A big thank to you The Giddings for their donations to Sawtry foodbank last week, and to Jed and Aruna at Giddings Stores for their kindness in co-ordinating donations.
The support is much appreciated. The donations were used by volunteer packers at the CARESCO run foodbank in Sawtry to provide essential supplies for local people in need. The parcels are delivered each Friday afternoon by volunteers to people who have obtained vouchers for help (see the attached notice on how to obtain vouchers).
There is a continuing weekly need for food donations, and even one item can make a difference. Any food donations should be placed in the box by the counter at Giddings Stores and they will be collected and taken to Sawtry each Friday morning. There is also a list of items that are needed on display.
Here are a couple of photos of some of the donations from Giddings , Winwick and Glatton last week.
Photos taken on the 75th anniversary of VE Day around Great Gidding (and Little Gidding) during the ‘lockdown’ due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Despite social-isolation restrictions everyone managed to have a joyful day with lots of photo sharing via social media. Thanks to everyone that got involved and to Michael and Julie for orchestrating the day.
Aerial photos of the maze that has been created at St Margaret’s Church in Luddington.
The maze was designed and cut into the churchyard by Carry Akroyd and Gordon Monk several years ago to encourage the children of the village and surrounding area to enjoy and discover the local flora and fauna. The hope is to improve the diversity of the planting as the maze becomes more established.
A few photographs taken during the Coronavirus pandemic ‘lockdown’ during Spring 2020. Hoping that in a year’s time we’ll be looking back at these as a distant memory!
Send us YOUR photos
If you’ve got any photos that you would like to share please send them to paulcrank@thegiddings.org.uk and I’ll add them to the gallery. Thanks.
Caresco run a foodbank in Sawtry and rely on goodwill and local donations to keep things going.
They need donations of basic foods to create food parcels for local people. Demand since the beginning of the crisis has increased substantially and they are now preparing and delivering some thirty parcels a week to families and individuals in need. They expect demand to increase further.
There is a food donation box near the counter in Jed and Aruna’s Gidding Stores and items left in this box will be collected and taken to Sawtry each week by Maggi Stewart from Winwick.
Here is a list of the types of food urgently needed:
Cereal
Porridge
Jam
Tinned: meat/tuna/potatoes/veg/beans/soup/fruit
Sugar (small bags preferred)
Instant single-serving packets of heat-and-eat soups and noodles
A message and information from Tim Alban, District Councillor for Stilton, Folksworth & Washingley Ward
“Life has changed so much in the last few weeks and I have been hugely impressed by the prompt responses from local councils, organisations (some of which didn’t exist until recently) and individual people who are doing so much to help others, not just in Great & Little Gidding but further afield.
Open for business Huntingdonshire District Council offices may be closed to visitors but the work of the council very much carries on, with many of the staff who usually work there now working from home. The Customer Service Centre is available during office hours on 01480 388388; calls outside of this time are directed towards the Out of Hours service.
Website details & apply to defer part of Council Tax The council has website dedicated to Corona Virus questions www.wearehuntingdonshire.org which offers all kinds of information including how to ask for help and how to volunteer; it also includes details of how to apply to defer the District Council’s part of the council tax for April and May.
For more general enquiries please visit the District Council’s main site www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk
Household Bins Huntingdonshire District Council is still operating a full household refuse collection service and bins should be left out as normal. Extra re-cycling may be left in clear plastic bags with re-cycling bins, on the appropriate day.
Bulky Waste Extra household rubbish and garden rubbish can not be added to regular collections but the council does still offer a bulky waste collection service; the details of what can and can’t be collected, along with the fees charged are available via the previously mentioned phone number and web link.
Bonfire The Government, District Council and Cambridgeshire Fire Service are all advising against having bonfires at the moment; as well as being potentially causing problems for anyone battling the Covid-19 Corona Virus, the smoke is an irritant for those already dealing with other health issues.
Where to put a mast? I have continued to work with the Parish Council and local residents to try and resolve the issue of a site for the proposed data mast, including liaising with Elton Parish Council, who have faced a similar issue in their village.
Treatment & Recovery I started treatment for cancer last September which I am pleased to report was successful – I was told that no further treatment was needed just before the country went into lock-down. My recovery continues to go well however I am in the severe risk Covid-19 category and unable to leave home so please contact me by phone or email.
Getting In Touch To contact me please email tim.alban@huntingdonshire.gov.uk or call me on 07913 101145
All details correct as of 27th April, 2020
Kind regards,
Tim
Tim Alban
District Councillor for Stilton, Folksworth & Washingley Ward
(First contact for residents in Stilton, Folksworth & Washingley, Holme, Denton & Caldecote, Great & Little Gidding, Glatton and Connington).
(If you are a resident of Sibson-cum-Stibbington, Elton, Alwalton, Morborne, Haddon, Water Newton or Chesterton, please contact my fellow ward councillor Marge Beuttell in the first instance via marge.beuttell@huntingdonshire.gov.uk)
