouncing Back From Lockdown by Lee Quinn

Page

11

Penrith Town Council 2019-20

From page 11

Just Greek, Takeaway and delivery

Pages 15 - 18

Adapting to a Changed World by Quinn HR

Pages 21 - 22

A Chocolate Treasure Island Pamela’s Quiz-word Challenge

Page

Just Making a Point I’m Not a Councillor! by Lee Quinn

Pages 25, 28 – 30

Daffodill Walk by David Ryland

Pages 26 - 27

MP Promotions Celebrates 20 years

Page

The Good Estate Agent

Back Cover

23

31

As a community publication, we were about to print the April Eden Local with four pages of the Penrith Town Council’s Annual report, which highlighted the previous years and the forthcoming plans.

On that note, we have the revised report from Penrith Town Council to share with you now, which includes:

• Messages from Penrith Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor • Focus on 2019 - 20 • Celebrating Heritage Communities and Local Culture • Planning and the draft Penrith Neighbourhood Development Plan • Improving Local Services • Penrith Town Council, Who Believe in making a Difference by Choosing a Carbon Neutral Future • The 2020 Penrith Climate Action Strategy • WW2 Social Memories Project Front Cover – Buddleia – Butterfly Bush by Lee Quinn Follow us on Facebook for additional stories and

Follow us on Twitter for regular

give us a LIKE

updates

Eden FM Notice: Eden Local prints various articles, features, and advertisements. Although these appear in Eden FM, any opinions expressed are the opinion of the author, these are not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. ©Copyright Eden Local 2020. The contents of this publication are

written specifically for our readers, no part may be reproduced elsewhere without express and prior permission.

3

Welcome to the July issue of Eden Local Unfortunately, Nan hadn’t been able to hear anyone on the phone pre COVID-19 and can’t hear very well face to face; even worse from behind a mask. Those who know what it is like to have a one way conversation with someone who can talk to you and needs to talk to you, but they can’t hear a word or sense even a vibration from you, will know what I mean, but some can only imagine. Speaking louder, well? Even those of you that share my experience will know we still try.

Our throats hurt through trying. I’m sure that the people two doors down to the left and right of our house, those across the road and behind our house and obviously Pam the other side of our lounge wall will be thinking ‘Nans on the phone’!

It was 9 o’clock on a Saturday morning quite recently. Our home ‘family’ phone had just rung and I’d missed it, but as only half a dozen family members have this number and probably thousands of people have our business line at home and mobile numbers, with the exception of ourselves, at 9am on a Saturday morning it could only be one person. Out of five key family members at home that would generally be wide awake at that time, I would be one and the dog would be the other, but I’ll come back to sleep changes during COVID-19 in a moment!

I spoke to Nan, and pre COVID-19, I was writing things in a book for her, but when I left her a note on her sofa in her flat on 21st March, I knew Nan would be in for a quiet and frustrating time. My usual routine of getting her hair cut, booking appointments to sustain some quality in her life was the norm. It had been her new norm after granddad died nine years ago. Since moving to Penrith in time for her 90th birthday, the regular popping in every week which used to be taking her shopping, then became doing the shopping for her every week. I’ll disagree with anyone that says the older generation can’t change. Yes, Nan has routines and these last few months have been so difficult, however, Nan never ceases to amaze everyone with what she is able to do.

So based on the time, we could nail it down to just one person. It would have to be Nan, which meant that within 10 minutes it would ring again, then again and again - even if we weren’t in the house. Now you might be thinking why don’t you just call her back? Good question, but taking a guess at this statistic, Nan is one of many people that was due for new hearing aids pre COVID-19, and on this day, her special day of being 96 years old, as Nan received cards, gifts, flowers and her mind not being as it once was, she didn’t know she had forgotten it was her birthday.

4

We will beat any genuine like for like quote

Of course our routine of popping in and doing a shopping list and then checking all the dates in the fridge, then popping back with the shopping, putting it away and having a chat just all switched off after 21st March. By doing the shopping I was able to at least have an idea of how much Nan was eating, though fortunately she does have a regular hot lunch time meal, and its one of three meals a day. I did what I could to explain that day before I left what was coming and I gave her such a huge hug whilst I also knew maybe within minutes she would have forgotten. My faith in getting Nan through this situation was in the hands of Lonsdale Court now and the staff of Housing 21. As I shut the door of Nan’s flat, the PPE boxes were already outside all the doors to everyone’s flat, they were ready for lockdown, so it was a wave from the window and that was all I could do as I got into my car.

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So, about that birthday, well there was that phone call. Nan simply wanted me to get a thank you card for the staff at Lonsdale Court. Now, they had told I would be seeing her that day, but when she called and left the message, she didn’t know. So, we did a socially distanced birthday, no hugs or kisses, but it was very special. The only worry Nan has at the moment is the need for a haircut, which unfortunately at present is not possible under the current guidelines. Meanwhile, the feedback from the staff at Londsdale Court was that Nan had enjoyed telling them she had a great 70th birthday!

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It was on my mind so I just had to write it down.

In fact in my office at home I have book which I generally write in every day. It goes everywhere I generally go. In fact I have a number of rows of books and diaries covering my work and experiences for about the last 30 years, any gaps usually filled with photos.

Many magazines across the Country have stopped.

