Thanks to the hard work and generosity of members of the Whittington community, local businesses and organisations, Whittington residents and visitors will be able to enjoy a light display this Christmas. The Parish Council were devastated when they were told by their lighting contractor last Friday that the Christmas Tree lights on the Green has been vandalised and damaged so badly during the year that they were no longer fit for purpose. These lights have lit up the centre of Whittington for several years and were added to last Christmas, with an additional set, to further enhance the display. With only 7 working days until Christmas, it seemed unlikely that the Parish Council would be able to replace them this year but thanks to the generosity of a neighbouring Town Council and a team of local electrical engineers, a set of lights have now gone up on the Tree in the Car Park of the Ye Olde Boote Inn.

Mrs Amy Jones, Clerk to the Parish Council, commented, “As it is so close to Christmas, we sent out a plea to neighbouring Town Councils to see if anyone had any lights available to borrow and by a stroke of luck, Ellesmere Town Council had a spare set of tree lights that they were not using this year. They very kindly offered them to Whittington Parish Council to borrow this year and the landlord of the Boote Inn kindly agreed to having the lights on the tree in the car park as the Green was now too wet to get machinery on to erect the display. Our electrical engineers, Highline, pulled out all the stops and put up the lights for us the Friday before Christmas meaning there will be light in the village this year!”

Mrs Jones added, “To top it all off, when an initial message went out on the Parish Council Facebook Page to explain why the lights were not on this Christmas, members of the community rallied around and set up a Crowd Funding Page to support the Parish Council with purchasing a new set of lights for next year. They managed to raise a fantastic £300 which is being transferred to the council and will be used to put on an enhanced display for Christmas 2020. We can’t thank everybody enough for their generosity and hard work; pulling together to make this happen for the village”.

Mrs Jill Whitby, Chair of the Parish Council, added “I am overwhelmed by the offers of support, and at our meeting on Tuesday, the Council agreed to try and pull out all the stops to ensure that the Village once again had the Christmas Spirit. On behalf of the Council, I personally would like to thank Ellesmere Town Council, Highline Electrical, Nick and the Boote Inn, and all the Parishioners who helped to make this possible”.

Local NHS health professionals are advising residents where to go to get medical help and advice when their GP practice is closed this festive period.

Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are reminding people that although GP practices will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, there are other services available.

For anyone who needs urgent medical help or advice they can call NHS 111 for free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or they can access the service online at 111.nhs.uk.

A number of pharmacies will be open for limited hours, on a rota on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Your pharmacist will be able to give you free advice on minor conditions and over-the-counter treatments.

You can also download the NHS App to check symptoms, book GP appointments during normal opening hours, and request repeat prescriptions.

Dr Julian Povey, Chair of Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “Christmas is a busy time of year and that’s why it is really important people think about their healthcare needs.

“If you have a regular prescription, make sure you have enough to cover the festive period and you collect it in advance.

“Remember your local pharmacist can offer you free health advice without the need of an appointment, or if you are feeling unwell and need urgent health advice call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.”

Dr Jo Leahy, Chair of Telford & Wrekin CCG, said: “We can all help ourselves stay well by making sure we have the essentials to treat minor coughs, colds and sore throats ready, to hand in our medicine cabinets. Please remember, as well as looking after yourself, to pop in and check on your elderly family, friends and neighbours too.”

For pharmacy opening times in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin click here (insert links).

For more information on what you can do to stay well this winter, please visit: www.nhs.uk/staywell.

Community Speed Watch schemes are coordinated by the police but managed and run by volunteers in the community.

The scheme enables local people to take an active role in road safety and help to make their community safer.

If you would like to find out more and are interested in becoming a volunteer with the Whittington Community Speed Watch Scheme, please contact the Parish Clerk: 01691 829571 / clerk@whittingtonpc.com

At the September 2019 meeting of the council, councillors discussed Oswestry Town Council’s recent pledge to aim to plant 17 thousand trees by 2023 and the NALC report and Tree Charter. Whittington Parish Council agreed to support the pledge to plant more trees in the parish and will actively engage with Oswestry Town Council to support them in achieving this goal.

If you would like to plant your own tree(s) on land that you own, trees can be purchased from the Woodland Trust:

https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees

Information published on behalf of ‘Community Catalysts’

My name is Chris and I run a new project just for North Shropshire which aims to increase the choice and quality of care available to our older and disabled neighbours.

We need your help to find those amazinglocal people in North Shorpshire who could provide great quality help at home tailored to our mum’s, dad’s, sister’s, brother’s and grandparents’ needs. This might be offering personal care, help to shop or cook, support to go to a café or walk the dog –it all depends on the individual. 

We help local people to create and grow their own small community enterprise offering care in their own neighbourhoods. Starting your own business can be scary, but we have years of experience supporting people to create successful, inspiring care enterprises all over the country. We believe that local people are best placed to find solutions to local problems.

Do you know anyone who would want to help our community through providing great quality care as well as earning some extra money and working flexible hours?  Please do pass my details on or request some of my flyers. I look forward to hearing from anyone who wants to know more. I can be contacted by text, phone, email or Facebook.

• t: 07876 836317
• e: c.clarke@communitycatalysts.co.uk
• Facebook: @HelpatHomeShropshire

This project is run by Community Catalysts. We make sure that people, wherever they live, have real choice of great local social care, health services and other community resources. We are a social enterprise which means we are focused on making positive change happen, not on profits. My help is totally free to you as this project is funded by Shropshire Council.  

Information shared on behalf of NHS CCG

These are exciting times for healthcare in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, as we seek to improve health outcomes and make services safe and sustainable for decades to come.

One of the big pieces of work already under way is to look at the pathway for patients needing care for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions – ie health problems which affect the joints, bones and muscles.

Together with MSK patients, GPs and specialist clinicians, we have developed a plan to transform local MSK services and are currently commissioning a new integrated MSK service. We believe these will improve outcomes and experience of healthcare for all people in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.

We are holding two focus groups, one in Telford & Wrekin (17 October)  and one in Shropshire (31 October), to talk to you about these proposals, explain them to you and ask for your input to help us shape them in more detail. Your feedback is very important and will help us decide on our final model.

All adult patients or carers who use (or have used) MSK services in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin are invited to attend.

Please see below details of both focus groups, we would appreciate it if you could register to attend

Telford & Wrekin Patient Group

When: Wednesday, 17 October 2019

Time: 4pm to 6pm

Where: Meeting Point House, Southwater Square, Telford TF3 4HS

Register to attend: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/musculoskeletal-patient-focus-group-telford-wrekin-tickets-74961101673

Shropshire Patient Focus Group

When: Thursday, 31 October 2019

Time: 3pm to 5pm

Where: Shrewsbury Town Football Club, Oteley Road, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ST 

Register to attend: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/musculoskeletal-patient-focus-group-shropshire-tickets-74977639137

Whittington Parish Council recently published a Notice of Vacancy following the resignation of Councillor Paul Jones, but no requests were received within the statutory period, requesting that a by-election be held.

The Parish Council is therefore seeking applications from interested local people who wish to be considered for co-option to the Parish Council.

Applications should be made to the Parish Clerk by no later than 12^th November and should detail why you would like to become a councillor and what skills you will bring to the role. The Parish Council will consider all applications received at their Parish Council Meeting to be held on Tuesday 19^th November 2019.

Date of notice: 03.10.19

Amy Jones – Whittington Parish Clerk

Hawthorn Cottage

Porthywaen

Oswestry

SY10 8LX

T: 01691 829571

E: clerk@whittingtonpc.com