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Scout Movement: 1st Billingshurst Scouts in lockdown
1st Billingshurst Scout Group remains active during COVID-19 lockdown
March 2020 saw the Country in lockdown due to COVID-19. For our young people this meant no school, no contact with friends and extended family, limited time outside… a very isolating and testing time. Our young people also felt scared and unsure of what was going on in the world. The whole country had ground to a halt, but this did not stop the 1st Billingshurst Scout Group!
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During this period, Scouts went online. We used Zoom to meet each week. We were able to do lots of fun things over Zoom: quizzes, games, scavenger hunts, cooking, Nerf gun games in the garden, compass coding, making paper aeroplanes; the list was endless! We also had some special sessions such as Pet Care with the Blue Cross, an online drumming session and even a virtual magic show at the end of term. We never expected to be running our sessions in this way, but all our Leaders stepped up to the challenge and became dedicated to providing members with enjoyment and stimulation when everyone needed it most. The sessions were a lifeline for many members, chatting with their friends, taking part in activities, trying different things and most of all, getting back to something fun, enjoyable and ‘normal’ for that hour every week. We helped to bring the groups together and reassure them during this worrying time.
In addition to the Zoom meetings, all members were able to complete Badges at Home. Our members became involved with cooking, housework, cycling, walking, arts and crafts, sewing etc. It also benefited parents, giving them a chance to get their children outside and having fun with a purpose. Lots of parents struggled with home
schooling but when it comes to badges, we saw that many children were happy to do different activities (often educational, without them even knowing it!) in order to be rewarded with a badge. Parents could even get their children making tea and doing ironing in return for a badge – a win-win situation!
The continuity of the weekly Scouts, Cubs and Beavers virtual sessions was invaluable for a vast amount of our members. During the VE Day celebrations we organised a virtual camp. Lots of children took part in enjoying a night under the stars with lots of different activities: cooking, hiking, sports, etc all taking part throughout the day and with regular Zoom calls you really felt like you were taking part in something special; something fun and rewarding, a far cry from the boredom and isolation of being at home on your own.
In the last few weeks the guidance has changed, and we are now able to meet face-to-face. This has been great for all our groups but the highlight of the coronavirus lockdown for a lot of our young people will have been the weekly Beavers, Cubs and Scout sessions. Coronavirus may have stopped a lot of things from taking place, but it didn’t stop 1st Billingshurst Scout Group!
Well done to all our Leaders and members for taking part in these sessions during this challenging time. For full details of our weekly sessions and how you can get involved in this fantastic group, please have a look online at 1stbillingshurst.org.uk. Monica Frisby, Leader, 1st Billingshurst Scout Group Top: A Scout meeting – lockdown style
K.J. Lammas K.J. Lammas Plumbing & Heating Ltd
GAS SAFE REGISTERED INSTALLER 178154 Plumbing • Heating • Bathrooms • LPG & Natural Gas
Billingshurst and surrounding areas covered Tel: 01403 783781 Email: kjlammas@btinternet.com
Billingshurst Parish Council
Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre Roman Way, Billingshurst, RH14 9QW
2020 will be the 15th year of the Parish Council’s best dressed shop window competition. Judging will take place during the week commencing Monday 14th December and the winner will be notified as soon as possible afterwards. A certificate will be given for display in your shop and the commemorative shield engraved with the winner’s name and year. All shops and businesses have an equal chance of winning the competition and there is no need for you to formally enter –our judge(s) will consider every High Street and Jengers Mead window which has a Christmas display. Goodbye & Thank You The Council says goodbye and thank you to Sue Rogers for the service offered to the community since she joined the Council last year. Cold Alert This is a free service for residents of Sussex providing cold weather alerts to vulnerable individuals. It is open over the winter from November 2020 through to March 2021. To find out more or to register your interest, please telephone (01273) 484337, drop an email to information@coldalert.info or visit the website www.coldalert.info Vehicle nuisance incolving cars, bikes and mopeds Antisocial use of a vehicle, such as street racing, street cruising or off-road use is more than a matter of noise pollution –though this can be the most noticeable problem. You can find out more about the different kinds of vehicle nuisance, their long-term effect on a neighbourhood and what you can do about it on the Sussex Police website. See link below:www.sussex.police.uk/advice/advice-andinformation/asb/asb/antisocial-behaviour/ vehicle-nuisance-involving-cars-bikes-andmopeds School Admissions for September 2021 Was your child born between 1st September 2016 and 31st August 2017? The School Admission Application process is now open and applications will need to be submitted by 15th January 2021 at the latest. For more information call 03330 142903 or to apply online visit www. westsussex.gov.uk/admissions. Winter Resilience Plan The Parish Council has a Winter Resilience Plan in place which links volunteers with those who need help during severe weather conditions. Please consider joining our volunteer list if you are able, and join the ‘help required’ list if you might need a helping
www.billingshurst.gov.uk Email: council@billingshurst.gov.uk 01403 782555 / twitter@BillingshurstPC
hand. Contact our office on (01403) 782555 and speak to Sarah for more information. Our volunteers are able to offer help with snow clearing, shopping, prescription collections and similar. The Parish Council and its volunteers are keen to offer help to those who may need it but are not an emergency service and are limited in what they can do.
Please look after yourselves and help vulnerable or elderly neighbours. It is worth considering keeping a good stock of candles/ matches and spare torch batteries in case of power cuts and some non-perishable food stocks if you might be unable to leave your home in adverse weather.
Large bags of salt/grit will be delivered to various locations throughout the Parish in the event of heavy snowfall. This is for use on the public highways and is NOT for private paths and driveways; the decision on when these bags of salt/grit can be distributed rests with West Sussex County Council.
Highway Trees Update Readers may remember that in previous Village Tweet publications, the Parish Council asked residents for suggestions for new locations for highway trees. We had an excellent response and West Sussex County Council has confirmed that 27 new trees will be planted in the winter season of 2020/2021. Check out the NEWSFEED section of the Parish Council website to see the map and list of tree types. Lloyds Bank Mobile Banking Lloyds Bank has resumed its mobile banking service fortnightly in the Billingshurst Centre car park on Wednesdays between 10:15 am - 12:00 pm. At the time of writing, visits will be starting from Wednesday 7th October and fortnightly thereafter. For further details please contact Lloyds Bank directly on 0345 6016943. Billingshurst Watercourses Do you know your rights and responsibilities as a riparian land owner for watercourses, ditches, streams, rivers or culverts alongside or within your property boundary?
Keeping your watercourse well maintained benefits the community as a whole. Watercourses such as ditches and culverts are designed to drain surface water away, before the water levels increase to an extent that puts property, roads, land and infrastructure at risk of flooding. The cost of maintaining a watercourse is minor compared to the costs that can arise from flood damage, not to mention the distress and inconvenience caused if your property is flooded. If a watercourse is carefully maintained, it can create an excellent habitat for wildlife. Check the website for the Environment Agency for more advice. The basic principles of keeping your watercourse running clear are very simple: • Keep growth of vegetation such as trees, weeds, reeds and grass under control. • Keep watercourses free of debris, e.g. litter, grass cuttings, fallen branches and trees • Remove excess silt Neighbourhood Warden Drop-In Sessions Neighbourhood Warden Barry has recommenced the weekly Warden Drop-In sessions between 12 – 2pm at the Billingshurst Centre each Tuesday. If you have any concerns or would like to chat with Barry, either pop along to one of the sessions or give him a call on 07795 051516. Billingshurst & District Lions Club You can keep up to date with the Lions Club by following their website www.eclubhouse.org/sites/billingshurst. The Lions Bookshop is open in Jengers Mead and residents are being encouraged to collect any surplus change to help the Club with their fundraising.