Across the UK, newspapers have also been hit, many forced to reduce their print by up to half when all advertising stopped. Something I suppose we can boost as a free magazine is we still say we have the highest readership based on the fact that we rely on doors and not sales. You’ll notice in the centre of the magazine we have a menu. It’s something we don’t always do, but from a business point of view, for a business to print 10,000 menus, then deliver them through doors, this was achieved as an integrated insert for more than half the cost it would have been to do as a single item.

Welcome to your first Eden Local since March. Whilst we did have some duties in delivering information through doors with a special edition publication called ‘Hope’, it was possibly one of the hardest Cumbrian Local Publications to co-ordinate. This Eden Local can only be produced due to the support of its advertisers. The ‘Hope’ publication was only 16 pages and it was only possible to produce through donations from some key sponsors who were Penrith Town Council, Butterworth’s Solicitors and Eden District Council. Initially the plan was to get this printed and out to people as soon as possible. Every month when we work on the Eden Local, we have to raise sufficient funds to design, print and distribute what is a free magazine.

In 2019 we started working a lot closer with Penrith Town Council. I have probably been in touch with them most weeks in sharing information, so some work had gone in to some key events and in the original Annual 2019-20 report, this was all going to be promoted in the April issue, so it’s a little late but it is very much up to date and also in this Eden Local. With so many people asking my advice on various matters concerning the town, I’ve also had to make a simple point that I’m not a Councillor! The help that I continue to do is in communicating information and raising awareness and sharing topics and projects with a very small budget magazine, and a Community Radio which has access to all and remained on air 24 hours a day every day through COVID-19 Lock down.

Like the ‘Hope’ publication, this magazine has been produced by Eden FM Radio, with the help of several volunteers as a not-for-profit publication.

This last month, as for many businesses, has been like starting all over again. From now through the next six months we have reduced distribution and have reduced our advertising cost. As a local Community magazine, businesses can advertise through over 10,000 doors from £29 per month.

Without doubt we will be increasing gradually as we get re-established. During COVID-19 across the UK, I have been in contact with several associates who also produce magazines, many of them like your Eden Local have changed size to A5 from the slightly larger size we used to have, to create further savings.

Next month we hope to be back to some normality. Our thanks to all those involved in this Cumbrian Local publication No 159.

I’ll be back in August Lee

'Fresh AIR for Penrith'

Phone: 01768 862394 Email: lee@cumbrianlocal.co.uk www.cumbrianlocal.co.uk

For more details or to help with this campaign go to

Cumbrian Local Publications Ltd 4 Market Square, Penrith Cumbria CA11 9AX

www.freshairforpenrith.co.uk 6

Over 55 and Own Your Own Home?

Equity Release could be for you Butterworths Solicitors, working closely with local independent financial advisers, can help you with where to start.

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Butterworths Solicitors are members of the Equity Release Council.

Release Cash From Your Home Now Contact the Equity Release Team at Butterworths on

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Don't you just love BEEs With a little more time to enjoy our gardens at the moment, why not undertake a little bee spotting? This is our a guide to some of the most common of our furry friends. Why not see how many you can spot this month? Either out on a lovely country walk or in the garden.

Banded white-tailed bumblebees When to see them: March-November (sometimes year-round in the south). Lives in old burrows and cavities. Has distinctive yellow and black bands and a white tail, the classic stripy bumblebees.

Early bumblebee When to see them: March-June. Lives in old burrows and cavities.

Small with yellow and black bands and an orange tail, the males have yellow facial hair. This is the UK’s smallest bumblebee and is common in gardens and other areas with trees and bushes. The early bumblebee is a key pollinator of summer fruits such as raspberries.

Red-tailed black bumblebees When to see them: April-November. Lives in old burrows or tussocks. Has a black body and an orange tail, male red-tailed bumblebees have a yellow ruff. Of the three species this colour, you are most likely to see the red-tailed bumblebee, but check for dark-winged red-tailed cuckoo bees which are in fact nest parasites.

Brown carder bees When to see them: March-November. Lives in tussocks. Has varying shades of brown or ginger. Rear legs bare and shiny. Common carder bees have black hairs on their abdomen. Likes tubular flowers such as foxglove and deadnettles along with legume flowers including beans.

Hairy-footed flower bee When to see them: March-June. These are aerial or ground nester (banks, walls or bare ground). The females are black with yellow legs. The males are brown with a pale face and hair plumes on their middle legs. These bumblebee-lookalikes are amongst the earliest bees to emerge in spring. They dart rapidly between flowers and blossoms, particularly favouring lungwort, deadnettles and wallflowers.

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Honeybee When to see them: March-October. Lives in beehives or cavities above ground. Its abdomen has amber bands or is completely black. Buff-haired thorax. Rear legs bare and shiny. Most honeybees in the UK live in hives managed by beekeepers. Each hive can contain over 20,000 bees. Only worker honeybees make delicious honey, using nectar gathered from flowers.

Tree bumblebee When to see them: March-July. Lives in cavities above ground. Has a ginger thorax, black abdomen and a white tail and black underside.

This distinctive bumblebee first arrived in the UK in 2001. As its name suggests it prefers to nest in trees, also using bird boxes and buildings.

