MinchLIFE Newsletter
Thursday, 14 May 2020
Hello
everyone, Great news! The new Minch Life website has launched today! It still contains all the firm favourites – the calendar and the directory etc, but there are some new and exciting pages too – we have a Virtual Open Garden Scheme where you can showcase your own garden as well as have a poke around other peoples, and soon to come will be a Made by Minch shop for local artisans and crafts people to be able to have their own mini-shop front. More to follow on this. To take a look around, please click on the following link…. www.minchlife.com Again, rather than listing all the local businesses that are open – we are giving you access to the chart that we have prepared, which we are regularly changing as the situation arises. You can view this chart here. From your feedback to us, it appears that the information we have been sending out is appreciated, and we have the following messages to send to you. Minchinhampton Corinovirus Response Group The Covid Response Group have now helped Minchinhampton residents three hundred times and also referred people on to other support groups such as Rodborough, Amberley and Bownham Park. As previously stated they are pleased to report that they regularly hear of heart-warming new relationships across generations which will hopefully endure post lockdown. If you feel you might be able to help with anything from speaking to someone on the phone who’s struggling with isolation to doing a bit of shopping, please register online on our new MinchLIFE website. What else is new? Recycling Tips Horsley (Pyke Quarry) recycling centre will not be re-opening just yet due to its approach roads not being suitable for queuing traffic. Pre-booked trips to Hempsted and Wingmoor Farm will be allowed. Social distancing will be required on site, and the number of booking slots available will be limited. Contact Gloucestershire County Council for more information. The District Council has recorded a fall in reports of fly-tipping, and remains on the look-out for dumped refuse. Bell Lane Carpark The Bell Lane carpark upgrade is complete. The Parish Council’s £40,000 investment in more ‘egg-crated’ gravel-filled surfacing means parking should now be mudless – and so far more attractive for visitors to the town centre. The barriers still in place are just until seeded grass grows up through the crates. This is the second phase of improvement works, after the far end of the carpark was similarly upgraded by the Parish Council a couple of years ago. The Cows are Out and Dog Poo As many of you are probably now aware the cows and horses were released onto Rodborough and Minchinhampton Commons yesterday. Some 350 animals are expected to arrive on Minchinhampton Common and around 120 on Rodborough Common and the public are being urged to be extra careful. This leads onto the continual big issue of Dog poo. Please pick up after your dogs everywhere throughout the town and also on the commons, fields, paths and verges. Dogs‘ mess can be fatal to farm animals, including cows and sheep. If pregnant cows pick up Neospora – found in dog poo – they can ingest the parasite and it can lead them to abort their calves. They then have the parasite for life and we have been informed that two cows have had to be culled this week. Henry’s Coffee Shop and Dairy Henrys website is about to launch imminently! Their entire range will soon feature on their new website including prices, the ability to order and allocate to your time slot and pictorial updates of the farm and shop. The website, will feature weekly special items as well as all of the everyday items from their range. Halls Bakery Are now taking orders for collection or delivery, place your orders on the link here: For anyone craving fresh fish! William’s Fish Counter to Open for the Bank Holiday Weekend. They will open for sales of fresh fish, shellfish and smoked salmon on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 May from 9am to 2pm. As stock will be limited, please send your orders by Tuesday 19th May. More details on stock available and pricing at https://www.williamsfoodhall.co.uk/Fish-Market Burleigh Court Hotel Fancy a wholesome Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie or a scrumptious Moroccan Tagine? Their takeaway ready-meals are now available to purchase online. Safe collection from Burleigh Court every Friday and Saturday. View full menu here Thistledown – Local Webshop Thistledown, have over 150 products – many locally produced or made by them – in the webshop. No queues, no indoor shopping, just select your products, pay online and pick-up through a window hatch. Products include plenty of flours, vegan products, Organic produce, chocolate & ice creams, local alcohols and Salt Bakehouse bread. Pastries (inc cruffins!) and local meat should be available later this week. Limited collection slots each Mon and Fri so please book ahead! shop.thistledown.org.uk More veg box recipes later this week for subscribers! Any questions or requests please email cafe@thistledown.org.uk Our branch of Boots: are under threat of closure if they do not dispense a certain number of prescriptions every month. They made this target in March but NOT in April. This is definitely a case of USE IT OR LOSE IT! Please try to support them. It would be such a loss to Minchinhampton if the branch closed. Minchinhampton Foot Clinic is to partially re-open on Monday, 1st June for “essential or urgent” cases. In order to minimise risk both to patients and the Foot Health Practitioner new protocols will be put in place. A copy of these can be found on their website www.minchinhamptonfootclinic.co.uk Emergency Dentistry: If you are unfortunate enough to require urgent dentistry, we have been advised that people should contact: Gloucestershire Emergency Dental Services 03004 21640. Message from Parish Council The Parish Council have asked us to inform you that Tom Long’s Post continues on an internet-only basis. New issues are being posted as usual to their website around the 10th of the month. May’s edition is now published on their website, but for your convenience we have included a link here. And Finally one event! Cotswold Club Virtual Quiz: The Cotswold Club are holding their regular Friday night virtual quiz at 7:55 pm. If you require further details on this, please look at their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Minchinhampton-Cotswold-Club-165788823612412/ Please email our new email address at info@minchlife.com with any news you would like included in the newsletter – this will also appear on the Facebook page. Finally, look after yourselves and your families. |
Janet Chamberlain/Anne Parry
info@minchlife.com
From Minchinhampton Surgery Patient Participation Group (PPG) (16th May 2020)
To Minchinhampton Life
Misinformation re Boots Minchinhampton
Dear Friends,
First of all, a big ‘Thank you’ for the splendid service you continue to provide for us all, especially in the pandemic situation. This is such an important and helpful resource.
We were, however, surprised to read the claims about Boots in the most recent edition. We have checked these with Boots managers at both local and regional levels. On this basis, we can say with complete confidence that the claims in Minchinhampton Life are incorrect. There is no such threat to the future of this Branch. The shop had such a huge demand in March and April for all services that it was not easy dealing with everyone as promptly as they would have liked but things have settled down significantly of late.
The Patient Participation Group (PPG) liaises closely with Boots, at local, regional and national levels. Our member John Cleever takes the lead on this, on behalf of the PPG and all patients, and indeed now on behalf of Surgery staff. In this way, we provide feedback to, and receive back comments from, Boots to our mutual benefit. This includes comments, problems and complements.
John Cleever, as our elected pharmacy liaison officer, is happy to take forward any comments about Boots from Minchinhampton Surgery patients if they would like to use this route. John can forward comments to Boots on an anonymous basis, as well as in confidence, if that is preferred. To contact John on such matters, please email him at johncleever@btinternet.com
We do understand that Minchinhampton Life is not able to check all messages submitted. However, we have checked these matters for you as carefully as possible.
With best wishes
John Harrop (PPG chair)
Ian McPherson (PPG secretary)
John Cleever (PPG pharmacy liaison officer)