Today’s update includes:
- Information about changes we’ve made to our group and website
- A call out for help
- Summary of local news
- Key national/international points
Team updates:
- We added a post about Stroud District Foodbank to our section on Donations, finding grants, fundraising. The Foodbank say “If you’re struggling at the moment and find yourself unable to afford food, please call 01453 367 077 and we’ll advise you how to get a foodbank voucher. Please do not go to our office or warehouse which is closed in order to protect our staff and volunteers. Thank you.” Donate to support this vital work via their website.
- We’ve updated the way our information and support section is displayed on our website, and will be working to further improve the different sections this week.
- Inspired by the #ClapForOurCarers event last week (Annemarie Plas’ idea), and taking on board enthusiastic comments and suggestions… we suggest we do it again in Stroud this Thursday 2nd April… with a twist! On 2nd April at 8pm we suggest showing your appreciation for all those among us who are doing essential work – including the nursery workers looking after the children of carers in the NHS and social care… and the shop workers and others ensuring we can get the supplies we need, whether its food, hand sanitiser, or toilet roll! Please share and invite friends to our “#ClapForOurCarers – #SolidarityWithShopWorkers” facebook event.
Call out from the Team
We are still asking anyone involved in a facebook group or neighbourhood/street/road network to help us map which streets have networks. As well as our map of groups and local businesses, we have a “master map” showing streets which have been leafleted, but we know this doesn’t cover all the areas that have been leafleted or are in groups yet. Download our pdf guide to mapping streets in your area.
Local updates:
- A 10 minute video with Doina Cornell, Leader of Stroud District Council, talking about the Council’s work at the moment was published by Amplify Stroud
- Stroud Farmers’ Market announced details of the producers taking part in their new email-based ordering and collection system.
- “Two more people died in Gloucersteshire hospitals on Sunday [Gloucestershire Live], bringing the total in the county to eight – but the Government has warned the actual death toll could be much higher. NHS chiefs say eight people have lost their lives to Covid-19 in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, in Great Western Road, Gloucester. But the Government say the figures being released do not give the complete picture because they do not include people who died outside of hospital. The number of deaths from the virus are expected to spike on Tuesday when that number is made public for the first time.”
- In Gloucestershire, “109 people have tested positive for coronavirus according to figures updated on Monday afternoon. This is an increase of two on the total of 107 cases announced on Sunday” (Gloucestershire Live). It is important to say that these are confirmed cases only, and that since testing has been suspended for all cases but those needing hospitalisation, we do not have an accurate number for the actual number of cases in the community.
- “Healthcare workers at Dockham Road surgery in Cinderford put out a public appeal on social media for help: “We are desperate and would like to put a call out to the community to see if there are any going spare… We need face masks and gloves. We have obviously ordered them through our normal channels but we do not know how soon the Government supply force can get to us”, one staff member who did not want to be named told GloucestershireLive.
- “Local fostering agency in Gloucester Nexus Fostering is looking to recruit more foster carers, even amid the coronavirus outbreak.” (see the Stroud News and Journal article for more details. “Those who are interested in fostering can contact the team at nexusfostering.com/enquiries, on 01452 245 424 or send an email at foster@nexusfostering.co.uk.They aim to reply to all requests within a day.”)
- Local business “Renishaw has joined a consortium of businesses which have come together to produce [10,000] medical ventilators for the UK’s battle against the coronavirus” (Stroud News and Journal)
National:
- “As of 9am 30 March, a total of 134,946 [people] have been tested: 112,805 negative. 22,141 positive. As of 5pm on 29 March, of those hospitalised in the UK, 1,408 [people] have sadly died.” (Department of Health and Social Care tweet)
- “People are heeding the advice to stay at home to keep pressure off the NHS, and there are early signs that it is working, says the UK’s chief scientific advisor… There are currently 9,000 people in hospitals in England with coronavirus, up from 6,000 on Friday. Sir Patrick [Vallance] said: “That’s gone up pretty much the same amount each day for the last few days. “That shows that it’s going up not in an increasing amount but in a constant amount which may suggest that we’re already beginning to see some effect through.” (BBC News)
- “Northern Ireland has become the first country in the UK to order the early release of prisoners due to the virus.” (BBC News)
- “The UK’s main internet providers have agreed to remove data caps on fixed-line broadband during the coronavirus pandemic” (BBC News)
- “A rapid response unit within the Cabinet Office is working with social media firms to remove misinformation about coronavirus” (BBC News – you may also be interested in our website section on misinformation and scams)
Global:
- Over 30,000 people (33,106) people have now died after testing positive for Covid-19 (3,215 people died since yesterday, but this is a lower increase than the previous day)
- There are 693,224 confirmed cases globally (an increase of 58,411 since yesterday – a lower increase than the previous day)
- More people have now died in Spain (6,528) who have tested positive for Covid-19, than have in China (3,310). Only in Italy have more people died (10,781).
- (above points from the World Health Organisation (WHO) daily Situation Report)
Please remember we have a (growing) list of resources to support your emotional and mental health during this time on our website.