Orange-tailed mining bee When to see them: March-July. Is a ground nester. Has a rusty thorax, a black abdomen with tuft of rusty hairs on the rear and yellow rear legs. The orange-tailed mining bee is common in many habitats, even in urban areas. They nest on grassy slopes and forage mainly from blossoming shrubs.

Fellside Carpets and Flooring would like to say a massive thank you to all our customers, Past and Present for their continued support throughout this unprecedented time .

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We are still able to provide our Customers with our usual excellent service, honest, knowledgeable advice and expert fitting, whilst continuing to provide social distancing and

adhering to the PPE guidelines, both in our shop and from our Estimator and Fitters when out in your homes.

If you are thinking of changing flooring in your home, then please give us a call or pop into the shop and we can show you our extensive range of quality Carpets, Vinyl and Rugs in a wide choice of styles and colours to suit all budgets.

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Summer 2020 Wordsearch C

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BOUNCING BACK FROM LOCKDOWN

by Lee Quinn Local Law Firm, Butterworths Solicitors are bouncing back from lockdown with the announcement of a major joint venture with Lakeland Estate Agents, Hackney and Leigh.

The venture brings together six Butterworths offices with eight Hackney and Leigh branches, giving unrivalled coverage for Legal and Estate Agency services throughout North, South and West Lakeland.

The joining forces will be seen immediately on the streets of Penrith and Kendal, with Hackney and Leigh opening a new branch in Butterworths Penrith office in Cornmarket, and the Law Firm reciprocating with the launching of a new office in Kendal in September.

Tony Butterworth, Managing Partner said, “this partnership heralds a new chapter for both businesses, with Butterworths servicing the Conveyancing needs of Hackney and Leigh clients, and giving Butterworths High Street shop front presence in eight more Cumbrian towns, with Hackney and Leigh being able to genuinely offer for the first time an all under one roof service encompassing property sales, purchase, lettings and management.

It has been very tough for everyone during lockdown, but the Cumbrian property scene is coming back much stronger than ever and the Chancellor’s recent huge cut to Stamp Duty has given another significant boost to the Sector.”

6 – 8 Cornmarket, Penrith • Cumbria • CA11 7DA • Tel: 01768 868989

www.butterworths-solicitors.co.uk 11

Annual Report 2019/20 FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCILLOR DOUG LAWSON Cumbria in Bloom and Britain in Bloom have rightly cancelled their competitions this year and Penrith was to be entered into both having done we well over the last few years.

Penrith Town Council strives to make a difference and we work hard to provide services and facilities for everyone and are continually improving Penrith for the benefit of all our residents, visitors and businesses. However, at the time of the publication of this newsletter the world is struggling with Covid-19, which has affected everyone. Unfortunately, this has meant that we have had to suspend all public meetings and events so the annual meeting of the Town and all our Council meetings did not take place.

We would like to thank our Penrith in Bloom volunteers and contractors who work with us throughout the year to green Penrith and make the town an attractive place to live, work and visit throughout any season.

Whilst our officers are working from home, you can still contact us and we are always happy to listen to any concerns, help with any queries and to receive new ideas. We are about to launch our new interactive dialogue platform which will mean you can send your ideas directly to the Council online and start a community conversation about your idea. On behalf of all Members and officers of Penrith Town Council, I wish you all well at this difficult time.

Sadly, we had to cancel our weekend of celebrations for VE 75. We are devastated that this has happened as so many community groups and volunteers had been working with the Council over twelve months to create a weekend of celebration and memories. Which included a procession of over 100 military vehicles and appearances from George Formby and Winston Churchill!

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FOCUS ON 19-20 Following the May 2019 elections and co-option, Penrith has an almost all new Town Council with eight of the fifteen Councillors being new or very recently new to the Council.

The new Council team has, after consultation, refreshed the Council’s Business Plan and reviewed its priorities up to 2023.

Members of the Council believe it is important to review the priorities as the local government operating environment is constantly changing and the Council itself is growing and developing all the time.

Members of the Council considered the fundamentals of why the Council exists and ultimately what the Council can achieve, and in September 2019 Council members adopted an updated, refreshed Business Plan that sets out key objectives until 2023.

The work of the Town Council is growing in importance every year. Our aim is always to provide the best service that we can, using the resources that are available to us. We want to let our community know what we have achieved over the past civic year, and share some of our plans for the coming year.

Your Mayor & Deputy Mayor The Town Mayor for the year 2019/20 has been Councillor Doug Lawson and the Deputy Town Mayor, Councillor Scott Jackson. This arrangement will continue until May 2021. Writing before the current crisis: “Penrith has the Town Council it has always deserved! An amazing staff with years of experience and a group of councillors who care passionately about our town.

It has been such a privilege over the last year, to chair meetings where hearts and minds were challenged by new ideas, important resolutions were made, and people’s lives were improved.

We have started to figure out how we can tackle the climate emergency locally, we have developed a neighbourhood plan that will protect our green spaces and help Penrith to go from strength to strength, we’ve helped plan, finance and deliver events that draw people in from all around and allow others to share our close-knit community. In everything, the Council has sought to make Penrith a great place to live, work, and play.

The elections last year marked an important point in the life of Penrith Town Council. I’m excited by the plans we’ve drawn up in the last year and look forward to being involved as our hopes and dreams become a reality.

