MSDC Garden waste collections return on 11th May 2020
Mid Sussex District Council is resuming garden waste collections from Monday 11 May.
As part of the Council’s response to the COVID-19 national emergency, garden waste collections were paused on 13 April to enable the collection crews to meet social distancing requirements and to preserve rubbish and recycling collections.
During the past month the Council has worked hard alongside waste collection partner Serco to secure additional resources that will enable our crews to practice social distancing and collect our customers’ garden waste safely. Collections were originally predicted to be suspended for a period of 12 weeks, but new working arrangements mean it is now possible to bring the service back after only a four-week pause.
When the service resumes on Monday 11 May, customers should place their garden waste bins out for collection on their usual collection day. Anyone who is not sure when their bin is due for collection can check online at www.midsussex.gov.uk/waste-recycling/bin-collection
The garden waste collection service has been paused for exactly four weeks and during that time each customer has missed two collections. To ensure that no household is financially disadvantaged by the suspension of the garden waste collection service, the Council will add four weeks onto the end of each subscription period to cover the number of collections missed.
Councillor John Belsey, Cabinet Member for Environment and Service Delivery said: “This has been a difficult month for everyone and we are so grateful to all our garden waste customers for their patience, support and understanding during the past few weeks.
“We know that garden waste collections are important to people, especially during this lockdown period, so we have been working as hard as we can with Serco to reinstate them safely as soon as possible. I’m delighted to say that we are now able to resume our garden waste collections.
“We really appreciate the efforts you are making to hold on to your garden waste but please remain patient for a little while longer once collections are back under way and we work through the build-up.
“Our crews are not able to collect any side waste so it’s important to make sure all your garden waste is contained within the bin and that the lid is closed. If you are unable to fit all your garden waste into your green wheelie bin, please continue to store it until your next scheduled collection. This will ensure the safety and wellbeing of our collection crews and that we can continue to offer a garden waste service to everyone.”
For more information, visit the garden waste collection page at www.midsussex.gov.uk/gardenwaste where there are answers to several Frequently Asked Questions. Anyone who is unable to find the answer to their query online should email gardenwaste@midsussex.gov.uk.
Online library services widen
Since the closure of local libraries due to the Coronavirus pandemic, West Sussex Libraries has now created a virtual hub with activities for children and elderly people, including online books, magazines and comics, puzzles and local history.
With your library membership number you can access a lot of this information - some of which includes special member access to external providers simply because you are a West Sussex Library cardholder.
A spokesperson for the Library service said: “We know how much libraries mean to our members which is why we’ve introduced this virtual hub of your local library’s online services, all accessible from home.
“We’re talking RhymeTimeOnline, handy links for book lovers, family history content, resources for home learning, links to the latest offerings from authors, publishers and more!”
There’s even access to Theory Test Pro to help learner drives study the basics before they get on the road.
For more information search the web or put this link into a web browser: https://bit.ly/2yn1f7m
Meditations to help during lockdown
Debbie Horney normally runs mindfulness courses at Keymer Church Hall but since she isn’t able to lead group sessions during the coronavirus pandemic - she has decided to give out a number of new meditations from Remember Mindfulness to help get you through this difficult time.
Debbie Horney, mindfulness coach
I have been looking after myself with some new meditations and I would be delighted if you might like to use them too. They are as follows:
The STOP practice is a short grounding meditation that can be used as many times during the day to just pause and collect yourself.
Coronavirus x calming the mind is a short grounding meditation.
Connection practice is particularly useful to remind us we are all in this together.
Compassion Meditation x Corona is my favourite daily practice at the moment. It brings our relationships to mind and includes a loving-kindness practice.
If you are interested in these meditations please email me and I will send you them by return.
Also, if you would like free 1-2-1 support to begin your mindfulness journey or to support your current practice, I would be pleased to help you over the telephone – contact details also below.
