Semington Support Group Newsletter

Government Guidance and Local Information

Lockdown Extended

So we’re in this for at least another three weeks. The rules remain the same and no new restrictions have yet to be introduced but we will do our best to keep you informed as and when anything changes. We have come this far and for those who watch the daily government briefings we have to have faith that the actions we have been asked to undertake are having an effect.
• Stay Home
• Protect the NHS
• Save Lives

Green Bin Renewals

Wiltshire County Council have delayed the renewal date from April to June to allow staff to be redeployed on essential services.

Carer Support

Carer Support Wiltshire and Wiltshire Parent Carer Council continue to offer support during COVID-19. For those who cannot access information online, they can call Carer Support Wiltshire 0800 181 4118

Mon to Thurs 9.30am – 4.30pm and Friday 9.30am – 4.00pm or the Wiltshire
Parent Carer Council 01225 764647 Mon to Fri 10am to 5pm.

Emergency Dentists

A network of 14 emergency dentists have now opened up across the region. The closest for Semington being Bath and Chippenham with further services available in Swindon and Bristol.
Call 0345 758 1926 9.00am to 5.00pm -1700 Monday – Friday Out of hours
(Evenings and Weekends) Call NHS 111

Collection of Pensions

We said in Newsletter No. 3 that we were working on a procedure to make it possible to collect safely cash
pensions for vulnerable residents isolated at home. The procedure is now in place and is aimed at those who
can only get money to pay bills through visiting the Post Office. It has safeguards in place to protect them and
their money. If you need this help, or if you know of anyone who does, please telephone Siobhan Chown on 01380 870197.

There are bears popping up everywhere in Semington! So we think it’s about time we went on a Bear Hunt….. after all you were simply amazing at the Easter Egg Hunt… Why not use your daily exercise routine to see how
many bears you can see around the village. The Bear Hunt will take place from Friday 1st May to Sunday 3rd May and we’ll post full details on the Facebook page and village website.

So Long and Thanks for All The Post!

Les, the Postman, is retiring this month after four years of faithful service looking after the village. He is quite the fastest walking person I know! If you missed it, Les wrote a personal note to all the villagers which is in the April Parish Magazine on the village website and extracted onto the Facebook page.

Thank you to Sharon Adams for suggesting that we put ‘thank you’ signs in our windows to show Les just how much we’ve appreciated his services in the village. I think this is a fabulous idea – so let’s see
how many signs we can get posted for Les!

I am sure that behind the closed doors of our enforced isolation there have been many, many Crafty Elves at work keeping idle hands and creative minds busy. So, how about sharing your creations with everyone else once
we’re out the other side of lock-down ?

We’ll be arranging an exhibition of anything that you have created during this time and it will be an amazing opportunity to get everyone together to share and admire our creations.

So, pick up a paintbrush, thread a needle, dust off your camera, write down that poem, or in true Blue Peter stylie, break out your sticky-backed plastic and safety scissors and see what you can create. Don’t worry it won’t be a competition, and there won’t be any Blue Peter badges on offer, just a simple sharing of creativity.
Open to all ages and abilities. Rumour has it that Armstrong’s Angels have a herd of elephants they’re going to exhibit…..

Newsletter & Parish Magazine

A limited number of newsletters are printed each week to distribute to villagers without online access.

Please let your Road Lead know if there is someone who needs a printed copy of the newsletter. The May edition of the Parish Magazine will be published as normal and I am aiming to have it out by next weekend so there will
be no newsletter next week – we will aim to have some more indepth reports from Wiltshire Council in the magazine.

Phone Buddies

We want to make sure that every one in our community feels they have someone to turn to during the next period of lockdown. We have lots of people including those who are self-isolating who want to help support the community effort, meet the ‘Phone Buddies’.

If you would like to have a natter, to someone other than the cat, the dog or the wall or more importantly know of someone who could benefit from contact with a Phone Buddy please let your Road Lead know so we can ensure that self isolation doesn’t leave you isolated in every sense of the word.

May Day Bank Holiday

The May Day Bank Holiday has been moved back to Friday 8th May to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day. As you can imagine lots of events had originally been planned nationally. Please remember the rules on social gatherings and social distancing, everyone must keep to their own gardens!

Check Out Our Facebook Page

On the our community support Facebook page there are loads of great ideas and topics – here’s our pick:
• Learn about Semington’s history from Ray
• Try one of Andy’s quizzes
• Decorate a dragon for St George’s Day
• Make a thank you sign for the refuse collectors
• Put a rainbow in your window
• Order a meal from the Somerset Arms
• Post a photo with the hash tag #lovewhereyoulive

Easter Egg Hunt by Emma Day

With the arrival of spring and a true coming together of community spirit in Semington of late, the approach of Easter this year heralded something a bit more special than usual in the village. The villagers behind the Semington Support Group suggested that the village come together and decorate our houses, so the children
of the village could be gifted with some Easter bunny magic while out on their daily exercise. The village rallied behind this idea with close to 90 houses being adorned with rainbows, eggs, chicks and bunnies. The Easter bunny, busy as ever, left a trail of his bunny feet and spring flowers all over the village. Pound Close even came out on Easter Sunday to sing hymns and rival the musical Italians (thank you to Bev and Jack for organising). One of the residents of Pound Close commented about the “ lovely community spirit”.

As the children and families haven’t been able to enjoy the trail experience together because of social distancing,
the Facebook group has been a wonderful source of communication to share with everyone the magical Easter
finds through photos and comments. The way family commented their children were “bursting with excitement….when they got home they immediately video called their isolated grandparents which cheered them
up too”, proof that the joy the village is creating is spreading to others.

A massive thank you needs to go to all the residents for helping create a bit of village magic for our wonderful children during these uncertain times, it was an incredible effort and looked stunning. It was fabulous to show we could have a community event while adhering to the new rules we are under. A special thank you as well needs to go to Tesco Extra in Trowbridge who after hearing about the village community, kindly donated some decorations and flowers the Easter Bunny used in his trail, and also some plants which went to some of the residents that have been in self isolation or who live by themselves.

Road Leads –All Road Leads now carry ID.

Highfield Close – Tania Russell, George Evans & Cameron Evans
The Hunt Close – Siobhan Chown
The Orchard & Palmer Grove (inc The Conifers) Mark Rollinson
Turnpike Close – Rachel Sweeney
Pound Close – Emma Day
Canal Bridge – Ian Williamson
Pound Lane – Robbie Reed
St Georges Road – Cindy Wyllie
St Georges Place – Cindy Wyllie
St Georges Court – Diane Walker & James Walker
The Knapps – Kirsty Coetzer
Somerset Way – Stuart Taylor
Church Street – Emma Putnam
High Street – Paul Randall & Kip Airey
Wessex Close – Sharon Adams
Manor Close – Margaret Marsh
Little Marsh – Vicky Bodman
Littleton – Julia Wade

Community Support Core Team
Vicky Bodman – victoriabodman@gmail.com 07815 015470
Emma Putnam – emma@askmelocal.co.uk 07895 455673
Siobhan Chown – schown@bearly-there.co.uk 01380 870197
For contributions to the Newsletter or Parish Magazine contact Gillian at semparmag@icloud.com

Visit our website: http://www.semington-village.co.uk/