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Cllr. Doug Lawson, Mayor and Chair of Penrith Town Council A term and a year have now passed in the life of the council, marking an excellent point to review how things are going. New councillors are thoroughly settled in and making important contributions and new projects lie on the horizon. Penrith Town Council is fast becoming a trusted and reliable authority with a strong record of excellence in its endeavours.

I am particularly proud of the work the council has done coordinating the town’s efforts in Cumbria and Britain in Bloom and the numerous honours are just reward. There’s no better feeling than seeing countless hours of community effort recognised nationally!

I’m also excited by the Youth Advisory Panel and the possibilities for ensuring younger people have a voice and a stake in this town and can have the opportunity to help shape it.

Celebrating Heritage, Communities & Local Culture It has been a busy year for the Communities’ Culture and Economic Growth Committee and we have been delighted to continue our work with community groups and organisations throughout Penrith.

We have funded Askham and Hackthorpe area First Responders, to provide Defibrillators for Penny Hill Park and Carlton Meadows, supported Cumbria Youth Alliance to provide Dreamscheme projects, contributed towards the cost of improving access to the 4 Eden building and contributed towards the replacement of the artificial playing surface at Penrith Cricket Club.

Looking to the future we are developing an Arts and Cultural strategy for Penrith which will map out future Arts and Cultural provision for the town.

The highlight of the year was working with Penrith Community Gardeners, Penrith Business Improvement District, community groups and residents in the 2019 Cumbria and Britain in Bloom competition. Penrith won numerous accolades at Cumbria in Bloom. At the Britain in Bloom award ceremony Penrith received two of the top awards: a Gold Award in the Large Town Category, and the Growing your Community Award, which described Penrith as a stand out entry for its community engagement and innovative projects.

Planning & The Draft Penrith Neighbourhood Development Plan

I’d have liked to have seen the devolution of the town’s assets from district to town control be further along. The excellent relationship the town council has created with the community at Fairhill playing field is the goal for all of the town’s public property.

Namely, that assets are managed with the closest possible partnership with residents. We have also been proud to support town centre events including Winter Droving, Tea in the Park, Penrith Arts Festival and the Christmas Lights Switch on event. Details of how we have invested funds and supported the work of our local organisations are shared at our Annual Town Meeting.

The main responsibility of the Planning Committee is to comment on planning consultations to the planning authority, Eden District Council. As Penrith Town Council is a statutory consultee they considered any applications in the parish area. From May 2019 to February 2020, the Town Council responded to 111 planning applications, 15 tree works applications, 6 traffic Regulation Orders and 2 traffic issues. We have also lobbied Cumbria County Council on behalf of residents about other traffic concerns and provided views on street naming for new developments. The committee has also considered and provided a response to consultations on the local Housing SPD, the Government’s ‘Future Homes Standards’ and the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Consultation.

That’s the theme I’ve seen developing. People ask What is Penrith? Is it still a market town? If not then what? I see it as the ‘Community Town’ and can be precisely what you make it if you get involved.

Cllr. Scott Jackson, Deputy Mayor and Vice Chair of Penrith Town Council

Continued on page 19 14

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Continued from page 14 The Neighbourhood Plan is progressing and, following comments from the public throughout all our consultations, the Town Council became a partner in the Parking and Movement Study along with the County Council and Eden District Council. The study has been jointly funded to identify options to improve parking in Penrith.

Following our last Neighbourhood Plan consultation in 2019, a number of changes were agreed and has been passed to Eden District Council who must carry out a public Regulation 16 consultation on our behalf before it goes to independent examination. If it meets basic conditions a referendum will be held and, if it meets approval, the policies will be enacted.

Improving Local Services The Finance Committee continued to have oversight of the management of assets, services and contracts. The Committee is responsible for managing the Council’s finances and is pleased that all audit reports received have been favourable. During the year, improved budgetary control processes have been introduced which provide more accurate information on a more regular basis. Controls on payments have been implemented and investments have been reviewed to minimise risk and secure better returns. The Committee has overseen a process that has set next year’s budget, which incorporates £35,000 of new developments of benefit to the local community, with a 1.7% increase in Council Tax, in line with inflation.

We are delighted that the contract for the playground and access improvements to Fairhill Play Area has been approved and we hope that the work started in July 2020 and shall be completed by the late summer 2020.

The Finance Committee also agreed that Amey will continue with the Community Caretaker Contract and Lowther Forestry to be retained for the 2020 grass cutting season at Fairhill.

Penrith Town Council, Who Believe In Making A Difference

By Choosing A Carbon Neutral Future In May 2019, the Town Council declared a climate and ecological emergency.

This requires change in every aspect of the way we live – how we build, how we travel, how we eat, how we produce food and goods, how we produce and consume energy, how much waste we create and how we manage it.

Recognition of the crises and the need for local action motivated Penrith Town Council to declare a climate emergency.

We are already urgently considering what we can do and have our own action plan in relation to things over which we have direct control.

The Council has also developed a draft Penrith Neighbourhood Development Plan (PNDP).

The polices that have defined the plan promote sustainability. The PNDP once approved would have statutory weight in law. Appended to this document is a summary of the relevant policies and actions the Town Council can take which aligns with the climate change values and priorities of the Council.

We know we can only achieve our ambition to make Penrith carbon neutral by 2030 if we work in partnership with other levels of government, local business and, crucially, the people and organisations of our community.