“I was so grateful to receive the new meditations ... I love them... the compassion one is really beautiful ... it’s so gentle ... and softened my attitude ... the connection one is deeply comforting and will be a wonderful companion throughout this season of isolation ... The STOP meditation is a fantastic breather before I sit down with a pot of tea ... it’s like a little ‘pause and return to neutral’ button! ... The meditations you have provided have become the single most important part of my day ... and are a life skill I shall always treasure ... can’t thank you enough”
Email: debbie@remembermindfulness.co.uk
Call: 07904 982 579
www,remembermindfulness.co.uk
I will continue to teach Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction in Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Uckfield, Ringmer, and Haywards Heath as soon as I am able. We will meet in small groups weekly for 2 hours in various locations and times (mornings / evenings)
Landscaper and Nursery support 50 NHS workers
Paul Wilkinson helps deliver planters to local NHS workers
Mid-Sussex landscaper Paul Wilkinson asked the community to nominate an NHS worker to receive one of these beautiful Spring planters supplied by South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks.
"We were only too happy to show our support and help him out by donating these planters, which he delivered to the doors of 50 NHS workers," said Sarah Mead from the family-run garden centre in the Brighton Road.
Paul received a rapturous welcome as he delivered the planters to frontline health workers in Hassocks, Keymer, Ditchling, Clayton, Burgess Hill and Hurstpierpoint.
MSDC seek help to commemorate Mid Sussex Virtual VE Day
With planned VE Day events now not taking place, MSDC are compiling a virtual tribute
Mid Sussex District Council are calling for your help to create a memory bank of commemoration for Victory in Europe Day (8th May).
While current social distancing measures are in place it will not be possible for street parties to take place at the moment, so Mid Sussex District Council is calling for submissions for a virtual memory bank to help commemorate VE Day. Tributes and photos, memories, songs and stories of VE Day and what it means will be merged into a showreel and presented on the Council’s digital platforms. Recordings of ‘We’ll Meet Again’ can also be sent to form the soundtrack to the presentation.
Earlier in the year MSDC provided grants to commemorate VE Day; but given the current national and international situation these events won’t take place at this time. The Council will of course be honouring our grant commitments when recipients feel they are in a position to mark the many sacrifices made and to commemorate the end of WWII.
Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community said: “This is an important commemoration and we want to do everything we can to ensure it is marked. Somehow it is even more relevant, as we all recognise the bonds of friendship and community we are experiencing anew, that we commemorate those who gave so much at that time”.
Please send photos and poems for Mid Sussex Virtual VE Day to comms@midsussex.gov.uk or via the Council’s Facebook channel. You can upload film or songs to a special form at www.midsussex.gov.uk/VE2020
Deadline for submissions in Monday 4th May 2020. MSDC cannot guarantee all will be used but the team will try to use as many as possible. Before submitting you must ensure you have permission for any items to be displayed publicly.
Take a look at these Hassocks heroes...
Thank you key workers
We know that the people of Hassocks are superstars but just in case you needed any extra proof, take a look at the following: just a few of the amazing key workers either living or working in the village to keep it running throughout this crazy Coronavirus period. These people are doing their normal jobs while many of the rest of us are staying at home in safety.
Thank you key workers - we appreciate everything you have and are continuing to do…
Chantelle Martin & Ros French
Occupational Therapists in the area
Darren Bramley
Head of Cameras on ITV's Good Morning Britain
Jennifer McLean
Midwife for the NHS
Matt Tucker
Police Officer with the MET
Julie Wade
Midwife at St Thomas' Hospital, London
Dan Major
Part of the pandemic multi-agency response team
Helen McKimm
works at East Grinstead hospital
Julie Taylor
A&E senior sister at Croydon University Hospital
Matt Freestone
Junior Producer on Good Morning Britain
Katie Finch
Midwife at East Surrey Hospital
Hassocks business donates food luxuries to care homes
Cameron Wallis, from South Downs Nurseries at Villa Adastra in Hassocks
A Hassocks business donated food luxuries which they cannot sell during the current lock-down to local care homes as an Easter treat for staff and residents.
