Below is a copy and paste from a document sent out by Garry Whiting, Heathgate Medical Practice & Lead Manager for the Poringland Centre:
Update – Covid 19 Vaccinations Message from Heathgate Medical Practice and Old Mill and Millgates Surgery
I have been asked where we are with second doses.
We have our last first dose clinic this Friday afternoon and then next week (29th March) we are due to start second vaccines at 11 to 12 weeks, to those we have already seen for vaccination.
Yes it’s 11 weeks since we started and locally we have vaccinated 22,000 people out of the Centre.
Your surgery will contact you as the timing of your second dose comes around. This contact will be made when we have confirmed vaccine delivery dates from NHS England.
Those still requiring first doses in the agreed cohorts 1 to 9 (above 50 or those under 50 with a specific underlying health condition) are being asked nationally to contact the national booking line via 119 or book online with the booking references from letters they have received.
There are no national invitations as yet for those aged 18 to 49 (without an underlying health condition).
Healthwatch Norfolk we are launching a project to find out how people affected by cancer have accessed their appointments during the pandemic, with the overall aim of informing the wider rollout of digital services within the NHS.
Given that there are families in our community affected by cancer, and sadly there will undoubtedly be more in future, we thought it would be helpful to publicise this to residents, who may also wish to share this with friends and relatives to ensure that the survey reaches the widest possible audience.
From Healthwatch Norfolk themselves:
At Healthwatch Norfolk we are launching a project alongside Healthwatch Suffolk to find out how people affected by cancer have accessed their appointments during the pandemic.
We are working with the people in charge of cancer services in Norfolk and Suffolk to help shape the way appointments are accessed in the future, so it is vital that we get as much feedback as possible to get an authentic sense of patient opinion.
If you live in Norfolk or Waveney and have had a cancer diagnosis, referral or treatment since March 2020, Healthwatch Norfolk and Suffolk would love to hear from you.
Whether you have had virtual appointments (by phone or video call, for example), in-person appointments, or a combination of both your experiences could help shape future provisions.
If you would like to participate, please contact Healthwatch Norfolk by calling 0808 1689669, or emailing enquiries@healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk. Alternatively, the survey can be completed online by visiting www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/cancerappointments/
We are also asking our audience to forward the information to as many people as possible, to help us with this important piece of work. We would be extremely grateful for any support you can offer.
Healthwatch Norfolk and Healthwatch Suffolk are the independent voices for patients and service users in our counties. We gather your views of health and social care services to ensure they are heard by the people in charge. For more information about what we do, visit our websites www.healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk and www.healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk.”
The Adult Learning Team at County Hall have put together a free series of sessions and 4‑week short courses under the banner of ‘Spring into Wellbeing’ including meditation, yoga, languages and mindfulness.
There is a taster session for every course, and then if you like it you can book onto the longer course.
They are open to all, so have a read of the flyer and book your place!
From Marc Williams, Area Coordinator for UK charity Arthritis Action:
Arthritis Action Groups are an opportunity for people with arthritis to talk with others and share their tips on how to manage their arthritis and stay active whilst at home, and we actively welcome new attendees.
We discuss a variety of self-management techniques. Participants will need to contact us directly for the log in instructions for the meeting, and we have produced ‘How To’ guides for those not familiar with using Zoom.
I’m also available for one-off presentations on self-management of arthritis via Zoom if there is a local group that would be interested. These will of course be free of charge.
Upcoming Group Dates:
30/03/2021 – Norfolk & Suffolk Online Group (Launch) – 2pm
09/04/2021 – Coffee morning (open to all areas) – 10:30am
30/04/2021 – Coffee morning (open to all areas) – 10:30am
11/05/2021 – Norfolk & Suffolk Online group – 2pm
28/05/2021 – Coffee morning (open to all areas) – 10:30am
Just 7 miles south east of Norwich is a centre for Arts and creative Christian spirituality, based in The Barn, a former old carriage house at Rockland St Mary Rectory, home of the former Burning Bush project. The Barn is a ministry run by Canon Nick Garrard and his wife Rev Helen Garrard.
At present the Barn fulfils several roles. It is a recording studio for services, an assembly line for children’s craft packs, and home to Art Café, which Nick explains, “This is a Wednesday morning online gathering where we contemplate a work of art or an artist and talk about all that intrigues and inspires us. We have conversations with artists, including the award-winning young Dutch artist Egbert Moddermann who joined us from Groeningen to share some of his paintings on Biblical themes.”
Nick’s role combines being Rector of six rural parishes (Rockland Benefice, part of the Bramerton Group) with Bishop’s Officer for Christian Spirituality through the Creative Arts. The arts ministry is based in The Barn, was developed and resourced by his predecessor, Revd Wendy Shaw and a committed core group, many of whom are still involved today from neighbouring villages and further afield.