The 2020 Penrith Climate Action Strategy Our strategy provides an overview of the 2020 priorities that we believe would help Penrith on its journey to carbon neutrality and sets out our ambition to engage and work with the people of Penrith.

We know there are many individuals and organisations that are already taking action. We want to work with and draw on this expertise and energy in the community and bring about the kind of transformation that the crises demand.

It is not a plan for the community but a framework that we hope may assist the development of an overall community plan - one that we can all embrace and together, progress with enthusiastic 19

commitment. This framework is a first step to making a difference. It is not the final word on responding to climate change or biodiversity, but a first step in a long journey.

Penrith needs a community action plan that would help it on its journey to carbon neutrality. We hope that a Penrith Climate Action Group would be established that would co-ordinate some projects and work with many partner organisations to implement others. The combined efforts of the whole Penrith community are needed to make a difference. The more the community joins in with these efforts, the greater our chance of success.

To encourage community engagement and to demonstrate the Town Council’s commitment we would commence a series of projects and activities in 2020 -21. Penrith Town Council will provide funding and support for: • A dedicated officer • Climate Action Group • Action Planning • Budget allocation and fundraising • A high street community hub for climate change • The BIG (Business Is Green) STEP • Penrith Grow Nature Fund • Penrith Woods • World Café Community engagement • Training & awareness • Educational programmes for children and young people to learn about waste issues and how to make zero waste.

To help keep you informed we have updated our website to have a dedicated page on climate change.

The Council has joined the membership of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership includes a wide range of organisations with a key role to play in decarbonising the county.

Representatives from our Youth advisory Panel joined the 2020 Cumbria Climate Youth Summit in April which was inspiring and informative

WW2 Social Memories Project Preparations for WW2, including surveys of accommodation were made at Penrith Town Hall and Mansion House from the summer of 1938, so that billeting officers in the town could plan how to house evacuees with local families in the event war was declared. The evacuation, which began on Friday September 1st, 1939, was called ‘Operation Pied Piper’ and saw the mass departure of the Newcastle Royal Grammar School (RGS) from Newcastle to Penrith. The masters, their wives and families along with the RGS boys who attended the school were billeted with local families and in local buildings, many staying in Penrith for 4-5 years.

As a rural area, Penrith was largely unaffected by bombing or the many other horrors of war. Nevertheless, the town experienced social and cultural changes in the war years. Not only were evacuees housed locally, many buildings were used for a variety of different purposes.

In addition, Lowther Castle was requisitioned by the War Office for use as a training area for tank crews and to secretly test the ‘Canal Defence Light.’

The Town Council’s Town WW2 Community Memories project pulls together the experiences of RGS evacuees to Penrith in video interviews, and we have also recorded stories of some of those who lived in or close to the town during the War Years. Informal ‘conversations’ have been video recorded with three former RGS pupils, all now in their 90s, who arrived in Penrith as child evacuees.

Another informal interview has been video recorded with a former ‘Land Army Girl,’ who now lives close to Penrith, and two interviews have been video recorded with local people who described their various adventures as youngsters, painting a picture of what their life in Penrith was like during the war years.

Photos and historical information have also been collated and a variety of newspaper cuttings, originally gathered during the War years, have been shared by a local family.

Additional information, drawn from ‘Under the Beacon: A few Penrith and District Memories of the Years 19391945’ authored by I. G. Sim in 1945, looks at groups and organisations existing in Penrith during the War Years, such as The Red Cross, local Churches, the YMCA, the Salvation Army, the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS), the Fire Service, Citizens’ Advice Bureau, the Penrith Detachment of the Air Training Corps (ATC) (which had its beginnings on January 10th 1941), the Boy Scouts, the Girls Training Corp and the Army Cadet Force (ACF).

All these amazing memories and information is now available on our website so that the local community can celebrate the heritage of Penrith during WW2.

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21

The Arches Carpet Centre

Q

HR

Adapting to a changed world Hello everyone! It’s lovely to be back.

My children are no longer little (17 and 20), however, we have still had some of the challenges around ‘home schooling’ to contend with. That said, I believe Ullswater Community College have done a fantastic job of providing continuous teaching and learning support remotely over the last few months. At times the work set became a little overwhelming, however, the ‘virtual’ lessons throughout, followed by face to face lessons over the last few weeks have been fantastic and kept things on track for the final year of sixth form in September!

Regular readers will know that I usually write about employment matters and hope to provide useful advice to employers and employees. This month I’ve taken the opportunity to reflect on the last few months, as well as provide some advice for employers bringing staff back to work, and provide some advice for staff who are concerned about going back to work.

We are all navigating our way through these unprecedented times, and whilst the tragedy of the situation is there for everyone to see, there have been some truly wonderful, uplifting moments with people doing the most extraordinary, selfless things. We are all trying to make the best decisions we can at a time of uncertainty. Many are juggling family and work commitments. Some are rushed off their feet with work. Some continue to shield. Sadly, others are finding that work has reduced or is no longer there. It’s definitely a time to pull together and support one another as best we can to move forward.

Like many families, we have had our ups and downs, highs and lows over the last few months, particularly with not being able to meet up with certain members of the family and friends, but, the time we’ve had together as an immediate family has been very precious.

