Month: March 2020 (Page 1 of 2)

Strathdearn Housing Needs Survey – why it's so important!

31st March 2020 / Strathdearn

Our Housing Needs Survey is coming to a close shortly, and understandably due to the Covid-19 crisis, responses have been less than we would have expected. Therefore, we will be extending the closing date until the middle of April 2020. 

To put  the importance of this survey from The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust into context, the  low return could impact on the following decisions being made:

1. The low return may not support the affordable housing development being delivered.

2. Not providing affording housing may have a long term effect on supporting other services, such as our school, the shop, care provisions, cafe and potentially the Strathdearn hub in general ( as our local population grows older, like many others our demographics will change and we may not have a through put of people wanting or able to use the facilities if we do not have more people coming into the area.

3. it will also not provide vital evidence to attract other partners who could share the burden of the infrastructure  costs and being able to maximise the land gifted to us by Tomatin estate.

4.  provide less secure tenancies/ homes for people who are currently in tied housing, where their employment is at risk also effects their accommodation.

Even if you feel you are adequately housed, please complete the survey titled residents survey.

Thank you for your assistance in advance”

Maureen McDonald-Cooke, SCD Director

https://hscht.survey.fm/strathdearn-non-residents-housing-needs-survey https://hscht.survey.fm/strathdearn-housing-community-needs-survey https://hscht.survey.fm/strathdearn-business-survey

Post Office service in Tomatin – closed until further notice

31st March 2020 / Strathdearn

The Aviemore Post Office is closed, as are all outreach services – 

including Tomatin – until further notice.

Anyone who used the facility on Thursdays in The Strathdearn will have to make other arrangements from this point forward.

For anyone self isolating who needs any help please contact the SCC and SCD through the number: 07594305775

Stay Connected: Stories from across Highlands, what has been happening in week 1 of school closures?

30th March 2020 / Strathdearn

Stories from across Highlands, what has been happening in week 1 of school closures?

We hope you can find plenty to stay connected over the Easter holidays. There are lots of ideas on The Strathdearn Hub.?

Highland Council to launch e-vouchers for free school meals

27th March 2020 / Strathdearn

Highland Council will be providing e-vouchers to families to support access to free school meals from week commencing 30 March 2020.

This innovative and easy-to-use service will ensure over 4,000 school children will continue to receive support for school meals while schools are closed. For the majority of pupils, this will be delivered digitally through e-vouchers for food in local supermarkets.

Enabling choice will provide flexibility and also help to reduce waste, as food can be purchased according to need or preference in the household. Some restrictions do apply as the e-vouchers cannot be used to purchase age restricted products such as tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets and fuel.

The impact of Coronavirus has caused many vulnerable families additional hardship and this process will ensure that the most vulnerable children can get food.

Highland Council continues to investigate other ways of providing food across the Highlands for vulnerable groups within the rapidly changing environment. This includes working closely with High Life Highland, Eden Court and our many partners including the Third Sector. Further information will be provided in due course.

Cllr John Finlayson, Chair of the Education Committee, said: “The provision of school meals is a priority service that we are committed to delivering including during when schools are closed in the current times. I applaud the Highland Council staff who are working hard to implement this service as quickly as possible and for e-vouchers to be issued next week”.

A helpline number has been set up for anyone who is struggling and needing urgent help during this crisis. The single line number – 0300 303 1362 – will connect callers to relevant Council specialist teams and will operate Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. All calls are free.

Public Information during Coronavirus.

26th March 2020 / Strathdearn

Some Reminders of public information:

Highland Recycling Centres close and waste service collections changed during Coronavirus.

All Council run Recycling Centres are currently closed and garden waste and the bulky uplift services have been suspended until further notice.

Every effort is being made to continue the regular domestic weekly waste and recycling collections.

Anyone self-isolating due to displaying symptoms: all waste items that have been in contact with the individual, such as tissues and cloths, are disposed of securely within disposal bags. When full these bags should be placed in a second bag and tied and then stored for 72 hours before being put out for collection.

If the bins are not emptied by 5pm please take them off the street and put them out again on the next scheduled collection day.

Any queries about waste and recycling services to recycle@highland.gov.uk / 01349 886603. https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/1054/rubbish_and_recycling/905/rubbish_and_recycling_guidance_-_coronavirus_covid-19

In This Together (the Council of Voluntary Service covering City of Inverness, Nairn and Aird and Loch Ness) are currently actively involved in resilience delivery efforts.  Groups who wish to help but would benefit from advice and guidance, please contact Alan Fowler, Chief Officer or Jane Tattum, Development Manager – email  tsdevelopment@inthistogether.scot

Anyone wishing to volunteer or donate foodstuffs, times and contact details below:

Mon 12.30pm – 1.30pm & 5-6pm, In This Together Café, Church St. Tue 1.30pm – 2.30pm, Inverness Foodstuff, Ness Bank Church (Vegetarian). Wed 12.30pm – 1.30pm, In This Together Café. Thur 1.30pm – 2.30pm, Inverness Foodstuff (Vegetarian). Fri 12.30 – 1.30pm, In This Together Café. Sat 2pm – 3pm, Inverness Foodstuff (Vegetarian).

Please email chiefofficer@inthistogether.scot; operationsmanager.invernessfoodstuff@outlookcom; or inthistogethercafe@inthistogether.scot to arrange donations out with the advertised drop-off times.