Family-run South Downs Nurseries donated Easter chocolate and delicacies on Good Friday.
Not surprisingly, Cameron Wallis from the Brighton Road business received a warm welcome everywhere he went, including at Villa Adastra in Hassocks and Ladymead in Hurstpierpoint.
The garden centre's general manager, Steve Parsons said: “The garden centre is closed at the moment and with food due to go out of date before we re-open, we wanted to make sure it was sent somewhere it could be enjoyed.”
Many of the items given were from the expansive Sussex Food Hall but would likely have been out-of-date before it could re-open. A donation was also made to a local food bank.
Important information from Mid Sussex Health Care (Hassocks Doctors surgery)
By the team at Mid Sussex Health Care
Thank you very much to our patients for their support and understanding during this time as we are making daily changes to our operational procedures.
Our Patient Participation Group will be posting messages on the local Facebook pages with changes and updates. We are very aware that these messages and information reach a large percentage of our patient population using digital media. We are therefore using this facility to inform those patients who do not have access to electronic versions of the information.
In light of the ongoing situation relating to COVID-19, we wanted to let you know about the steps we are taking to ensure we can continue to support all of our patients during this time.
Firstly and most importantly, we respectfully request that all patients refrain from attending the practice unless asked to do so by a clinician. We are trying to reduce any footfall within the practice for the safety and wellbeing of our vulnerable patients who may need to be called in.
• We have on the advice of NHS England and our CCG suspended all appointment booking via on-line service for the forseeable future.
• Put any paper prescription request in the boxes outside the surgeries. Please, do not bring them into reception.
• Please telephone to make your appointments, do not come in the surgeries to book these.
• We would request that you download and register with the NHS apps. This will enable you to order your prescriptions electronically and avoid the need to come in to the practice. In addition, you will find that this is a quicker and safer method of requesting your medication and provides us with an audit trail to ensure at such a busy time, your request can be tracked from your original request through to completion and collection at the pharmacy.
• Please note we will be sending all completed prescription requests electronically to our local pharmacies. Should you prefer an alternative to our local pharmacy, please make us aware.
• All GP appointments will now be booked as telephone consultations for triage, should the GP then need to see you they will organise this with you during their call. This may not be at your usual branch or with your usual GP.
• Our nurses will be continuing to see some patients either face to face or via telephone calls. However, for our team to ensure we provide the appropriate appointment and clinician for you, they will ask you to provide a brief reason for your appointment request.
• We are currently receiving in excess of a thousand phone calls a day, which is putting increased demand on a reduced workforce. We therefore, respectfully ask that any queries or concerns you have regarding COVID-19 are first directed towards NHS 111 online service (https://111.nhs.uk). If you think you have symptoms and for general information and advice NHS England website (www.england.nhs.uk) prior to contacting the practice.
• If you have symptoms of a Urinary Tract Infection (burning or stinging, urgent desire to pass water or going more often), often called a UTI or Cystitis, we will arrange a telephone assessment for you. Please do not bring in a urine sample for testing.
Important Information regarding practice essential operational changes to how we are working including access to our Ditchling and Hassocks sites.
The safety of our patients and our staff is paramount to Mid Sussex Health Care. We are continuing to try to reduce the non-essential reasons for anyone physically visiting the practice. All clinically essential work will continue but ALL patients will be remotely triaged to assess whether a face-to-face appointment is clinically necessary or whether follow up care and advice can be given using remote consultation or onward referral to hospital, community provider or a visit is required.
Any patient that the GPs feel need to be seen will be directed either to Hurstpierpoint or Hassocks.
Hurstpierpoint: For the safety of those patients that need to be seen after telephone triage, by either the nurses or a GP, and have been identified as nil or very low risk, Hurstpierpoint has been identified as the most suitable location to use, due to its size and room availability to house the staff team that are required to provide this service.