With lockdown measures being eased, it’s wonderful to be able to see people again – a socially distanced picnic with my mum and a socially distanced 96th birthday celebration with Lee’s grandmother being two of our highlights!

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Considerations for employers and employees

a way forward together. Many of us need reassurance, particularly during these uncertain times, so communication is crucial.

So, you may already be back at work, have been at work throughout, or are heading back to work soon. You may well have concerns over a number of things. These may include:

How can I help?

If you need support or advice with any employment related issues relating to Covid-19 or anything else, please just drop me a line. My contact details are detailed below and I’d be really pleased to help you.

• using public transport to get to work • getting used to new working procedures • whether the work environment will be safe

Whilst my workload is always varied, typically I offer advice and support with:

• how you’ll juggle your care responsibilities • what happens if you or a member of your family become ill

• Employee relations – disciplinaries, grievances, bullying and harassment

• that you have an underlying health condition

• Attendance issues – sickness related & other

What can you expect from your employer?

• Performance issues – appraisals, managing poor performance and capability • Staff Handbooks – policies, procedures and standards

There are real challenges for employers – financially, in terms of providing the safest working environment they possibly can, and in accommodating individual employees and their personal circumstances. No two businesses are exactly the same, and so every business needs to carry out their own risk assessments, develop new working procedures and put the necessary safety measures in place. This is likely to include training staff in new procedures.

• Employment contracts – terms and conditions of employment • Recruitment and selection – recruitment exercises and job descriptions • Pay and benefits – pay structures and job evaluation • Reorganisation and redundancy

There is a lot of good practice out there to be shared in addition to the physical things that have been put in place like Perspex screens, hand sanitiser and gloves – staggered shifts, the flexibility of working some hours from home, and in some cases, people may be continuing to work from home.

Whether you need some immediate, ad hoc advice or whether you would like to discuss ongoing support, please contact me by email at charlotte@quinnhr.co.uk or by telephone on 01768 862394.

You can also read more about me and the support I am able to provide on my website www.quinnhr.co.uk

More than ever, employers need to be understanding of their employees and try to be as flexible as they can. One to one discussions about concerns can be really helpful as they enable you to find

Stay safe and well 23

A Chocolate Treasure Island ocolate h c y n a m How ou find y n a c s r a b ry... in this sto

answers next time!

Last night I had a dream.

I snickered to myself that the pirates had been unlucky to miss out on this buried treasure.

I had flown by aeroplane to a desert island to take some timeout from my busy life.

As the waves rippled onto the shore I slowly opened the box expecting to find all gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds or even pearls...but no! It was grandmas teeth!

I dreamt that a gang of pirates had just left.

They’d been searching for some hidden bounty.

They’d left their map behind and I quickly realised that the treasure was marked betwixt two palm trees. I thought to myself ‘What a teaser! Why couldn’t the pirates find the treasure?

Maybe they’d been scared away by a lion?‘

I laughed out loud and revelled in my blessings; the pirates had gone and I was on a paradise island.

It had been a long day. The sun had set and the stars were twinkling in the jet black, magical sky.

I then realised that I had the munchies, so began to chomp on my picnic while I thought about what to do next.

As I lay back on the sand I sighed contentedly listening to the wind whisper in the palm trees.

I gazed up at the galaxy and thought the only thing that would make this day any more perfect would be chocolate and a Cafe Latte - you know the sort made the milky way...but then it all faded away as I woke up!

‘I know’ I suddenly shouted out! I’ll rollover this big stone and see if I can find something to dig with. I found a big shell and dug through the caramel coloured sand until - crunch - I hit a small round box!

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Just making a point, I am not a local Councillor!

‘During my week of collating the Eden Local, and in the past month, I have taken many phone calls, received many emails, had people knocking on my door, been asked to join groups, assist with campaigns, answer questions relating to who is responsible for the mess relating to the Penrith Town centre closure; and why people are being fined £60 almost every time that McDonalds is open, because the NFU car park opposite it has 12 cameras, and from the moment anyone drives their car on to the private land, even if it’s for 30 seconds or a minute to maybe check their ‘Happy Meal’, within a few days that’s become the most expensive ‘Happy Meal’ they’ve ever had.

I think I’ve probably knocked on more doors in Penrith than anyone has in the last 10 years, presenting my thoughts to convince people that democratic processes we are governed by should be led by people, not politics. I’m not one to knock on doors or post leaflets through doors with promises just at election times. I believe we do have some good Councillors, and as I always maintain with the marketing of Eden FM and the hundreds of local businesses I have worked with and continue to work with ‘You have to be seen and heard in the Community you serve’. This magazine in front of you is evidence of that, and it also supports the fact

that not everyone is on the internet, and not everyone is on social media. Councils have a duty to communicate to the community and some do it better than others.

The following information I hope will help. For the benefit of those who are not sure of what the role of their elected Councillors is, I’ve taken this information from the LGA Local Government Association website.

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak - councillor guidance 25

was posted on the LGA site on 24th March 2020. The Guidance focused on specific issues relevant to councillors’ involvement in their work and their responsibilities. It explained the following.

Continued on page 28

EDEN VALLEY DAFFODIL WALK It was Early in June when I was copied into an e mail sent by my parish council chairman Elaine Martin as her co- District councillor. She had been contacted by Rachel Fox, a local resident who works at the Cumberland hospital undertaking the covid19 antibody testing.

