Category: Health

After we closed our doors on 18 March you may think we haven’t been doing anything at all in the library, but we have been so busy!

These are strange and scary times as the COVID-19 pandemic grips the planet. As of yesterday, the UK is in lockdown. This means that nobody is allowed to leave their homes except to shop for food and medicines, to care for a vulnerable person, to exercise once a day or to go to work only if it isn’t possible to work from home. Prior to that, we were asked to carry out social distancing, a minimum of 2m from another person, with a ban on all gatherings. This pandemic is merciless, nobody could ever have imagined anything so frightening could happen in our lifetimes. The schools and universities closed last week for the majority of pupils, it’s highly unlikely any of them will return for a summer term, and exams have been cancelled.

At the beginning of Lockdown, when schools were issuing guidance to parents about how to organise home schooling during the forthcoming weeks, my son and daughter in law prepared a timetable for the children’s daily activities. This included traditional learning, reading, maths, writing practice etc but also some more creative and diverting sessions such as painting and physical exercises. I knew the parents would be under pressure as they were both trying to work from home (one part-time and the other full-time) as well as home schooling, so I asked if I could help with any of the activities. After having my arm practically pulled off, I agreed to do a “Storytime” session via Facebook for half an hour every weekday in the 3 to 3.30pm slot.

At the beginning of Lockdown, when schools were issuing guidance to parents about how to organise home schooling during the forthcoming weeks, my son and daughter in law prepared a timetable for the children’s daily activities. This included traditional learning, reading, maths, writing practice etc but also some more creative and diverting sessions such as painting and physical exercises. I knew the parents would be under pressure as they were both trying to work from home (one part-time and the other full-time) as well as home schooling, so I asked if I could help with any of the activities. After having my arm practically pulled off, I agreed to do a “Storytime” session via Facebook for half an hour every weekday in the 3 to 3.30pm slot.

It is pleasing to note that the two large current building sites in Kibworth Beauchamp - those contracted by Miller Homes (off Churchill Avenue) and David Wilson Homes (off Fleckney Road) - have now started to show signs of life in this ‘new normal’ situation.

Beavers, Cubs and Scouts have continued to run but this has been by email, on Facebook, by WhatsApp and Zoom. 

Kibworth Library home deliveries is a new service that is being offered following a successful trial.

The attached article, Wistow Maze Closed is an announcement received by The Kibworth & District Chronicle from Diana Brooks MBE.

The good news for many residents is that on Monday 18 May Leicestershire County Council will be re-opening seven of their fourteen Recycling and Household Waste Sites (RHWS).

Although staying at home like others, I’ve still had a variety of council meetings to attend – albeit virtually. The county council uses Skype, and I gave a report on 24 March to the Cabinet, as chairman of a Scrutiny Review panel looking at how the Children and Families directorate engages with Multi-Academy Trusts.