“We trust The Barn will offer a creative space to explore their big questions. We look forward to times when people can return to the Barn for art events, quiet days, worship, coffee and cake,” said Nick, “We are launching groups with different interests soon, seeking to encourage creativity in many ways.”
Nick extends an invitation, “If you’d like to join us or receive our monthly Barn Owl round up of arts and spirituality events, my contact details are 01508 538014, email nickgarr39@aol.com or click https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7440/get-in-touch/
Residents may be interested in these awards recognising projects that improve the quality of countryside life. CPRE are a countryside charity who run these awards every other year. If you know anyone with a relevant project then it might be worth sharing this with them.
From Su Waldron, Administrator, CPRE Norfolk:
Looking after the countryside, improving life for Norfolk communities and helping deal with climate change are all things where we need action. And every other year, the CPRE Norfolk Awards celebrate those who are doing just that.
We are CPRE Norfolk, the countryside charity (charity 210706), working for a countryside that’s rich in nature, accessible to everyone and which plays a crucial role in responding to the climate emergency.
The 2021 CPRE Norfolk Awards has a range of categories and we are looking for projects carried out by local groups, local organisations (such as parish councils), and those in the private and commercial sector, and those that involve young people, that celebrate and enhance the quality of country life in beautiful Norfolk.
The entry categories are:
(i) rural living (for projects that improve the sustainability of rural living such as reducing energy, carbon, water use etc. in rural communities).
(ii) countryside champions (for projects that enhance wildlife, landscapes or improve countryside access).
(iii) digging deep (for businesses, local authorities and parish councils that are putting something back to benefit the environment or landscape)
(iv) good lighting design (to recognise schemes which keep light pollution impacts to a minimum in the rural countryside) – this category is not competitive.
Size of projects doesn’t matter, especially where initiatives can be replicated throughout the county.
Entries can be made between February 1st and May 28th 2021 and there will be an awards evening in September (hopefully a live event, but if this is not possible, we will hold a virtual event).
March is the month when the long-awaited Spring arrives and when the pace of your gardening increases quite dramatically. At last we can get outside to start work again which is just as well, as there is a lot to do!
Deadhead and prune
Deadhead any early spring bulbs but don’t chop back the leaves for at least six weeks after flowering, to ensure the bulbs have re-absorbed all that energy from the leaves to give you a good display next year.
You can also hard-prune bush roses back to about 30cm, removing any dead or diseased wood and cutting back to an outward-facing bud.
Weed and mulch
Remove weeds, then mulch beds and borders with shredded bark or compost to help prevent the weeds returning and mulch around newly planted trees or shrubs.
Lawns
It should be able to start mowing your lawn this month too, this will immediately tidy up your garden by removing all debris and leaves off the grass and smarten everything up ready for Spring. Try not to cut the grass too tight this month, it is best to leave the grass a little longer than normal for the first few cuts of the year.
Re-seed any worn patches of grass and repair any edges which may have crumbled over the Winter months.
Sowing and planting
March is generally the last recommended time to plant bare-root trees, shrubs and roses until November.
The most important task in March is probably sowing. Sow celery, courgettes, tomatoes and cucumbers on the windowsill or greenhouse for planting out once the danger of frost has passed.
Tomatoes on the vine
You can also plant out the Autumn-sown Sweet Peas and sow more seed to provide a fragrant display later in the year.
Plant herbs in windowsill trays and plant any early potatoes, onion sets and asparagus. When the weather is a little warmer at the end of the month, sow onions, parsnips and the first carrots, turnips, beetroots in the open soil under cloches and salad leaves in the greenhouse.
Now is also the time to plant those summer-flowering lilies in a hole three to four times their bulb height and to sow hardy annuals to fill gaps in flowerbeds and borders.
Dividing
Dig up and divide larger clumps of snowdrops and any other perennials you didn’t have time to divide in the Autumn.
Ponds and water plant
On a mild day, drain two thirds of the water from your pond and replace with fresh water. Remove any Algae which may have formed and clear off any old foliage from marginal plants.
Pots
Replace the top half of compost in planters and containers and top-dress with slow-release fertiliser.
General tasks
Finish off any digging of vegetable plots or flowerbeds and weedkill those paths and driveways while the weeds are small.
Houseplants
Give your houseplants a little more watering as the days lengthen feed with a liquid fertiliser to encourage the new growth.
While you are working in your garden you will hear the wonderful sound of the Spring birdsong and see lots of activity as the birds search for partners and suitable nesting sites, If the weather turns cold again, please remember to keep filling your birdfeeders to give them the best start to the nesting season.
A robin
Happy gardening!
These tips were kindly contributed by local resident Cara MacColl
Lost an earphone? A Bergh Apton resident has kindly picked it up on a walk over the fields on Dodgers Lane, to keep it safe in case the weather damages it. If it’s yours, Contact us with the contact form and we can put you in touch, or check nextdoor.com for the original post from the resident.
Alpington and Yelverton 