Rachel had put forward three or four ideas for a lasting memorial to those who had passed away during this unprecedented pandemic, I was keen to see if I could possibly help so replied and Met up with Belinda we discussed a few options and decided upon a daffodil walk linking the three villages of low and high Hesket and Armathwaite, the idea of something positive coming out of this madness appealed to me and we soon realised that we had something in common we both had lost family recently, Belinda her brother early in March when they were only

allowed six at the funeral and myself losing a cousin later on that month being allowed only ten to say goodbye, and so the idea was born.

meant family and friends have not been at their side to say farewell nor even give any hugs of comfort to those who remain, strange times indeed.

We want the walk to not only be a memory to those lost to the virus but also to anyone who has passed away in a hospital or a care home or even in their own home of anything as the restrictions we have faced have

The route we have chosen will be able to be accessed by all ,this was an important issue for us so we start at Low Hesket which along with High Hesket is on the major bus route between Penrith and Carlisle and threads

26

through to Armathwaite which of course has a railway station so whichever way you walk the six mile route it Is accessible to all and being on tarmac as well means a wheelchair user has complete access The route winds through the villages and lanes which have gorgeous views of the unspoilt scenery around the three villages and in itself will promote much needed wellbeing and general health, I can see schoolchildren on sponsored walks much like I did myself donkeys ago, still kept the certificates.

Once completed next year we will have an opening weekend when its blooming at its best, with naturalisation it will grow year upon year the daffodils will flower next March which coincides with the time we all went into the major lockdown I myself have over fifty years’ experience in the horticultural trade and we have chosen to plant in the lanes wild and specie narcissi these are the ones that have the nectar which will bloom at a time when nectar is scarce ,mainly dandelions at that time being the main source for the insects and the early emerging bumblebee, these to be planted in small colonies naturalistically in differing size clumps on the grass verges as they are perennial they are semipermanent and will not disturb any wild flower such as vetches that flower later on ive also contacted the county highways to see if we re able to do this planting

PEOPLE POWER We need local businesses and folk to get behind this project a facebook page “Eden valley daffodil walk” has been set up which displays the route and gives more information ,you will also find on there our just giving page where any donations to help purchase the bulbs will be greatly appreciated to do the walk justice we need around £6000 we can do it for les but the nectar laden daffodils are special and cost ten times more than the ones normally found in our gardens ,we have applied for community grants to purchase recycled material benches so people can rest ,reflect and take in the lovely views, and we have sent word out to Edens “create to connect” for directional sculptures.

We will be planting in September and early October at weekends so if you would like to register to help plant some bulbs in memory please register your e mail as interest to david.ryland@ eden.gov.uk one marvellous thing that has come out of this pandemic is the reconnection of community spirit and the covid facebook groups all over the 27

county I think this project will carry on in the vein of that spirit Please look at the advert we are going to have open gardens at the beginning of August with a raffle as well to fundraise I’m so pleased my neighbours Mike and Belinda at coombe eden have agreed to open with our garden lets hope for fine weather Belinda and I have set up a community bank account “Eden valley daffodil walk” particularly important for those not with access to the web or an e mail account, we would be delighted to receive cheque donations payable to the account name and at the same time you can register a telephone contact number to help plant if you wish, these to be sent co hazel cottage Armathwaite CA4 9PG On behalf of myself and Belinda Fox Thank you Finally a big thanks to Lee Quinn for allowing me this editorial in this fab mag we all receive through our letterboxes Eden district Councillor David Ryland Hesket in the forest

Continued from page 25

the aspirations we have for our local areas as a new form of normality is increasingly restored.

COVID-19 has subverted many of the norms we expect in responding to emergencies in the UK, with a response period that already extends well beyond anything we have seen before. But in terms of the approach to recovery, it absolutely remains the case that councils will play the leading role in this work in their areas.

‘This guidance highlights the role that individual ward councillors can play in supporting their communities through these difficult times. More than ever before, our role as civic and community leaders requires us to offer visible, responsible leadership that links community-led support with council structures to help build and sustain our overall resilience. Using social media and other means to link with the neighbourhood support groups that have developed in recent days will be an important part of this.’

We know that councillors up and down the country are already actively involved in this place shaping as well as in wider support activities. By drawing on some of these examples, and on the LGA’s councillor guidance to civil emergencies, we aim to provide further inspiration about the political, civic and community leadership roles you can play as we recover from COVID-19.’

On 7th July there was a further update on the COVID-19 outbreak: reset and recovery councillor guidance.

‘In terms of the approach to recovery, it absolutely remains the case that councils will play the leading role in this work in their areas.

And I will leave you with final thought which many of you have probably never seen. It’s a bit of a checklist really. As someone with an independent view, it was almost a year ago I was knocking on doors and delivering my election information. Just 481 people turned out to vote - 23% of the 2,036 voters. On reflection, that is 1,555 people, who for their own reasons did not

As with our earlier guidance, the focus of this document is the specific role of councillors in councils’ work leading and supporting our communities as we move through the process of ending the lockdown and look ahead to

28

feel the need to exercise their democratic right.

Hearth & Home

And finally, in case you didn’t visit the LGA website…

(Cumbria) Ltd

The Councillor’s role ‘As a democratically-elected local representative, you have a unique and privileged position – and the potential to make a real difference to people's lives.

