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Dementia lifeline reopens

May 20, 2020
in MIN News, Staying well
Reading Time: 1 min read
411 12
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ALZHEIMER’S Support has resumed home support visits to people living with dementia in Wiltshire this week.

The Wiltshire charity, which stopped visits to all but the most vulnerable during lockdown, says supplies of personal protective equipment, and the worsening situation for many families, mean that resuming the one-to-one visits for those that want them is now the right thing to do.

Alzheimer’s Support staff have been keeping in close touch by phone with everyone who uses its services in Wiltshire, making around 800 calls each week of lockdown. Music and exercise groups have moved online and the charity is sending out art packs to help people stay creative at home.

The charity’s Dementia Advisers, who have been keeping in touch with hundreds of clients every week during lockdown, will also soon be able to make home visits if these are requested.

Alzheimer’s Support has a special section on its website dedicated to information and advice on living with dementia during lockdown, with plenty of ideas for keeping active.

www.alzheimerswiltshire.org.uk

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Follow Social Media

  • Family call for inquiry after CCTV footage missing following fatal collision

The family of a Melksham woman who died following a town centre collision have called for an independent inquiry after CCTV footage from the time of the incident was found to be missing. 

Cheryl Decarteret, 79, died after being struck by a white Ford Transit van which was reversing outside Savers on Lowbourne on 27th September. Her friend, Margaret Shaw, sustained life-threatening injuries. 

One of Melksham Town Council’s taxpayer-funded CCTV cameras overlooks the Savers store, however around 30 minutes of footage from the time of the incident is unavailable. 

The family have been campaigning for answers following the collision and say the absence of CCTV footage has caused additional distress. 

Cheryl’s son Scott Thomson said, “The family is calling on the Liberal Democrats for an independent investigation into Melksham Town Council Data Control Office and CCTV system, with the outcome of the investigation to be published for the public to see. 

“This would help provide answers as to why the footage of our mum’s death is missing. Not having access to this footage has caused our family additional distress at a difficult time when we are already struggling to come to terms with our loss. 

“We hope that an investigation will bring some clarity, help us understand what happened, ensure transparency and maintain public confidence in the town’s CCTV.” 

Concerns about the reliability of the town’s CCTV system had been raised prior to the incident. 

Read more on our website. The link is in our Bio.
  • Melksham Environment Group: The Community Larder

As a member of the Melksham Environmental Group (MEG), I would like to draw your attention to the Community Larder, which is open weekdays at the Round House in Church Street. 

It was set up by Adrienne Westbrook and myself three years ago and its aims are purely environmental and completely in line with those of MEG. Anyone can come along and take their pick of the foods available at the Larder. Food is collected from local supermarkets every day by a team of dedicated volunteers; food which would otherwise have been dumped in landfill simply because a ‘best before’ date has, or is about to, expire. We rescue what would otherwise have been wasted. 

Pat Aves, Melksham Environment Group info@mkmeg.org.uk 

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio
  • Festive cheer and friendship on offer this month

A festive event aiming to bring people together and combat loneliness will take place in Melksham next month.

Abney & Baker’s Social and Skills Club is hosting a Festive Gathering on Wednesday 17th December at 1.30pm at That Meeting Space, in the Market Place, welcoming anyone who could use some extra company over the Christmas period.

Guests will be offered mince pies, tea and gentle seasonal activities, along with the chance to enjoy conversation and companionship in a relaxed setting.

The club, run by award-winning care provider Abney & Baker, supports local people to connect through regular social sessions.

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio
  • Melksham Times Past

A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis

Wartime letters to home

Do you have any letters to home that your ancestors had written during the war? They often reveal the conditions they faced and a little insight to family and friends.

Quoting an article from Wiltshire Times, published Saturday 12th June 1915, a letter written on 23rd May 1915 by George Sheppard to his mother from probably France; timing is about halfway through World War I:

“I am writing to let you know that I am all right and well, and glad that you are all the same. I received the tobacco quite safe. We have been here about 10 days. When this battle is finished we shall shift. I have seen some sights these last few days. I don’t think this will last much longer. You ask me if we had plenty of food. We get plenty of ‘bully’ and biscuits, and that is about all. We have not seen much bread lately. My mouth is quite sore biting them. They would be all right if they were not so hard. Tell Ruthey Fred will want some good teeth when he comes out here. You said you hope we should come home safe, all of us, but I don’t think there will be many men left to finish this. I expect the women will have to finish it. I have not seen Bert or Jim or Ern yet. What Division are they in? But we chaps have not got much time to look after them. Old Charley and I have just made a tin of tea, so we are doing well. He and I were in a very bad place the other day, so I looked at him and I said: ‘Charley, we have backed the winner this time.’ He said: ‘Looks like it.’ But thank God, we have got back all right.” 