Facebook – @InThisTogetherInverness          tw – @ITT_scot        Inverness Foodstuffs: fb – @invernessfoodstuff

The Highland Council’s free helpline 0300 303 1362 –  Mon to Fri from 8am to 6pm. Assistance and to collect details of individuals and community groups looking to provide volunteering support during Covid19, advice on benefits and personal support, education and social care and there will also be advice for businesses who may need help with financial support.

Anyone who can continue to use our on-line forms and resources do so as much as possible. • To make a payment visit https://www.highland.gov.uk/pay • To report a problem visit https://www.highland.gov.uk/report • To request a service visit https://www.highland.gov.uk/request

Walkies?

24th March 2020 / Strathdearn

Posted on behalf of Jimmy Duncan (SCC)

To all our Strathdearn residents out there the Community Council and Strathdearn Community Developments Ltd are looking for volunteers to help with dog walking for the folks who have dogs but can not leave their houses due to the serious times we are going through at the moment, so if you would like to help please get it touch with me on james.duncan28@btinternet.com or call 07977558865 so I can organise our efforts

Thank you in advance

Jimmy Duncan

Tomatin in Lockdown

24th March 2020 / Strathdearn

Following the decisions made by UK Government on the 23rd March 2020 we are all effectively confined to our homes. However we should all remember that there are some members of our community that are living alone and may be vulnerable. This social isolation is not healthy, so let’s try and identify those who live on their own and make contact  with them by some means or another to ensure that they are safe and have adequate provisions. We would therefore ask you all to help by identifying people who live alone or are self-isolating and ensure that they know that help is available should it be required. 

If you identify anyone with needs please contact 07594 305775 to let us know and we will provide help where at all possible.

The community shop remains open 7am-12pm and available for orders strathdearnshop@gmail.com.

Strathdearn Community Council / Strathdearn Development Company 

Counter Intelligence

23rd March 2020 / Strathdearn

These are strange and worrying times. Travel is discouraged and we are advised to avoid crowds. So how do we obtain the necesseties of life? Good job we’ve got our own shop!

Paula and her team (including a few volunteers) have been looking for a way to keep the shop open whilst protecting staff and customers. Here’s the plan, starting from Monday 23rd March:

When you enter the shop you’ll see that the furniture has been re-arranged and the main counter is now facing the door. Tell the staff what you want and they will fetch it from the shelves. Please keep to your side of the counter and don’t lean across it! Keep a respectful distance from other customers too. If the weather is fine, wait outside till it’s your turn. This may all seem a bit over the top to some, but it is best practice. We are all very grateful to the staff for keeping this service going in such difficult circumstances so let’s it make as safe and stress-free for them as possible.

Please can customers, where possible, provide their shopping list in advance and email orders to strathdearnshop@gmail.com. If you are unable to collect your order we will try to arrange delivery. Due to restrictions on staff there will be no phone orders.

The shop will be open from 7.00am to 12.00 noon, Monday to Saturday.

[SCD and SCC are working together to implement coronavirus control measures in Strathdearn. If you have any suggections, please let us know]

Covid-19 Counter Service in the Community Shop

21st March 2020 / Strathdearn

The community shop footfall has increased, not just in the village but from outside areas.

SCD have made changes to protect staff and limit the risk to customers. As of Monday the shop hours will be 7am-12pm and this will be continually reviewed.

The shop will no longer be self-service and is now counter service only. We ask that when people visit the shop the follow social distancing guidelines. Please can customers, where possible, provide their shopping list in advance and email orders to strathdearnshop@gmail.com. Due to restrictions on staff there will be no phone orders.

We are also asking for volunteers to assist in the shop. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

We are grateful for your continued support and patience.

Covid19 — Bulletin — 19th March 2020.

19th March 2020 / Strathdearn

SCD will issue regular bulletins based on the latest government advice on measures to control the coronavirus outbreak. Local information, help and advice is provided below, together with 24 hour contact details.

Although the hub is effectively closed, it will be available as a resilience centre in the event of any further government requirements or urgent community needs.

If anyone has ideas for what could help the community locally at this time, in line with government guidelines, please get in touch.

Please share this information with those who may need it but don’t have interent access.

Updates issued as required, subject to government advice.
Update	Number 3
Date	19 March 2020
Decided	ALL meetings and events are cancelled until further notice. The Strathdearn building is closed. The Post Office will continue on a Thursday in The Strathdearn subject to Debra offering the service. The covered sports facility will remain open for community use at their own discretion.
Notes	Shop supplies are adequate. Paula and her team are sourcing elsewhere to keep stocks as high as possible. Shop move to new premises on April 1^st under review. Restaurant opening April 1st on hold. Anyone within the community that is either affected directly by the Coronavirus or suffering hardship as a result of the current situation and needs help – please contact one of the numbers below to see how we can help you. Areas currently available for help:- Home deliveries Shop credit where access to bank of money is not available Areas coming:- Isolation Essential Packs All requests will be treated in confidence. We have identified the senior citizens in the community and are contacting them to see if we can be of service. Please Note: For those that are not high risk or displaying symptoms please consider your neighbours and help in the community wherever possible. If you know of anyone who is self-isolating and may need help or if anyone may be in hardship and need assistance with essentials please let us know. Coronavirus and welfare benefits resources https://www.cih.org/resources/PDF/Policy%20free%20download%20pdfs/WYNTK%20Coronavirus%20welfare%20benefits.pdf https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/289/contents/made https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-aff ected-by-covid-19 https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus/
Contact details: Shop : Paula Morgan 01808 511283 wrtmgt@strathdearn.org SCD : General Help or information: Email : scdassist@hotmail.com Phone : 01808 511700 (the Hub) or 07594 305775 (24 hour emergency number)

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