Internet and Crossword

Emergency phone tips

INa previous article, we looked at using What3Words to help find you if you’ve had an accident in a remote place. It’s really helpful if you can’t explain where you are or don’t know the exact place. “This is Mendip Times” address:https://what3words.com/skate.released.watching

But there are other things you can do.

Emergency SOS

You can make an emergency call from a Samsung or an iPhone – tap the power button 3 times for Samsung or 5 times for iPhone and it will activate an emergency call.

Voice activation

Most smartphones will have voice activation – just say – Hey Siri on an iPhone or – OK Google on Android and then say –dial 999.

Contact 999 by text

You can also text 999 if you are unable to speak. However, you do need to register in advance – text the word Register to 999 then follow the instructions.

Then you just type 999 in the text number, then a brief description of your problem. The emergency service will then reply or tell you that help is on the way. If you don’t get a reply within three minutes, try something else.

But all of these rely on your phone working and being charged. But if you know your phone is about to run out of battery, there is one thing you can do. Change your voicemail message to include where you are – even if it’s only a rough idea, it’s better than nothing.

So when your phone dies and someone tries to ring you, they will get a message to help to find you. Don’t forget to change it back afterwards though!

If you have an iPhone 8 or later, you can press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until the Emergency SOS slider appears, then drag the Emergency SOS slider to call 911.

If you continue to hold down the side button and volume button, instead of dragging the slider, a countdown begins, and an alert will sound. If you hold down the buttons until the countdown ends, your iPhone automatically calls emergency services.

Submitted for I.T. for the Terrified by Lynne Duckett. Although we have stopped our one-to-one tuition, we will continue with this column to keep the name alive. This article is for guidance only, and the opinion of the writer. I.T. for the Terrified: it4ttcvh@gmail.com

The Mendip Mindbender

ACROSS

1 Units of currency in Saudi

Arabia (6) 5 Separate article or proviso in a contract (6) 10 Part of a deceased holy person kept as an object of reverence (5) 11 American illicitly distilled spirit (9) 12 In this village in 878 a peace treaty was signed by Alfred the Great and Guthrum the

Dane (7) 13 Long sleeved woollen garment (7) 14 Recurring theme in a musical composition (9) 17 Small radio device that notifies the owner someone is trying to contact them (5) 18 Wide open space like

Salisbury’s (5) 19 Sprite does not start to cover value of being fit to fly (9) 21 Place or means of access (7) 23 The isolated tower on top of

Glastonbury Tor is the remains of a church. To which saint was it dedicated? (7) 25 Reference book particularly register or catalogue (9) 26 An Inuit’s house (5) 27 Ski in a winding path avoiding obstacles (6) 28 Chooses without a start but still chooses (6)

DOWN

2 Stood around doing nothing (5) 3 The final runner in a relay race (9) 4 River of Northern France. Its upper basin was the scene of heavy fighting in the first world war (5) 5 Change political affiliation in the House of Commons (9) 6 Passageway in church or supermarket (5) 7 Description of clothing that hugs the body (9) 8 Gardening hand tool (6) 9 Person inside clothes (6) 15 Marking the beginning of an activity or maybe someone taking office (9) 16 Change completely, metamorphose (9) 17 Forbid, especially by law (9) 18 Somerset’s highest village above sea level (6) 20 A primary colour (6) 22 Where in windows one would find spreadsheets (5) 23 Not for certain! (5) 24 That hard bit on the end of a shoelace (5)

Clues in italics are cryptic

Million Metres challenge for mental health

A LARGEgroup of former school friends from Cheddar have united to raise funds for mental health charities. Their Million Metre challenge also remembers three young local women who took their own lives.

It’s been organised by local man Guy Locke, with each runner contributing 100km or more of running to raise as much money as they can for local mental health charity The Space and national charity Mind.

Guy said: “Our Cheddar-based group sustains a strong connection to the local area and to each other. We have come up through the local school system together, and then spread across the country, but our sense of community always remains.

“This solidarity is never stronger than when a loved one is lost. Sadly, we have recently suffered another devastating loss to the seemingly invisible struggles of mental health.

“The aim is to honour our friends and families, whilst raising awareness and vital funds for the organisations on the front line of this issue. The money will help provide essential care and support to those that need it most.

“And help educate all of us on our mental health and the things we can do for our family, friends, colleagues and ourselves.”

A 19-year-old woman from Cheddar died on January 4th. The challenge also remembers Ali Locke, Guy’s mother, who died in 2013, and Sofia Legg, who died in 2016, aged 14.

It was shortly after Guy’s 15th birthday that his mother died. She was involved with the tennis club and local choirs and was a talented musician.

Guy said: “I was living with Mum at the time and looking back she had obviously been struggling with her mental health. However, as a 15-year-old lad I didn’t really know what was happening and it was a complete shock for me when she passed.

“This is why we are doing the fundraiser, so that everyone can better educate themselves about the signs of mental illness and know how to spot it and what to do to help someone who's struggling.”

Doreen Smith, Operations Director, for The Space said: “The idea for the fundraiser was sparked from the recent devastating loss. Sadly, Somerset has one of the highest records for young suicides in the country, so services such as The Space where we provide free counselling services to children and young people are badly needed.

“This fundraiser will provide a great opportunity to raise awareness of our services and hopefully will encourage children, young people and their families to get in touch.”

As Mendip Times went to press the challenge had raised £12,222.

A young Guy with his mum Ali Runners at Axbridge Reservoir

Sofia