Tim Gwilliam, Leader of the Forest of Dean District Council, has recently written to all Parish Councils with views on the covid-19 pandemic projections over the winter 2020/21. He paints a gloomy picture both in terms of the next phase of the pandemic and about its economic consequences and highlights that this winter the Forest of Dean will continue to support local communities and will promote :
- The Flu vaccine and staying well – Exercise / isolation / mental health
- The Role of Foodbanks and community dinners
- Healthy eating
- allotments and growing your own
We have been fortunate so far in both the Forest of Dean and in Kempley that cases of covid-19 have been at a low level. Case numbers have however been rising in Worcestershire and across Gloucestershire (see below) so this is no time to lower our guard in Kempley. The Kempley Parish Council Emergency Response procedures remain in force and I would urge everyone in the village to follow the National Guidelines and keep our village safe over the winter
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance.
In Kempley we still have in place our volunteer emergency co-ordinators with whom you can raise any issues of concern, our local food producers who will deliver to your home, collection arrangements for prescriptions if you need to self-isolate this winter or are shielding. Details on all these arrangements can be found on the Parish
Council website https://kempleyparishcouncil.org/category/covid-19-updates.
We are also encouraging everyone in the village to download the NHS Covid-19 contact tracing App https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/nhs-covid-19/ and the Kings College London covid-19 symptom tracker APP https://covid.joinzoe.com. The symptom tracker APP will give you the latest predicted number of cases in the
Forest of Dean. This APP is now supported by the Government and by both Herefordshire and Gloucestershire County Councils and will give you the latest and most up to date information on the disease in our local area.
So please stay safe and if you need help this winter do not hesitate to contact your local community emergency contact point. If you are not sure who your volunteer is, you can look them up here.
Martin Brocklehurst – Chair Kempley Parish Council
Confirmed cases from Public Health England Data.