Coronavirus (Covid-19) update -
30 October 2020
Welcome to the fortnightly Coronavirus (Covid-19) update for East Devon residents with information we hope will be of interest to you.
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Celebrate Halloween across East Devon safely this year
 It's Halloween this weekend and many families may be wondering whether trick or treating is worth the risk this year.
It really is not. Public health teams across Devon are asking families to forget the usual Trick or Treat plans and instead celebrate safely indoors.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy Halloween safely at home, from spooky window dressings to ghostly film nights and beastly baking!
Our colleagues at Devon County Council have come up with some great ideas on alternatives for this year.
Make sure you are safe this Bonfire night
 Many of us enjoy the Bonfire night tradition, but as with so many things in 2020, it won’t be quite the same this year. With organised bonfire and firework events unfortunately being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are encouraging residents to be considerate of others when having their own bonfire and fireworks night at home.
We want everyone to stay safe and well this autumn and to follow government guidelines to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus and to avoid any additional pressure on our emergency services.
The Winter Car Park offer is back in all East Devon District Council car parks from this Sunday!
We are pleased to announce that our popular Winter Car Park Offer is back to support our businesses and the local economy at this really important time. Running from this coming Sunday 1st November 2020 until the end of March 2021 residents and visitors can purchase a £2 ticket from any ticket machine and it will be valid in any East Devon car park until midnight on the day of purchase.
Customers should note that the offer applies to cash transactions only. We apologise for the inconvenience but it is not possible to run the offer through the ParkMobile app.
Be clear on the rules if you are considering travelling
 With Local Alert Levels now in place across England, it’s important to be aware of how your region, and the one you’re travelling to, might be impacted.
Out and about with ‘Routes For Roots’
 Getting out for a walk can be a feel-good activity for all ages.
‘Routes For Roots’ is an exciting new project that is all about “getting people out there” to explore the historic routeways, the lanes and paths of the Clyst Valley.
Why not try this “do-it-yourself” guided walk in Broadclyst that you can follow and enjoy yourself.
There is a video guide to the walk available on You Tube at: https://youtu.be/gOfY2UZIixk
As well as a downloadable illustrated walk guide with a map and activities for kids here: https://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/3721456/broadclyst-walk-guide.pdf
It is an easy walk from the centre of Broadclyst just 2km or 1.3 miles long. There is much to see en route, with points of historical and archaeological interest, and wildlife and nature spotting opportunities along the way.
We really hope that you enjoy this walk!
You can follow the Routes For Roots project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, @clystvalleypark You can become a friend of the Clyst Valley Park and sign up to receive an email newsletter to keep you updated on new walks and events at https://clystvalleypark.org.uk/friend.htm
Be on the look-out for potential scammers
The Director of Public Health Devon has issued a warning and is advising people to stay alert to possible scams, associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve had a report this morning by a member of the public, that he was visited at home by a person claiming to be from the national Test and Trace programme.
“That person told him that his household had been linked as a contact with a COVID-19 case in Exeter, and that therefore he needed to self-isolate. The visitor offered the gentleman a food parcel for £20. He had no identification, and was driving a small dark car.
“This is a scam, and I thank the member of the public for bringing it immediately to our attention.
“I therefore want to remind people to be on their guard, and not be taken in by scams like this.
“The NHS Test and Trace programme publishes details of how they inform people, and importantly what they will never do or ask a person to do. I encourage people to familiarise themselves with the information so that they do not fall foul of would-be scammers.”
Information about the NHS Test and Trace programme and how it works, is available online.
If you are contacted by an individual or a company that you suspect is a scam, you can report it to Action Fraud.
For consumer advice about how to prevent being scammed, visit Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards’ website.
Be safe and pay your respects this Remembrance Sunday
 Remembrance Sunday commemorations will look a little different this year.
To help keep people safe, especially the elderly and vulnerable, there won’t be any public Remembrance Services across East Devon.
Instead people across the country are being encouraged to pay their respects from home and take part in the two-minute silence at 11am safely from their doorsteps.
Councillor Cathy Gardner, Chair of East Devon District Council said:
"It remains important to remember those who gave their lives in the service of this country but this year we need to keep ourselves safe whilst doing so. Many who served and survived are now at risk from COVID-19, we must do our best to protect them all now."
To watch the virtual Exmouth Remembrance Service, click on the link to watch it live on Facebook on Sunday 8th November
Two more East Devon community buildings will benefit from £10,000 of funding from East Devon District Council’s Community Buildings Fund.
Awliscombe and Payhembury Village Halls are the latest successful projects to be awarded with a Community Buildings Fund grant.
The scheme has been running for over 13 years and helps fund projects for village halls, community buildings and community shops by offering grants of anything up to £5,000.
