Support to help people to self-isolate
Norfolk County Council has published a new guide listing support available for residents who need to self isolate. Download a copy of the guide.
Melton Constable Surgery update
Melton Constable surgery will reopen from Monday 15th June with the usual opening hours (Monday to Friday, 0800-1300 and 1400-1800, except Thursday afternoons). The surgery will only be open for collecting medication.
The patient toilet in the waiting area will be closed. The prescription box by the hatch will be removed and repeat prescription slips should be posted in the box outside. Enquiries should be telephoned through to the surgery (01263 712461).
Patients whose medication was delivered prior to the Covid-19 lockdown will continue to receive deliveries from our van. For patients who are shielding until 30th June, the advice is to ask a relative/friend/neighbour to collect (who would need to tell us the patient’s name and address). If there isn’t anybody available, shielding patients should let us know and we will ensure that they are not forgotten.
If you need help
If you are self isolating or shielded and need help with prescriptions, shopping (local), dog walking or even just someone to talk to for a friendly chat, there is a local team of volunteers who are happy to help. Please call 07737 688345 or 07500 058310 between 9am and 5pm. For more complex needs, and help outside these hours, please call the NNDC helpline on 01263 516000.
If you are unable to shop because you are shielded/self-isolating or simply don’t have sufficient funds, then NNDC may be able to help with a food parcel. Please do not be embarrassed to ask – you are not alone – and you do not need to be on benefits to qualify. Call the NNDC helpline on 01263 516000.
Free “Exercise at Home Packs” for Vulnerable Adults
Staying active is an important way to keep healthy and resilient to the coronavirus and is so important that the government has identified it as one of the four reasons that people can leave their homes.
However, there are many vulnerable people who are isolating at home and who are also living without access to internet, and therefore unable to access the wealth of online fitness resources and advice.
Active Norfolk is now offering free physical activity packs to support vulnerable adults who are isolating during the Covid-19 pandemic to be active at home.
These packs are specifically designed to support those that are digitally excluded and therefore unable (or unwilling) to access online health resources, although they are suitable for any vulnerable adults needing support to maintain their health and wellbeing at home during this time.
The packs are small and lightweight, containing:
- a guided home exercise booklet;
- a resistance band (yellow, lightest resistance);
- a Sitting Room Circuits DVD which contains a half hour guided walk through of gentle exercises that can be done at home and are suitable for those that currently do little or no exercise; and
- information leaflets with tips on reducing sedentary behaviour and information about a physical activity call-back service for individuals that want tailored 1:1 advice over the phone.
Active Norfolk hope to be able to target distribution to those who are known to be digitally excluded – if that information is known. However, we are happy to provide packs to support all vulnerable adults to be active at home.
If you would like a pack, please contact the Parish Clerk.
Funding sources
Norfolk County Council has compiled an important and comprehensive list of funding sources for local organisations and businesses.
Latest newsletter
Download our April 2020 newsletter with latest Cover-19 information, keeping occupied while staying home, Easter messages and local shops open.
Useful information
Here’s very useful information on the national and local response to the Covid-19 pandemic kindly provided by Briston’s County Councillor Steffan Aquarone. This will answer a lot of the questions you might have!
Volunteering to help
There are a range of volunteering opportunities in the village to help our more vulnerable residents. These include collecting prescriptions, shopping, dog walking, as well as just picking up the phone for a friendly chat.
You will need to register as a volunteer with NNDC. After registration (these can take up to 7 days) one of our volunteer coordinators will contact you to find out how you are able to help. You will need a DBS check if you are likely to have face to face contact with clients. Please download this volunteer guidance document and register here.
New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Anyone needing to source PPE can access the LEP database by emailing: supply.chain@newanglia.co.uk to get a log-in for the data system.
Anyone wanting to make or sell PPE can register what they’re making or have in stock here.
Are you looking for work or does your company need staff?
New Anglia LEP is working with partners to support businesses during Covid-19 to help them find the staff they need to continue to operate at this challenging time. There are over 60 vacancies currently being advertised. Visit New Anglia LEP for details.
This Employment Opportunity page is part of New Anglia LEP’s work to help businesses through the Covid-19 crisis. Other areas of work include:
- Helping to source PPE
- Promoting grants available to businesses
- Supporting key sectors
Clap for the NHS!
Join your friends, neighbours and the rest of the country on Thursdays at 8pm. Just stand on your doorstep and clap, cheer, whistle and shout to show your support for our amazing NHS staff!