Hassocks: To support our colleagues elsewhere in the NHS and ease pressure on services such as NHS111 and A&E, we will be seeing patients that have been telephone triaged by a GP and need to be seen at our practice. Where there is any doubt that a patient may have an infection of any sort they will be asked to attend the Hassocks site where the GP will be wearing protective clothing. Additional cleaning will take place to ensure the highest infection control procedures are followed. Unless you have been specifically asked by a GP to attend Hassocks please DO NOT attend the site for any other reason.
Ditchling: closed until further notice.
The COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly and up to date information can be found on the NHS website: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19
Our focus remains the well-being of our patients, our employees and supporting the wider community and to enable us to do this, the priority will be to protect our services for vulnerable patients and those who are most in need and so we ask that you only call us if absolutely necessary.
Finally, we want to thank you again for your cooperation understanding and patience during these uncertain times.
Hassocks resident spots a gap in the volunteering market - Huddle Puddle launch
Huddle Puddle volunteer online database launches
By Richard Watkins
We are Hassocks residents living in a street comprising 26 bungalows. Recently, because of the Covid-19 threat, I organised a neighbours’ contact group via WhatsApp.
Only half the responders have WhatsApp, some have just landline and some local family (therefore consider themselves supported). I also found out that most of the residents, like us, are over 70.
This set me thinking about the wider world of communities and the potential issues we all face over the coming months with isolation and a completely new approach to living our day to day lives.
I spoke to our son, who owns a technology development business, and we brainstormed ideas on how to create a not-for-profit community contact and services computerised system.
The idea, in summary, is to create a verified register of local volunteers; a similar register of any household in the community needing some form of assistance; and a form of bulletin board, which will be used to record ‘things’ to be delivered and track the timely and actual delivery.
The volunteer verification process is critical. We will ask potential volunteers to complete an online application, using the same checks as for a bank account opening. There are secondary levels that might be used, for example the acceptance of certified DBS applicants.
Once accepted, volunteers will be given a unique identification and a ‘virtual’ identity card that will be used for any communication or interaction into the service.
Homeowners will need to provide address verification and postcode details. The postcode is critical as it enables the easy identification of the household needing help, which will assist with deliveries.
We want the service to be inclusive and understand that not everybody has access to, or is confident with, internet-based services. We will cater for this by the use of mobile phone or near-neighbour ‘buddies’.
There is lots more information available on our website, which we invite you to view: www.huddle-puddle.com
There is also an option for the reader to add an indicator that they think the idea is valuable and, also optional, add further basic details so that we can keep you informed of progress.
It is my hope that we can be up and operational shortly and that this system is able to help those most in need in our communities.
Hassocks VE Day celebrations cancelled
This year an annual May Day on Friday 8th May 2020 was planned in Adastra Park to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe, with a theme of 1940s. Organiser Michelle Binks cancelled the event last month with a heavy heart saying: “It was the right decision in the light of current government advice and with the movement of people restrictions changing all the time.” Stallholders have been contacted individually. She has no plans to set another date this year but Michelle but looks forward to organising Hassocks May Day in 2021.
DownsFest choir urge home singing
DownsFest Youth Choir has been recruiting enthusiastic young singers to rehearse for the festival but, sadly, all rehearsals are now cancelled. One of the organisers, Emily Hilson, said: “If DownsFest goes ahead in September - fingers crossed we are out the other side by then! - we shall do everything we can to run a few rehearsals and get ourselves up on that stage!”
The situation regarding COVID-19 changes at a rapid pace. The organisers of DownsFest 2020 are working on multiple contingency plans so that, if possible, they may be able to deliver a safe and successful event.
Organiser Michelle Binks explained: “With September being several months away, we are following government advice and will continue to review and augment plans accordingly. We would like to take this opportunity to thank and support all the incredibly hard-working NHS and emergency service staff.”
Meanwhile, Gareth Malone has set up The Great British Home Choir, which aims to give everyone the opportunity to contribute their voices and instruments to an ambitious digital music project which is compatible with social distancing. Register here: www.decca.com/greatbritishhomechorus