New Year’s Parish Walk – cancelled
The New Year’s Parish Walk planned for 3 January has been cancelled; group walks aren’t permitted in Tier 4.
Ask for Christmas help
/in News/by Adam BernsteinWith food banks and other support organisations running reduced or limited services over the Christmas period, South Oxfordshire District Council is urging residents to think ahead and get in touch now if they’ll need help with food or essential supplies.
The councils’ own Community Hub service will be running a limited service and wants to make sure families do not suffer this Christmas.
The Hub provides support to people who are in crisis as a result of the pandemic. Since April the team has received 1,300 requests for help and sent out 806 food parcels. A team of specially trained call-handlers can also signpost people to foodbanks, community support groups, NHS services and other agencies who can help.
The Hub will be running an emergency service for residents that need urgent food support from 24 December. The service will be available on Thursday 24, Tuesday 29, Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 December, from 9am-5pm, by calling 07919 381 605.
From 4 January the hub will be operating as normal and will be available between 8.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Fridays. In an emergency it’s best to call the hub on 01235 422600 but it can be emailed via .
Christmas tree collection
/in News/by Adam BernsteinResidents who are signed up to the garden waste service, can put their real Christmas tree out next to the brown bin on their scheduled garden waste collection days in January. Trees must be cut to less than 6ft.
Please remember there are no garden waste collections week commencing 29th December 2020.
Christmas waste
/in News/by Adam BernsteinSODC has a new page on its website that seeks to help residents deal with their waste over the Christmas and New Year period – including information on changes to collection days, what to do with extra waste, Christmas trees and some videos on how to reduce waste by reusing and recycling items.
See more at www.southoxon.gov.uk/christmaswaste
The council also has a Christmas-themed recycling quiz which tests knowledge on what to do with festive junk and Christmas leftovers.
Rough sleepers
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe parish, did a few years ago, have a rough sleeper. This makes the advice on the subject from SODC quite pertinent.
In essence, if a rough sleeper is found, SODC asks for calls, during office hours, to be made to the housing needs team on 01235 422 452. This is a direct line to a housing needs officer. If the person is in immediate danger, call an ambulance or the police on 999. Don’t put yourself in danger or approach someone acting strangely, even to help.
Outside office hours, please report to the non-profit homelessness organisation Streetlink which is funded by the government. You can report someone rough sleeping via its website www.streetlink.org.uk or by calling 0300 5000 914. Streetlink is the national scheme for reporting rough sleeping and connects rough sleepers to local support services. Please be aware that these reports will be dealt with next working day.
If necessary, the out of hours housing needs officer can be called on 01235 422 420.
Parish notes
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe latest issue of the Parish Notes should have been delivered by now. If not, you can download a copy via Your Community > Parish Notes using the menu bar above.
Unwanted healthcare equipment
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThose with unused health and social care equipment are being urged to return it. Worldwide manufacturing has slowed because of the pandemic, and new equipment is harder to come by.
Oxfordshire’s ‘Hand it Back’ campaign encourages people to get unused items collected from them. An unused chair or piece of equipment can be recycled for someone else in need.
The items being sought are:
Chairs, beds, bed rails and mattresses; wheeled commodes; any electrical items; walking and toilet frames; pendent alarm equipment/sensors (Telecare); and slings.
All items for return must have a barcoded NRS or Millbrook sticker on them, and they can be collected by NRS Healthcare or taken to the NRS Bicester depot. Items must not be taken back to other health or social care buildings.
Those wanting to give back equipment can arrange a collection by calling NRS Healthcare on 01869 225420 or by sending their details to . NRS Bicester Depot is at Unit 8, Longlands Road, OX26 5AH and is open from 8.30am-4.30pm on weekdays.
Free parking days in the run up to Christmas
/in News/by Adam BernsteinMotorists can park for free on specific days this December and are being urged to use this opportunity to support their local shops and cafes in the run up to Christmas. They can park in district council car parks without paying for or displaying a ticket on the following days in December:
- Abingdon – Saturdays (5, 12, 19 December)
- Faringdon – Saturdays (5, 12, 19 December)
- Wantage – Saturdays (5, 12, 19 December)
- Didcot – Mondays (7, 14, 21 December)
- Goring – Saturdays (5, 12, 19 December)
- Henley – Tuesdays (8, 15, 22 December)
- Thame – Saturdays (5, 12, 19 December)
- Wallingford -Thursdays (10, 17, 24 December)
Motorists can also continue to park for free each day outside of the charging period and during the standard free periods but must display a ticket during this time.
SODC Business grants under coronavirus
/in News/by Adam BernsteinSODC has grant money available to firms affected by coronavirus.
Local Restrictions Support Grant (for businesses required to close)
This scheme is for businesses which pay rates and have been forced to close due to the national lockdown. This grant is also available to businesses that have closed their main operations, but who are currently offering take-away or click and collect services. A maximum of £3,000 is available depending upon the individual business’s rateable value.
See southoxon.gov.uk/businessrates
Additional Restrictions Grant
This scheme is for business that aren’t eligible for the Local Restrictions Support Grant, including those that haven’t been temporarily forced to close, but have been severely impacted by the current restrictions, and those that do not pay any business rates. This is a discretionary fund with £2,000 available to support individual businesses. Deadline for applications is 4 December.
See svbs.co.uk
Silent Solution – 999 and 55
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThere may be a situation where someone needs help during an emergency but is unable to talk because of an abuser being in close proximity. Here they can call 999 and press 55. This is known as the Silent Solution and will let the police know there is an emergency.
With Silent Solution, a police system is used to filter out accidental or hoax 999 calls. It also exists to help people who are unable to speak, but who genuinely need police assistance. Callers will hear an automated police message, which lasts for 20 seconds and begins with “you are through to the police”. It will ask the caller to press 55 to be put through to police call management. The BT operator will remain on the line and listen. If the caller presses 55, taps or makes a noise, they will be notified and transfer the call to the police. If none of the above are done, the call will be terminated after 45 seconds.
Thames Valley Police has guidance on using Silent Solution which can be read at https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/silentsolution.