Coronavirus (Covid-19) update - 25 June 2021
Please find below our latest Coronavirus (Covid-19) update for East Devon residents and businesses with information we hope will be of interest to you.
In this issue...
- Please bear with us: Staffing shortages and high demand are impacting our frontline services
- More information on East Devon's Public Toilet Review will be coming soon
- Summer Holiday Club: Book your place now
- Forever Fit with LED Community Leisure
 We are currently experiencing very high demand on our services as our residents and visitors enjoy our beautiful public areas, beaches and green spaces. With all the extra people visiting our teams are very stretched, and we are doing our best to keep up with our street cleansing, litter bin emptying and grass cutting. Please bear with us in this difficult time and help us by reporting issues through our EDDC App or website and we’ll get to them as soon as we can.
Unfortunately due to the same staffing pressures our recycling and waste contractor Suez is also experiencing service issues. The result is that we are not managing to make all collections on the scheduled day, and these are sometimes spilling over to the following day.
If you collection is not made, please leave this out for the following day.
Click here for more on Recycling and Waste.
If you know anyone who would be interested in driving or working outside and helping to keep East Devon looking beautiful, please contact us via email HR@eastdevon.gov.uk.
We have vacancies for HGV drivers, street cleansing operatives and grounds maintenance.
The council is interested in anyone who is willing to muck in and work with us, irrespective of background or experience, get in touch if that is you!
Our Recycling and Waste contractors Suez are also looking for experienced LGV Drivers to join their team. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact James Gatter at Suez on 01395 234500
A consultation on East Devon’s public toilets is set to start at the end of July.
Keep an eye out for the latest news and information which will be posted via social media and on the East Devon District Council website.
Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
More than 1.3m doses have been given in Devon
As the largest ever NHS vaccination programme enters its last lap Devon’s Primary Care Medical Director Alex Degan has encouraged local residents to come forward for their first jab and remember to get their second vital and lifesaving dose.
The plea comes as people aged 40 and over are now able to book in their second jab on the national booking system from eight weeks after their first dose.
With everyone over the age of 18 now able to book in for the lifesaving vaccine, eligible people are being urged to get their first or second jab as soon as possible.
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Drop-in second dose Oxford AstraZeneca appointments at Greendale Vaccination Centre
The Vaccination Centre at Greendale in Exeter will be offering ‘drop-in’ appointments between 8:30am and 7pm this Saturday and Sunday.
These are specifically for anyone who:
- Is aged 40 or over, Clinically Vulnerable or Extremely Clinically Vulnerable
- Received your first dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine at least 8 weeks ago
- Has yet to make an appointment for your second dose, or missed your original appointment
If you would like to attend, please be aware:
- We do have booked appointments during this period so please expect a wait!
- Please continue to check social media for further information, in particular whether we need to close early due to demand!
Please remember to dress appropriately for the weather, and it’s a good idea to bring a drink along with you!
Please note this is for second doses of Oxford AstraZeneca only.
Go for the Flow:
 #DoItForDevon and help keep your friends, family and others safe.
Did you know one in three people with coronavirus are asymptomatic.
Taking a twice-weekly rapid lateral flow test will cut transmission and ensure we remain on the path back to normality, a s well as reducing the spread across Devon.
Watching the football next Tuesday? - remember the rules!
- You can watch football inside pubs across the UK, but remember that in England, only up to six people from six households or two households of any size can meet indoors
- In England, up to 30 people can meet outside, including in a pub garden, but check if the place you're visiting has any restrictions due to the size of their outside space
- Follow the rules if you're inviting people back to yours to watch the game too. Up to six people from multiple houses or any number from just two households can gather indoors, and up to 30 people outdoors
- Use personal judgement when it comes to hugging close friends. Public Health advise to err on caution and be careful
Grab your blankets and baskets out of the cupboards and get out to the great outdoors for a good old fashioned picnic.
East Devon has a number of lovely gardens and parks which make ideal picnic spots.
So pack a hamper and enjoy a socially-distanced sunny day outside with friends and family surrounded by sea views, wooded walks and sandy beaches.
The National Trust also has a number of recommended picnic spots for you to enjoy in Devon.
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Here's some of our best snaps from our East Devon District Council Instagram this week:
#EDDCParks new sustainable planting is flourishing at Manor Gardens in #Exmouth
Check out this picture which shows us making strides towards our new sustainable approach to some of our planting schemes across the district.
We are selecting plants that attract pollinators, encourage biodiversity and provide year interest, colour and form.
There will be some more information boards going up around the parks and gardens in the coming weeks.
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Celebrating Exmouth Pride
To celebrate Exmouth Pride 🌈 a beautiful handcrafted seat has been installed in Manor Gardens for all to enjoy.
Well done Exmouth Pride.
Don't forget to have a walk down and mooch around the gardens to see it yourself.
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Looking good at Seafield Gardens Seaton
A star full bed of edible plants for anyone to come and help themselves.
This bed has been planted with the help of volunteers from SEA, Seaton Environmental Action Group.
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Do you rent a property? Don’t get caught out paying more than you should!
 Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service is urging renters in Devon to make sure they know what landlords and letting agents are allowed to charge when beginning, ending or changing tenancy contracts.
Changes in the law mean that many common tenancy fees have now been banned and renters can no longer be asked to pay for things like professional cleaning, having pets, and certain administration fees, such as extra charges for references and credit checks.
Find out more about the limited number of fees now allowed, and how to report any concerns you have, on the Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service website.