Community buildings and community shops that are within an area covered by a Town Council are not eligible to apply, To find out more
Council supports call to government to financially help WASPI women facing hardship due to COVID
East Devon District Council is calling on the government to provide financial help for women born in the 1950s who lost out on thousands of pounds of income due to state pension age changes and are now in further hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic.
East Devon Business Update
UK Transition Business Webinars – Prepare your business for new rules from January 2021
View BEIS’s webinar schedule and book your slot. The live sessions cover: Life Sciences, Aerospace, Construction, Consumer Goods, Metals and other Materials, Retail, Automotive, Services and Investment, and Electronics and Machinery.
Free training for East Devon business
The Cornwall Marine Network are offering free training to businesses in East Devon. Hone your skills in making the sale, managing people, adapting to change and much more including learning about ‘shopify’. Book your place online at:
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Follow East Devon Business on social media: @EastDevonBiz on Twitter; @EastDevonBusiness on Facebook; East Devon District Council on Linkedin
Dates of next East Devon virtual Council meetings
Over the next fortnight the following East Devon District Council virtual meetings are taking place:
- Planning Committee on Wednesday 4th November at 10am
- Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 5th November at 6pm
- Overview Committee on Thursday 12th November at 6pm
The meetings can all be viewed on our YouTube channel by searching for 'East Devon District Council' or by subscribing.
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Happy customers return to local LED Community Leisure centres
LED Leisure are delighted that so many of its members and customers have been back enjoying fitness activities in its leisure centres after re-opening at the end of July. It has been fantastic to see many familiar faces again working out in the gym and exercise studios, as well as the swimming pools. Reassuringly, it hasn’t taken people long to get used to the new Covid-19 precautionary measures and social distancing arrangements in place in all LED facilities.
Extra public toilets across East Devon have now reopened
As of Saturday 24 October the Seaton Wetlands public toilets reopened. These will be open 7 days a week.
And from Wednesday 28 October the disabled toilet at Lace Walk in Honiton will reopen as a unisex facility.
Both facilities will have an enhanced cleaning regime, hand sanitisers and social distancing and hygiene signage.
For a full list of the Public Toilets open across East Devon
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Be Pump-Kind!
While this year’s Halloween celebrations may be more low key than usual, we are encouraging residents across East Devon to support the campaign to #EatYourPumpkin.
If you’re planning to buy a pumpkin, here are some top tips to get your money’s worth and reduce waste at the same time:
• Scoop out and roast the flesh and use to make delicious pumpkin soup, pie, wedges and pasta sauce. Find some tasty pumpkin recipes here.
• Remove pumpkin seeds and roast for a nutritious snack or use in muesli, smoothies, bread baking or toppings on savoury dishes for a vitamin and mineral boost.
• After Halloween, smash your pumpkin into small pieces – a great activity for children - and add to your garden compost bin. Smaller pieces will rot down quicker than large chunks.
• If you can’t eat or compost your pumpkin please put it in or on your blue food caddy so it can be collected as part of your weekly food waste collection. It will be used to generate electricity and make bio-fertiliser for South West farms.
For more tips and advice about reducing your food waste over Halloween and throughout the year
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Thelma Hulbert Gallery update
Annual Christmas selling exhibition of contemporary craft starts on 14 November
Wild East Devon update
Undercliff National Nature Reserve
As part of our work managing and maintaining the East Devon stretch of the South West Coast Path, Wild East Devon is responsible for the section of route which winds through the most remote and hard to reach part of the District, the Undercliff National Nature Reserve.
Working in partnership with the NNR site managers, Natural England, Wild East Devon recently held a joint work party to tackle some particularly remote steps in need of repair. On two chilly but bright days in October, the two teams worked together, socially distancing at all times, to improve parts of the path which required attention.
It is hoped that our collaboration can continue, with plans for a special Undercliff volunteer group being formulated as we speak.
Whilst adage that “Many hands make light work” was proven to be incorrect on these gruelling sessions, it did prove that by working collaboratively we can get huge amounts done to help people enjoy our unique and wonderful Countryside.
Read more in the latest Wild East Devon newsletter due out next week.
To subscribe click on the link and select Wild East Devon from the topics list.
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 To keep in touch with the Wild East Devon Team follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Help is available if you are worried about money and how to pay for basic household essentials
 The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is continuing to put a huge financial strain on some families. Employment situations are changing rapidly and for some their income now no longer covers what they need or they have lost their jobs completely.
Help is available. If you know someone who is worrying about money and how to pay for basic household essentials, please encourage them to apply for extra assistance through funding that has made available. The Financial Hardship Fund is administered by East Devon District Council.
You can find out more about what support is available in Devon, including how to apply for financial help, where to find foodbanks and community larders, free meals during the school holidays and what to do if you’re on a low income and need to self-isolate
Trusted sources of advice and information
Please make sure that you only follow advice from trusted, official sources:
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