Wendover . . Good Introduction from the Chairman of if another incident should occur, we have a amazing ‘Walnut WhatsApp-ers’. We are so cadre of individuals, with the appropriate grateful to the neighbour who bought our the Council Together we have come through a difficult time in recent months. Who knew that this virus could change our lives for so long? Lockdown was an unforeseen challenge with changes of behaviour and new disciplines having to be learnt quickly.
Relaxing lockdown is going to be every bit as challenging. In fact, it appears to be far from relaxing. The noises off, from government and media, are becoming less clear and this is unlikely to get any more certain as mobility increases and the economy reboots.
council support, ready to respond in whatever way we can to ease the burdens on the community.
Meanwhile, please take time to read the letter of appreciation and the thoughts of some of our Wardens reflecting on their experiences during the COVID-19 crisis. Keith Shelley, Clerk to Wendover Parish Council
Letter of Appreciation and Warden Musings
It is up to us to take the skills that we have learnt, the hand cleansing, the distancing square dance that we use on walks and the PPE that is available to keep us safe. We must all become safety officers. Not just for ourselves but for our neighbours, because if we are unfocused now, we could be heading back to square one. Some of our old skills, like driving, crossing the road or using public transport, may need a bit of refreshing after the layoff. Keeping safe takes many forms. Throughout lockdown this community has pulled together like never before. I am sure that we will continue to do our best to keep each other safe as the easing of restrictions happens. The warden scheme and the safety regimes that our retailers have put in place will continue if you, the community, need them. Councillor Tom Walsh
Wendover Good Neighbour Scheme
The scheme was established on Friday 27 March with around 50 Street Wardens volunteering their services to support the vulnerable around Wendover. Since then it has gone from strength to strength with a Street Warden allocated to most streets in Wendover supporting the residents with shopping, prescription collections or just a friendly ear. We are now all hopeful restrictions will be gradually lifted for a return to something resembling normality. Looking to the future, the Parish Council will endeavour to maintain the scheme so that 12
Wendover News July 2020
Jacky with family on VE Day
newspaper every day for 3 months, to the wardens who collected prescriptions and our Budgens essentials and to all those who added food items to their home deliveries when we couldn’t get a delivery slots. To the local Council, Churches Together, the Health Centre team, neighbours, new friends and everyone who gave their time to help us through this topsy turvey time…..thank you! We knew Wendover was a special place to live, but we had no idea that it was filled with so many wonderful people who would be prepared to give their time to look after people they had never met. Jacky & John B Volunteer Drivers In addition to being a Warden as part of the Good Neighbour Scheme on Princess Mary Gate, where demand for help was far lower than anticipated (which is no bad thing!), I also agreed to take on the role of a volunteer driver, through which I have had the pleasure of meeting up with the Sweeney’s Budgens team (below) – Al (left) and Simeon (right) – to load up the many bags of shopping for delivery to the “shielded or self-isolating“ in Wendover and surrounding villages. It was also great to meet Dary (owner; far right) who fully supports and provides staffing for this valuable service.
COVID19 - A Topsy Turvey Season When we were told by the government that the vulnerable should stay at home and that volunteers were needed to support the national effort, we knew something Whilst we all have all embraced and enjoyed extraordinary was about to unfold. It came this experience, we do really look forward to the day when we will get to bump into the as a bit of a shock however, when our middle-aged children told us we were the vulnerable and that we couldn’t volunteer! Suddenly, we found ourselves on the other side of the coin. No longer were we going to be caring for & serving our community, as we had done all of our lives, but we were about to be on the receiving end of something rather extraordinary. We have been lovingly carried through this lockdown and had our every need met by the wonderful Deliveries from Budgens to vulnerable persons ‘Wendover Wardens’ and the Please mention Wendover News when responding to adverts