We are all about making it easy for everyone in the community to live a healthier lifestyle by bringing great leisure facilities to your doorstep. It really does not matter how old you are or how fit you feel. With 10 leisure centres across Devon and Somerset, we help everyone from first timers to dab-handers chase their health and wellbeing goals. As a leading charitable leisure trust, LED manages leisure centres for the local community. As a not-for-profit organisation, we reinvest profits into our facilities to provide a community hub for everyone of all ages and abilities.
You can expect to meet friendly and approachable coaches in all our gyms or at the Wellness Hub in Exmouth Leisure Centre who can tailor exercise programmes to your specific cardiovascular, strength and postural needs. Our team will help educate you on the importance of strength and balance and support you on every visit.
We offer a huge range of exercise classes including remedial Pilates and walking circuits as well as our GP-referral scheme Pulse, cancer/cardiac rehabilitation sessions and Escape Pain classes to support those with knee and hip pain.
If you prefer the pool to the gym, join us one of our 25 metre swimming pools at 3 of our leisure centres at Exmouth, Honiton and Sidmouth for lane swimming or popular classes like Aqua Fit and Aqua Flex. Starting July 2021, Good Boost aqua therapy sessions will help reduce pain and improve mobility and provide a bespoke plans to each individual.
If you would rather be out on our indoor courts at Exmouth Tennis and Fitness Centre then walking tennis is a low impact slower version of tennis using softer balls and with up to two bounces allowed for those returning from injury or a little slow around the court. Alternatively join a friend or family member for a match at any of our multi-surface outdoor tennis courts.
And because some people can’t get to our locations, we often go out into the community and support schemes such as Walking for Health in the Sid Valley Area, Strollercise and Swim to the Sea.
LED Community Leisure is here to support you. You are always welcome here regardless of age, ability and fitness level. Visit your local LED Leisure Centre or Swimming Pool for more information.
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 The Exmouth British Heart Foundation shop has now reopened and is need of some volunteers to help raise life-saving funds for people living with heart and circulatory disease.
Volunteering at the Exmouth is very flexible, with full training provided in a COVID-secure shop. Volunteering is a great benefit to people’s well-being, creating social circles and improving resilience as we start to emerge from these difficult times.
If you are interested, Please call: 01395 224350
Summer Holiday Club: Book your place now
 Adventurous outdoor holiday club for 7-11 year olds, based at Seaton Wetlands. Led by experienced education ranger Penny, each day will be different: learn about wetlands wildlife, make natural crafts, use tools, cook on campfires and play. Morning fruit snack and campfire cooked afternoon snack provided.
- Week 1: 02/08-06/08; Week 2: 16/08-20/08
- Drop off 10am; pick up 4pm.
- £35 per child, per day. £150 for all 5 days of one week (discount of £25). No sibling discount.
- 12 children per day
Find more information on the Summer Holiday Club as well as events listings on our website.
To book your child's place call 01395 517557.
Join us on Sunday 4 July for Thank You Day as we celebrate people in our communities who have gone above and beyond over the last eighteen months. Organised by the Together Coalition, Thank You Day is supported by hundreds of organisations across the country, ranging from the Scouts and Guides to Rotary and the Royal Voluntary Service, The Mirror and the Sun, the Football Association and the Church of England.
You can host your own event or get involved with the exciting activities planned, including the biggest ever BBQ led by Levi Roots and a national cheers for volunteers at 5pm. There are lots of resources to help you plan for the big day.
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 All you need to know about the restart grant:
Restart Grants for non-essential retail, hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses close on 30 June. Please check the guidance carefully before applying to make sure you are eligible.
As food and drink exports to the EU have dropped sharply, businesses should check the UK transition support on the Growth Hub which gives details of the £20m SME Brexit Support Fund and the Movement Assistance Scheme.
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If you want to stay up to date with the latest news about grants for East Devon businesses, or other news about business opportunities, funding and training, you must subscribe to East Devon Business news
East Devon District Council also produce regular newsletters and news on different topics, in the last week we have issued the following which may be of interest.
Latest news:
Latest newsletters:
Over the next fortnight the following East Devon District Council meetings are taking place.
Tuesday, July 6
Wednesday, July 7
Any public meetings held online, or held in the Council Chamber between 10 May 2021 to the date that social distancing ceases will be streamed live to the Council’s YouTube channel, and in the event of difficulties these will be streamed on our Facebook page instead.
When recycling your glass jars in your green recycling box, please be a super-recycler and take the lids off, then drop them into your green recycling sack.
We can then recover the lids too. The lids are made from aluminium which is a really valuable metal.
Please visit our website for further information relating to recycling and disposals.
Thank you for recycling.
EDDC recycling Team
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Lydia joins us as a full-time member of the team tasked with overseeing the conservation and public engagement as our flagship nature reserve. The new Seaton Wetlands ranger explains more about her new role:
“I’ve found my engineering background comes in handy when trying to wrangle my head around the dynamic behaviour of water.
I recently completed a practical conservation placement with the Devon Wildlife Trust followed by work on two river restoration projects. I’m really looking forward to combining these experiences here at such an amazing location as Seaton Wetlands and to meeting the site visitors.”
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To keep in touch with the Wild East Devon Team follow them on Facebook and Twitter
Scams Awareness Fortnight aims to create a network of confident, alert consumers who know what to do when they spot a scam.
Here are some online pages giving advice and support on scams
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 Trusted sources of advice and information
Please make sure that you only follow advice from trusted, official sources:
Next edition
We plan to send out our next bulletin on Friday July 9 2021.
Please forward this email to anyone you think would find it useful and encourage them to sign up.
You can also can share this update on social media and in any online groups you're part of by using the view it as a web page link at the top of the page.
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