Forum Focus The free monthly news magazine for the Blandford area
April 2020 Issue No. 97 Est: 2012
Besieged by coronavirus THE massive impact of the coronavirus pandemic has left Blandford reeling and transformed everyday life in this area and throughout the world. Commercial and social life has ground to a virtual standstill, with long-planned events postponed or cancelled and businesses struggling amid economic turmoil and worrying predictions of what may lie ahead. The sense of foreboding as the progress of the virus began to dominate the news agenda world-wide soared to new heights when the World Health Organisation officially declared it a global pandemic on March 11. By mid-March, as Forum Focus went to press, there had been no confirmed cases in the immediate area and only one in Dorset, but people were anxious to try to minimise the spread of the disease. In local shops, as elsewhere, there was a rush of sales of hand sanitiser and evidence of panic buying of toilet rolls, pasta, eggs, mes. of the ti paracetamol and Sign other items, and supermarkets faced early morning queues for new deliveries. Limits were imposed on the number of purchases per customer and there was an extremely high demand for home deliveries. Pharmacies also experienced exceptional demand, often for items which they could not sup-
FORUM FOCUS
ply, and people were urged to use them only to collect prescriptions and medication for those unable to collect themselves. The stricter restrictions advised for the over-70s and vulnerable resulted in some supermarkets announcing earlier opening times for elderly people, and other local shops, some of which experienced a noticeable reduction in footfall, offered home deliveries. There were countless offers of help on social media to those self-isolating by people prepared to go shopping, post mail, walk the dog or just give them a friendly phone call. The outbreak also impacted on many local charities and groups with elderly volunteers and members whose services, meetings and shops were restricted, cancelled or closed. Holiday and business plans for many were called off. Flights were halted to and from many countries and there have been fears for relatives who might be trapped abroad. Blandford Town Museum is closed until at least May 1.
Director Dr Sylvia Hixson Andrews said: "We want our volunteer staff to remain as healthy as possible and we are concerned about the pressure that will be put on the NHS if we continue 'business as usual'. We need to be practising social distancing as much as we can." The Tourist Information Centre also closed from March 15. Blandford library was due to be closed anyway from March 9 to 28 for internal refurbishment and there was doubt when it might reopen. Debate continued nationally on
whether or not schools should close, and while many professional sports fixtures were cancelled, grass roots sport largely continued. Dorset Youth Football said they would continue to follow Dorset FA guidelines, adding that a major factor in maintaining their approach was that a significant majority of players were still attending school before and after their games. All public worship was cancelled until further notice, Blandford Lions cancelled their Craft Fair, Salsa Amigos their charity dance and Blandford Rotary their 'Know Your BP Day' planned for April. • To Page 2
This dramatic image of the recently rebuilt causeway and flood arches near Durweston bridge graphically illustrates the severity of the floods that struck the area in late February and March. The picture was taken by Forum Focus columnist and farmer George Hosford, using a drone camera. Turn to Page 15 for reports and more pictures of the storms and to Page 22 for George’s regular monthly ‘View from the Hill’ column.
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