Blog Archives

Stalbridge Can We Help?

30/3/2020

Stalbridge Helpers Scheme is here to help out those self-isolating or worried about social distancing who need a food shop, medicine or just a friendly chat...and who live within a 2 mile radius of the town. Have a look at the poster below for more information. These posters will appear in town and leaflets are going out soon from Stalbridge Pharmacy and Dike&Son supermarket in Stalbridge so that people who may not use social media or the internet will get to know about this volunteer service as well.
You are most welcome to download and print or share the poster below.
And if you would like to help out and volunteer yourself then you can find the volunteer form on the Stalbridge Helpers Scheme page on the town council website. Click on the button below to get there.

I would like to know more about volunteering

Council Tax Concerns?

26/3/2020

Support for residents with council tax concerns: We are trying to support those experiencing a negative change in their finances and so if you are experiencing financial hardship and need assistance with paying your Council Tax you should apply for Universal Credit and Council Tax Support by clicking on the following links

Universal Credit - apply for universal credit

Council Tax Support - council tax support

You may feel that your financial circumstances have not changed significantly but still feel concerned. If you would like to extend your payment plan from paying over 10 monthly payments to a 12 monthly payment plan please email the Council Tax Team revenueservices@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and we will respond to your request.
If you feel you would like to discuss your circumstances further our advisors are pleased to assist you individually offering help and advice, you can contact the team on 01305 211970.

Government have yesterday issued guidance for Local Authorities regarding the new Council Tax, COVID-19 hardship fund 2020-21. We will be able to provide further Council Tax relief via this scheme. There is clear expectation that we will use this fund to firstly support all customers currently in receipt of working age Local Council Tax Support. These customers will have applied to their liability a further reduction of up to £150, where a taxpayers liability following the already calculated council tax support is less than £150, their liability will simply be reduced to nil. Customers do not need to apply for this additional support.

We are working hard to rebill customers once we have received the required system updates which we will run through testing to make sure awards are correct.
Any remaining funds will be allocated to the most in need throughout the financial year and we are working on amendments to existing policy to enable us to correctly administer these funds to support our most vulnerable customers.
Those who should claim Council Tax Support are encouraged to do so.

Stay Safe
Graham Carr-Jones

MOT Testing?

26/3/2020

Vehicle owners are being granted an MOT extension in order to help in the fight against Coronavirus. The government has announced a 6-month suspension on MOT tests. The exemption will apply to cars, motorbikes and vans. To find out about the rules on this please click on one of the buttons below.

mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-before-30-march-2020

mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-from-30-march-2020

Stalbridge Play Areas Closed

25/3/2020

With regret we have today closed all Stalbridge Play areas for the immediate future. That includes Jarvis Field, The Pump Track, The Tennis Courts and The Stalbridge Playing Fields Jubilee Play area.

Please also help us to limit the spread of the virus by;

· Taking your litter and dog waste home

· Respecting the closure of playgrounds, pump tracks & sports courts

· Following government guidelines

We encourage everyone to be responsible and stay well apart whilst they are enjoying the fresh air and exercise. Tending allotments is still permitted but please observe strict social distancing.

Thank you for all your support and assistance in keeping our wonderful community safe in these exceptional times.

Stalbridge, Can You Help?

25/3/2020

"We are sure you are looking out for your neighbours and friends who are social distancing and may not be able go shopping or pick up regular medication. To further support the local community we are setting up the Stalbridge Helpers Scheme. If you would like to volunteer to help we would be glad to hear from you. Please fill in the form on our website by clicking on the logo below and we will get back to you as soon as possible, Thank you for your support".
Tracey Watson
(Stalbridge Town Council)

click this button to fill in the form

Food Businesses Update

25/3/2020

Graham Carr-Jones of Dorset Council sends us this update to information for Food businesses:-
Enforcement of Government regulations relating to food businesses
Posted on March 25, 2020. We’ve been receiving enquiries on food businesses which are continuing to operate and want to clarify the following:

All restaurants, pubs and café’s should be closed.
But businesses can – and are – looking to diversify into take away and delivery services, and this is being supported by central government and we have produced guidance to Dorset Food businesses on how to do this safely taking account of food hygiene and public health guidance on Covid-19.
It has been made clear that takeaway services must not allow people to communally sit at the premises to consume the food purchased.
We are awaiting further guidance on the enforcement of this under new emergency Covid powers.
Any members of the public who are concerned that food businesses are not complying should contact the Food Safety team on 01305 251010 or envhealthteamb@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Stalbridge Road Closures

25/3/2020

Dorset Councillor Graham Carr-Jones sends us this update on the closure of Lower Road in Stalbridge. - "Access to Springfields and the Hawthorns may be disrupted due to Highways works. I have spoken to the contractors this morning & CJD are looking to complete & re-open the road by Mon/Tues 30th/31st March next week. Your patience is appreciated whilst traffic management is in place".

STAY AT HOME !

24/3/2020

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Stay at home to stop coronavirus spreading
This is no longer 'Advice'- The government is insisting now that you must follow these rules:
Everyone must stay at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
This includes people of all ages – even if you do not have any symptoms or other health conditions.

You can only leave your home:

to shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to
to do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with
for any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person
to travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary

FULL GUIDANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT
The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.

When we reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, we will reduce the spread of the infection. That is why the government is now (23 March 2020) introducing three new measures.

Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes
Closing non-essential shops and community spaces
Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public

Every citizen must comply with these new measures. The relevant authorities, including the police, will be given the powers to enforce them – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.

These measures are effective immediately. The Government will look again at these measures in three weeks, and relax them if the evidence shows this is possible.

1. Staying at home
You should only leave the house for one of four reasons:

Shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.
Any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.

These four reasons are exceptions - even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

These measures must be followed by everyone. Separate advice is available for individuals or households who are isolating, and for the most vulnerable who need to be shielded.

If you work in a critical sector outlined in this guidance, or your child has been identified as vulnerable, you can continue to take your children to school. Where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes

2. Closing non-essential shops and public spaces
Last week, the Government ordered certain businesses - including pubs, cinemas and theatres - to close. The Government is now extending this requirement to a further set of businesses and other venues, including:

all non-essential retail stores - this will include clothing and electronics stores; hair, beauty and nail salons; and outdoor and indoor markets, excluding food markets.
libraries, community centres, and youth centres.
indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, arcades and soft play facilities.
communal places within parks, such as playgrounds, sports courts and outdoor gyms.
places of worship, except for funerals attended by immediate families.
hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers).
More detailed information can be found here, including a full list of those businesses and other venues that must close. Businesses and other venues not on this list may remain open.

3. Stopping public gatherings
To make sure people are staying at home and apart from each other, the Government is also stopping all public gatherings of more than two people.

There are only two exceptions to this rule:

where the gathering is of a group of people who live together - this means that a parent can, for example, take their children to the shops if there is no option to leave them at home.
where the gathering is essential for work purposes - but workers should be trying to minimise all meetings and other gatherings in the workplace.
In addition, the Government is stopping social events, including weddings, baptisms and other religious ceremonies. This will exclude funerals, which can be attended by immediate family.

4. Delivering these new measures
These measures will reduce our day to day contact with other people. They are a vital part of our efforts to reduce the rate of transmission of coronavirus.

Every citizen is instructed to comply with these new measures.

The Government will therefore be ensuring the police and other relevant authorities have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings where people do not comply.

They will initially last for the three weeks from 23 March, at which point the Government will look at them again and relax them if the evidence shows this is possible.

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Can You Help?

23/3/2020

From Dorset Council- We know that many people in our communities want to help and we want to harness that goodwill - we are going to need it. We are working with public sector partners and charities across Dorset to respond to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
I want to help - who do I contact?
If you want to help but are not sure where to start, register with the Dorset Volunteering Centre in the first instance. Click the button below to visit the page and register.

I know someone who needs help - who do I contact?
Age UK (North, South and West Dorset) are coordinating requests for help with issues relating to loneliness and isolation, or support in accessing items such as food, cash or medication.

To request help email: enquiries@ageuknswd.org.ukor call 01305 269444

Each request will be individually assessed and categorised according to the individual’s level of need.