However, being a councillor is hard work.

Every day you will be expected to balance the needs of your local area, your residents and voters, community groups, local businesses, your political party (if you belong to one) and the council. All will make legitimate demands on your time – on top of your personal commitments to family, friends and workplace.

Same stove - different settings Its funny how different a stove can look in different settings, which one is your choice?

As a councillor you will have many different roles to balance. As the local elected representative you will engage with residents and groups on a wide range of different issues and take on an important community leadership role. At the council you will contribute to the development of policies and strategies, including budget setting, and you may be involved in scrutinising council decisions or taking decisions on planning or licensing applications.

Representing your local area A councillor's primary role is to represent their ward or division and the people who live in it. Councillors provide a bridge between the community and the council. As well as being an advocate for your local residents and signposting them to the right people at the council, you will need to keep them informed about the issues that affect them.

•Grates •Frets •Ashpans •Rope •Adhesives •Glass •Paint

In order to understand and represent local views and priorities, you need to build strong relationships and encourage local people to make their views known and engage with you and the council. Good communication and engagement is central to being an effective councillor.

•Cleaner •Polish •Sealer •Hearths •Surrounds •Baskets

6 Brunswick Road, Penrith, CA11 7LU

01768 867200

As a local councillor, your residents will expect you to:

www.hearth-home.co.uk 29

and strategies, bringing the views and priorities of your local area to the debate. How you do this will depend on the committees and forums you are appointed to. However, the council's policy framework must be signed off by full council, on which every councillor sits.

Planning and regulation Councils are not just service providers, they also act as regulators. As a councillor you may be appointed to sit on the planning and regulatory committee, considering issues such as planning applications and licenses for pubs and restaurants and ensuring that businesses comply with the law. In these roles, councillors are required to act independently and are not subject to the group/ party whip. Most councils arrange special training for this.

Code of conduct and standards As a councillor you will be required to adhere to your council's agreed code of conduct for elected members. Each council adopts its own code, but it must be based on the Committee on Standards in Public Life's seven principles of public life. These were developed by the Nolan Committee, which looked at how to improve ethical standards in public life, and are often referred to as the Nolan principles.

• respond to their queries and investigate their concerns (casework) • communicate council decisions that affect them • know your patch and be aware of any problems • know and work with representatives of local organisations, interest groups and businesses • represent their views at council meetings • lead local campaigns on their behalf.

These principles apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder. This includes all those elected or appointed to public office, nationally and locally, and everyone appointed to work in the civil service, local government, the police, courts and probation services, non-departmental public bodies and in the health, education and social care sectors. All public office-holders are both servants of the public and stewards of public resources. The principles also apply to everyone in other sectors delivering public services.

Community leadership Community leadership is at the heart of modern local government. Councils work in partnership with local communities and organisations – including the public, voluntary, community and private sectors – to develop a vision for their local area, working collaboratively to improve services and quality of life for citizens. Councillors have a lead role in this process.

All standards matters are the responsibility of individual councils, which are required to promote and maintain high standards of conduct by councillors. You must register any disclosable pecuniary interests for yourself, your spouse or a partner you live with, within 28 days of taking up office. It is a criminal offence if you fail, without reasonable excuse, to declare or register interests to the monitoring officer.’

Developing council policy Councils need clear strategies and policies to enable them to achieve their vision for the area, make the best use of resources and deliver services that meet the needs of local communities. As a local councillor you will contribute to the development of these policies 30

M P PROMOTIONS celebrate their 20th birthday!

Tours, festivals and racecourse shows.

Celebrating 20 Years in Music PR on 1st August 2020, M P Promotions now branch out helping co-manage their first band project with Dave Hemingway’s new band Sunbirds releasing their debut album ‘Cool To Be Kind’ this October.

M P Promotions are a Regional Radio & Press PR agency that specialise in promoting UK

“Having spent the last 20 years doing what I love, I feel very blessed to be part of the music industry. I’ve been very fortunate over the years to have worked with some influential and incredible artists that I grew up with. When you see results like a sold out gig, there’s nothing like getting that buzz that you get from it”.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve been fortunate to work with the likes of – Howard Jones, The Undertones, Buzzcocks, Hugh Cornwell, Adam Ant, Belinda Carlisle, Jess Glynne, Rita Ora, James Blunt, Kaiser Chiefs, The South, The Human League, Soul II Soul, Busted, Slade, Rag’n’Bone Man, Razorlight, Gary Numan, Heaven 17, Paul Young, Craig David, Heather Small and Hazel

31

O’Connor to name a few.

Maria began her career in radio in 1989 and then moved to Sharp End Promotions in London in 1994 where she was part of their successful TV, Radio & Press PR team working with artists such as Sybil, 2 Unlimited, Dannii Minogue, Errol Brown, Leo Sayer, 911, Randy Crawford, The Woolpackers and Jennifer Paige.

Sunbirds release their debut album ‘Cool To Be Kind’ on 30th October, available from the following outlets sunbirds.co.uk/ store/, HMV, Amazon, Spotify and iTunes.

For further information on M P Promotions, check out www. mppromotions.co.uk For further information on Sunbirds, go to www.sunbirds.co.uk

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