Coronavirus Support

Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support

Transitions

With the formal end of ‘shielding’ and the return to normal pharmacy arrangements, most people who were receiving help from MCCS volunteers are now managing their own shopping and prescription collection. However, many of our wonderful volunteers are on standby should a helping hand be needed; please contact your zone leader if you need help. Obviously, we hope not to have a return of lockdown, but we are prepared to swing into action if necessary. We’ve had very good contact with County Council Adult Social Care on transitioning to statutory services where needed, and also with Melbourn Mobile Warden service [see page 31], who already support Meldreth residents and can help out further. Our District Councillor Jose Hales can provide further information about the Mobile Warden service; you’ll find his contact details in the Village Directory in each copy of Meldreth Matters. It’s clear that the volunteer support over the past few months has been immensely valued and has resulted in new friendships and community connections.

Meldreth Food Bank: Donations Welcome

Meldreth’s Food Bank is now supplying food boxes to families with a child on Free School Meals, during the summer holidays, as well as to other residents. The boxes are picked up and delivered by Meldreth Primary School staff. MCCS anticipates that it may need to launch a second fundraising drive in the autumn, to enable the Food Bank to run longer term. Thank you to all those who have donated so generously at the collection point in the driveway at 69 High Street Meldreth, opposite the British Queen. The Food Bank received £370 in unsolicited cash donations. This has significantly helped in the running of the summer food box programme. We very much welcome continuing donations to the Food Bank, which is open Tuesdays 10.00am to midday and Thursdays from 2.00-4.00pm. If you have any questions at all, please contact Anne Bobeckyj on 07492 355279.

Screenbank

Screenbank has almost completed the target supply of refurbished computers to Melbourn Village College and is now focusing on appropriate systems for a small number of elderly isolated Meldreth residents who are keen to take up use of the internet. Thank you to everyone who has donated second-hand computers, which are continuing to come in. All surplus equipment is now being directed to Bassingbourn Village College, which has a regular cohort of Meldreth students, under a new ‘Bassingbourn Screenbank’ project there. The Meldreth Screenbank received donations from villages far and wide including Bassingbourn, and it’s been good to see an increasing number of students in the local area supplied with much needed home IT equipment, as well as villages working together to help one another.

Stay Safe

The Cambridgeshire Director of Public Health attributes the relatively low number of cases of COVID-19 here in large part to following the advice on social distancing, hand hygiene and face covering. The Director emphasises that in order to continue to contain the virus, it’s vital we continue following common sense advice. It’s been good to see plenty of care taken all around Meldreth and our neighbouring villages. Thank you once again to everyone who has so kindly helped out in one way or another to support others in the village. We’ll be back in Meldreth Matters next month.

Susan van de Ven and the MCCS team

Huw Shortle Pure Water Window Cleaning 07915 378397 info@huwclean.co.uk

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See our rates on page 52