Volunteering - things to think about
Before considering volunteering, ask yourself if you are well enough to volunteer and think about the following:

Try and work as a pair, this will alleviate some concerns about safeguarding and offer protection for yourself and the person you're helping
Always tell someone where you're going and when you anticipate returning
Carry a mobile phone with you
Try to volunteer in daylight hours only
Carry a torch with you if you can’t avoid volunteering in the dark
Stay at least 2 metres (about 3 steps) away at all times - this reduces the risk of potential infection to yourself and the person you're helping
Avoid entering the home of the person you're helping
Don't take credit cards from individuals, and keep any receipts for items purchased on behalf of others
Photograph all receipts and purchases for your records
Don't assume that someone needs help or call at a house unexpectedly - anxieties are high at the moment and people need to follow guidance with regards to opening their front doors, especially if they are self-isolating
Consider dropping a note through the door as a first offer of help (but wash your hands before doing so)
Don't get disheartened if a volunteering role is not found for you immediately - the response to this crisis is growing daily and the volunteering response will grow with it
Only assist with activities which have been risk assessed - if you're asked to carry out a different activity, contact your volunteer coordinator / voluntary group for guidance
Always put yourself in the shoes of the person you're helping, ask how you would like to be treated if the situation was reversed
For your peace of mind and that of people you support, a DBS check may be required for some activity – check with the Volunteer Centre

For more information and links relating to the above topics, please click on the links below

dorset council community response

volunteering and getting support

Pews News

21/3/2020

25TH MARCH UPDATED NEWS FROM ST. MARY’S CHURCH in Stalbridge. The Church has now had to close. Please see the note below from the church wardens.
We will come through this time if we look after each other and ourselves.

CITIZENS ADVICE

19/3/2020

Citizens Advice Central Dorset continues to provide support to local people who need advice in these difficult times. We can help individuals and families who are struggling with financial difficulties, who need advice to resolve employment or housing issues, or with anything else that is having an impact on their lives.
We have taken the difficult decision to close our face to face services but have increased capacity on our phone and email services. The Adviceline service is well established in Dorset and can be manned by people working in one of our offices or at home.

CITIZENS ADVICE WEBSITE

Friends and Neighbours

17/3/2020

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Dear friends and neighbours
In the current situation we are all watching the national news and listening to messages and advice from Central Government. I am sure we can bring our thoughts back to our local community here in the smallest town in Dorset. Let’s foster and grow our great local community spirit in looking after each other through this challenging time. Our local businesses are gearing up to help people with food & medication deliveries. I’m sure you are all thinking about your friends and neighbours and letting them know they can contact you if they need help, should they find themselves needing to social distance or stay at home.
The Town Council are meeting on Wednesday 18th March to agree a continuity plan for the services it provides and there will be more news to follow from this.
With my very best wishes
Keep Well

Katie Garland
Chairman Stalbridge Town Council

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SuperSave at Superfast Dorset

6/3/2020

The Superfast Dorset team at Dorset Council share some news with us about their Digital Champions scheme and how these volunteers can help people all around Dorset.

Digital Champion's bright idea helps Barbara switch and save

A lady from Dorchester has benefitted from free digital sessions on how to change suppliers online and has managed to save over £450 a year on energy bills with the first switch.

Barbara Scanlon went online at Dorchester library under the guidance of her local volunteer Digital Champion Mike Watson. She visited a price comparison website and worked out that with just a few digital moves she would be over £40 a month better off.

Mike has been helping her master a range of digital skills to do household bills and chores online such as paying Council Tax, setting up insurance, joining a loyalty discount scheme, using email, printing and using price comparison sites.

Mike said: "All Digital Champions are able to help you master the skills to do these essential households tasks online and a whole lot more. Don't waste time and money, just book a slot to see your local Digital Champion and we will help you every step of the way. It won't cost you a penny."

Digital Champions work in communities, usually in libraries, one-to-one with people to help improve their digital skills. They are volunteers who enjoy using computers and have the patience and enthusiasm to show others how to benefit from being online, in this case how to save money.

To get help from your own Digital Champion and find out how much you could save, please call us and we will put you in touch with your nearest Digital Champion.

DORSET COUNCIL DIGITAL CHAMPIONS

Call now
01305 221048

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