Annual Parish Meeting
Sadly, Briston Parish Council has had to cancel the Annual Parish Meeting due to the national crisis concerning Covid-19. This meeting was due to take place on 15 April.
The Annual Parish Meeting will not be held in 2020 and it is hoped to reschedule it in 2021 with Simon Kinder talking about the history of Briston.
Morrisons telephone delivery service
Morrisons have set up a dedicated elderly and vulnerable phone line for those customers to place an order over the phone.
They can choose from a Food Box or place an order from a selection of 45 essential groceries for doorstep delivery. Pet food etc can be added to the order (this is not online at the moment).
The order is then matched to a local store who picks the order and delivers it directly to the customer the following day. If you have friends or family in need of this help and are unable to shop instore, please ask them to call 0345 611 6111 and select option 4 to order a Food box or 5 to place an order for Doorstep delivery.
The order will take 24 hours to process, and payment will be taken through a contactless card by the delivery driver. No contact with the driver will be made and the machine will be placed on a wall etc for people to put their cards into.
This service is available 8-4pm Mon-Friday excluding bank holidays.
Prescriptions
For latest information on prescriptions from Melton Surgery, please visit the Holt Medical Practice website.
Permissive Paths & Dog Walking Areas
Following direct guidance from the Norfolk Constabulary, Stody Estate is keeping under review access to these lovely areas where local residents can enjoy their daily walk and fresh air. The Estate is keen to keep these areas open, for as long as possible, but have had to apply tighter access measures, in order to comply with the Government’s advice on Covid-19.
Stody Estate has proposed and agreed with the Police that the Dog Walking Areas can stay open if:
- There is only ever a maximum of 4 cars in each car park at the Dog Walking Areas
- They park in the designated spaces, 5m apart
- Users practice social distancing and wear gloves when opening/closing gates
- If the above guidelines are NOT adhered to the Stody Estate will be forced to close the Dog Walking Areas (signs have been put up to this effect)
The Stody Estate respectively asks all walkers and bicycles to keep to the public and permissive paths and not venture onto private farm tracks and meadows. The farm is at one of its busiest times of year, with large machines travelling at speed, and the Estate is extremely focused on trying to avoid any accidents.
Ekes Garage
For information: in line with government guidelines during the Covid-19 pandemic, Eke’s Garage in Briston will be closed from Monday 7th April until Tuesday 28th April. Open for fuel sales on Monday and Friday 8am – 9am for key workers only (including Good Friday and Easter Monday).
Parish Council statement
A number of criticisms have been made of Briston Parish Council online which are unjustified, potentially libellous and based on misinformation.
Briston Parish Council has been working behind the scenes to prepare for the Coronavirus lockdown since our first informal discussion about it on 16 March. Parish councillors are volunteers who are not paid. Since last May’s election no parish councillor has claimed any expenses for anything.
We produced an information leaflet to be delivered to every household in Briston. This was absolutely necessary to reach and reassure residents who do not use the internet or social media and who may not have friends, family or neighbours checking on them. It has already helped to identify such vulnerable people. It was designed professionally for free and delivered for free, with the printing of 1500 copies costing £90.
Aware of Alan Palmer’s volunteer group, there was communication between parish councillors and Alan from as early as 17 March. We have acknowledged and commended the ongoing work of this group and have no intention of replacing it. However, we were also duty-bound to wait for North Norfolk District Council’s lead in setting up regulated support. We must now encourage all volunteers who wish to continue to register with Voluntary Norfolk via the NNDC website. This is to safeguard themselves as well as those receiving support.
Briston Parish Council is not itself applying for, receiving or giving out any grants. We are simply assisting North Norfolk District Council in their emergency grant-funding. As yet no local applications have been made but grants can be considered for those households most in need or to cover expenses incurred by regulated volunteers.
Donate to Community Response Fund
Norfolk Community Foundation has established the Covid-19 Community Response Fund to support local charities working hard on the ground to keep vulnerable people safe and well.
By donating to their Covid-19 Community Response Fund you will help charities and voluntary groups to take action where it is needed most to provide essential care and support – now, and in the months ahead.
You can donate here.
Village Covid-19 guidance
If you and your household are ‘self isolating’ because you are over 70 years old, or if you are under 70 with health issues, this leaflet from Briston Parish Council will help you find the support you need at this difficult time.
Please note the leaflet delivered to residents has an incorrect mobile number for BPC. It should read 07796 324857.
NNDC letter
Download the NNDC letter to all residents offering practical advice and directing you to key support packages put in place to assist Norfolk residents at this time.
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