The Parish Council want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your resilience in dealing with the pandemic. It has presented everyone of all ages, both individual and collective, challenges but to everyone’s credit to date our community has met them all with tenacity and a very strong community. We recognise the hundreds of acts and actions and creative acts of goodwill and kindness that has heartened us all throughout the year and affirmed our sense of neighbourhood and wider community. What has impressed me is the way you all have supported all our local services and businesses and kept things going.
The Schools have been amazing and continued to thrive to the credit and benefit of our children and young persons, many of who must have been frightened by this awful virus.
Localism has developed more than ever before and we must continue to build on the numerous community projects – reducing food miles, promoting local initiatives in business, the environment and climate change. Working from home has reduced car use as well as many other initiatives such as tree planting, flowerbeds, sharing and growing vegetables.
People have got together, talked and supported each other by shopping, listening and joined in activities such as clearing litter leaves and flood prevention.
We live in a beautiful Valley made up of a lovely landscape largely managed by a strong farming and growing community. Local employment is so important to create a sustainable community, and the need for affordable housing for our children, young and old people will continue to be a challenge with the drift from Cities which appears to be an outcome of Covid. Our community facilities have been challenged by the reduction in use arising from lockdown but have remained resilient in spite of this .We have a strong society in our parish and things will return to something resembling pre Covid times but let’s all keep the hundreds of new and existing initiatives going as we will all be stronger for it.
Our sincere thanks to everyone. Please continue to support each and everyone, local services and businesses. Special thanks to our key local authority service providers and the NHS Staff Teams, the Fire Service, our Surgeries, our Pharmacists, Dentists and Opticians. Welcome and share our lovely Parish to visitors, cyclists, and walkers and enjoy the Parish.
Finally it’s not over yet – we still need to be careful and continue our strong discipline and community awareness, Have a very special Christmas and hopefully in the New Year we may begin to come out of the effects of this dreadful virus.
Stay safe and, again, thank you each and everyone for all your caring and contributions for seeing our community through Covid.
Jon Wheatley
Chairman