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio
  • Council to revisit plan for park six years on

A masterplan for King George V Park will be evaluated with the aim of preparing for the next phase of development.

A plan for the park was designed in 2019 and included space for a sensory garden and a dog park.

At a town council Assets and Facilities meeting on Monday 17th November, councillors heard that plans had reached a ‘stalemate’. The plans will now be revisited at a cost of £3,500, which Melksham Town Council is taking from the play parks budget.

Cllr Adrienne Westbrook said, “There’s a bit of a lack of vision of what we have got left to do, and how we can do it, and how we can move forward.” 

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio
  • Melksham racing team celebrates standout season

A family-run motorsport team based on Bowerhill has rounded off a landmark year in the JCW Mini Challenge, securing a string of podium places and finishing second in the overall team standings.

Pro Alloys Racing, who compete against some of the largest operations in the championship, say it’s their most successful season to date. The JCW Mini Challenge is one of the UK’s premier one-make championships, with all drivers racing identical Mini cars. The series runs at major UK circuits such as Donington, Brands Hatch and Silverstone, sharing weekends with the British Touring Car Championship and enjoying live coverage on ITV. 

“We are delighted to report a highly successful year in the JCW Mini Challenge,” said Nina Greenland who runs the team with her husband Neil. “As a small, family-run team competing against multi-million-pound outfits, we achieved several podium finishes, resulting in us taking second place in the overall team standings.” 

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio

Pictured: The Pro Alloys team with partners and family. Centre of the group are team drivers Owen Hillman and Max Edmondson. Nina and Neil Greenland with a representative from Goodyear Tyres
  • Care home residents help launch bespoke gin

Residents at a luxury care home in Melksham marked the launch of a new bespoke gin with a special tasting event with jazz music.

Blenheim House, part of the Berkley Care Group, held a celebration to introduce the care group’s new gin, Golden Hour.

The event was planned through a collaboration between Events Manager Chris Preston, Head Chef Linda Netherwood and Hospitality Manager Donna Shaw, who worked together to create an experience for residents, families and guests.

The evening was made memorable by the attendance of Andrew Parsons, Master Distiller at award-winning distillers Sky Wave. 

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio

Pictured: Mayor Cllr Saffi Rabey with residents enjoying the evening
  • Pupils fill Christmas shoeboxes for festive appeal

Children at a local primary school have filled 36 Christmas shoeboxes for children in need across the world.

Children and staff at St George’s CE Primary School in Semington have raised donations for the Samaritan’s Purse UK Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal.

They made up boxes with donated toys, personal care items, school supplies and fun gifts.

A member of the school team, Rebecca Richens, said, “Families created their own boxes of gifts, and we even worked in our classes to create more boxes in school.

“In total, our community created over 36 boxes, which is a tremendous achievement. Our worship leaders then delivered the boxes to Specsavers in Melksham, the local drop-off point. Donating these boxes is one of the ways we are ‘letting our light shine’ during this festive season.” 

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio
  • Developers told to build social housing – because affordable housing is ‘unaffordable’

By Local Democracy Reporter Peter Davison

Developers who want to build houses in Wiltshire will be required to provide social housing rather than affordable housing.

At a meeting of Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet recently Adrian Foster, the portfolio holder for housing, confirmed, “From this point on, any planning applications that come to Wiltshire will have to include social rental houses, not affordable rental houses.”

When applying for planning permission, developers are asked to guarantee that a proportion of the houses are offered at below-market rates.

Affordable houses cost 80 per cent of market rate, while social houses are 60 per cent.

These houses can be offered for sale through shared ownership where individuals buy a share of a home with a mortgage, while paying rent for the rest, or for rent either through the council, or housing association.

Read more on our website. The link is in our bio

Pictured: Artist impression of Living Spaces’ 100% affordable development on land west of Semington Road
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Choose a monthly subscription or a one-off donation. All donations will be reinvested into producing local journalism for Melksham.

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