BUZZ ROUNDUP: COVID-19 Edition #2

Welcome back to a COVID-19 edition of BUZZ Roundup – keeping you up to speed with changes and emergency planning measures here in the village.

The situation across the UK and here in the village continues to evolve rapidly, and we are all feeling the effects. Our dedicated COVID-19 page supplements advice from trusted news channels, provides links to national and local resources, and one-stop access to documents from our teams here in Keevil – their two latest are:

• KEEVIL EMERGENCY PLANNING: 24th March: Document from our Emergency Planner David Bouault listing local services. Download FOOD
• Note also the new Collection and Delivery service at the Village Shop in Steeple Ashton – full details here.
• KEEVIL PARISH COUNCIL: 22nd March: document that includes Parish Councillors that you can call for help at any time now or in the future, if you have to self-isolate. Download COVID -19

We will continue to add to this as information comes in.

Events in Keevil have obviously come to a halt. Here’s the latest changes:

• Keevil Post Office has now closed for the foreseeable future. The PO service at Steeple Ashton Village Shop (Wednesdays 9.30 am -1.30pm) will stay open as long as possible – as long as the shop is open.
• All Wiltshire libraries and mobile libraries are closed until further notice.
• Tea & Chat, the Craft group, and classes in the village hall are all suspended until further notice.
• The AGMs of both the Keevil Community Amenities Trust, and the Village Hall committee will NOT now take place in April.
• There will be no Keevil School Scarecrow Trail or Church Fete this year.
• St Leonard’s Church services are suspended, however, Rob Thomas has begun a series of email briefings: read his notice here and get in touch with Janet Hopkins for more details. And whilst we’re sort of at the Church, PLEASE DON’T FORGET FOODBANK DONATIONS – they are particularly needed at the moment. The (very dusty!) box is in the Church porch. At the moment they are particularly short of shower gel and shampoo, although of course all donations are useful. Thanks!

NO KEEVIL PARISH NEWS…

Unfortunately, due to the crisis, Pat is unable to get the April edition of the village magazine printed. HOWEVER, you can download a PDF copy to read on your computer or device, or print off at home: APRIL magazine 2020 Revised

There will be no May edition of the magazine. If you have any village news, information, updates or stories you’d like shared via the village website and BUZZ, get in touch with Bob or Sarah, details all on the Contact Form. Don’t forget there’s also now a KEEVIL VILLAGE Facebook Group which serves as a valuable real-time message board…

Parish Council 

• Contact details of our Parish Councillors has been updated

And finally…

We leave you this time with a sobering, heartfelt message from someone on the front line: Keevil village resident Dr Alex Goodwin – Clinical Director of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Services at the RUH Foundation Trust Bath.

Dear Neighbours,

I write this as I was astonished to see at least five workmen in a village garden today – ignoring all the advice from the Government.

On behalf of the NHS team in Bath, I wanted to let you know that the Coronavirus is real and has arrived at the R.U.H.

We have been training hard over the past three weeks and have expanded our Intensive Care bed number significantly. The professionalism and dedication of all my colleagues have been astonishing as we face the oncoming challenge. We estimate we are a week or so, behind London and so expect the further tsunami of cases early next week. We promise to do the best we can for all our patients in the coming weeks. We have been touched by the many kind words and messages, thank you.

What you can do for the NHS, and our fellow villagers, is to adhere to the Government’s requests. The best advice is to stay at home and when out, remember the 2 m or 6 ft social distance is a proven weapon against this pandemic and will save lives. Please, please adhere to this advice.

Thank you, take care and keep safe.

Alex