Although Sandgate Park remains open for exercise (although please maintain your distance from other users), on 23rd March the Government required the closure of:
Enclosed spaces in parks, including playgrounds, sports courts and pitches, and outdoor gyms or similar.
Our children’s playground, games pitches, zip wire, adult play equipment and petanque court are therefore CLOSED as of now, and should not be used.
Please respect this closure, which is for public health reasons.
park_march-2020All of a sudden we seem to have been propelled into another world because of the virus, and nothing seems certain anymore. Perhaps the only certainty is that there are seeds to sow and plants that still require planting, and although many activities have been shut down, we can still go up to the garden to do things, and it seems that now we have more time to do so! Saturday was beautiful out in the sunshine; we have room to keep social distancing, and plenty of jobs to be getting on with. Many of us have our own tools and will make sure we use only them.
We have sown turnips, celery and celeriac, more peas for shoots, and mange tout. The tomato seedlings have been pricked out, pea plants, beetroot and spinach planted, hop poles and strings erected, and even some of the plants for around the pond got planted too.
It seems that being confined to the home for some time as led people to consider growing more fruit and veg this year, and we have had requests for tomato plants, and other veg plants too when they are available. We were also given some seeds to sow, which were gratefully received.
We will continue to plant and sow, and by all accounts the weather is set to improve next week which will be a bonus, helping to bring on the plants in the greenhouses to be then transferred to the plot under a blanket of fleece for a few more weeks. In the pictures below you can see some of the flowers out at the moment, and the old plum trees are also in full blossom – just fabulous.
What’s next?
Scammers and criminals are already looking for opportunities to scam people as a result of the Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic. Happily, there are many more stories of kindness and generosity but we want to make people aware of the scams as they emerge – which they seem to be on a daily basis.
Kent Trading Standards have received reports from Kent Police of people door-knocking and claiming to be from the Health Authority.
What happens:
The criminal knocks on your door.
They claim to be from the Health Authority.
They offer to do COVID-19 testing on residents.
There are also reports of the criminal offering to take the residents temperature.
THIS IS A SCAM!
What to do:
– Do not let them in.
– Do not allow them to take any money or details from you.
– Report to Kent Police on 101.
– If you ask them to leave and they don’t, contact the police on 999.
Please warn vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours.
Kent Libraries have informed Sandgate Parish Council that all their libraries will close from Friday, so we will be closing Sandgate Library from 1pm on Friday. We will of course re-open as soon as we are advised we can do so.
The Parish Clerks will continue to work their usual hours and the email (clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk) and phone (01303 248563) will still be answered.
Further the recent Government updates / press conferences, the Parish Council continues to receive updated information on the response to the Coronavirus pandemic and the response from various organisations. We’ll aim to keep this page up to date with that information and links, both local and national, over the coming days.
[Last updated: 23/3/2020 at 10.30]
If you are able, join the volunteer response team in Folkestone and Hythe: https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/coronavirus
Other updates:
Sandgate Parish Council & Library
The library is now closed until further notice, and all activities and events have been cancelled with immediate effect. The Parish Clerk is working as usual and remains contactable at 01303 248563 or email clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk
All March Council meetings have been cancelled. Clearer advice is being sought on how meetings should continue in future / a potential move to online meetings.
At this time, Sandgate Park remains open, but please understand surfaces there are not regularly wiped and all users should be using appropriate social distancing. The Public Toilets on Granville Parade also remain open, but similarly, please exercise more than usual caution on hygiene including touching surfaces. And wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
Community
There are numerous offers of help (and more are welcome from those who can), including to “shop, fetch and carry” for those who are not going out for a period of time, on some of the local forums online. Please note that you should of course keep safe and alert: if someone offers assistance, please take reasonable measures to ensure they are genuinely helping. There have been some sickening stories of people (NOT in Sandgate) knocking of doors and offering shopping assistance, only to then leave with the shopping money and not be seen again. there is no central verification of people offering to help (how could there be!) so act securely.
Those offers include:
District Councillors Tim Prater and Gary Fuller have been advised to suspend their two surgeries each month (at the Sandgate Farmers Market and the Sandgate Library) for a period of time, but are happy to help people as ever by phone, email, face-to-face appointment. If you want to contact them, their details are at https://folkestone-hythelibdems.org.uk/en/contact
Chichester Hall
Sandgate Farmers Market has been cancelled for the next few weeks, and all events in the Chichester Hall have also been suspended for now. Refunds are being offered for any event provider who wishes to cancel bookings.
For more information about the Farmers Market or the current status of events, email David Cowell at david@chichesterhall.co.uk
Folkestone and Hythe District Council
All Council meetings in March have been cancelled. there are regular updates on the services they provide and assistance they can offer at https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/coronavirus
All events on F&HDC land through until 31st July have been cancelled, including performances at the Folkestone / Leas bandstand.
Businesses
All pubs and clubs, cafes and restaurants in the area will have closed further to the government announcement on the evening of 20th March, but some cafes are still offering takeaway, collection and delivery options, including The Dog House. The Village Shop on Sandgate High Street remains open.
Elsewhere….
Folkestone Town Council
FTC have closed the Town Hall with immediate effect and are moving staff to remote/flexible working wherever possible.
All Council meetings in March have been cancelled.
All events and activities are being cancelled until further notice.
The Town Hall phone line (01303 257946) will be answered and officers will be contactable via email (http://www.folkestonetc.kentparishes.gov.uk/meet-the-officer-team/)
Hythe Town Council
Are meeting various community groups this afternoon to help co-ordinate cross town support.
Other
The Leas Cliff Hall has cancelled all performances and closed their cafe and the Channel Suite until further notice.
All events at Folkestone Quarterhouse have been suspended until Tuesday 14 April. During that time they will review the situation and decide the next steps.
This week we have planted some brassicas (varieties of the cauliflower family that are all different shapes, sizes and even colours!), more broad beans, and some sweet peas, a dwarf variety that should make small bushy plants. The great thing about all these early plantings is that they do not mind the cold and wet weather so much, and are happy to grow in cooler temperatures. They will also mature in early summer when the ground can then be cleared and another crop planted. Unfortunately, along with the new shoots come the slugs and snails looking for some tender pickings, and we have lost some seedlings that never made it out of the greenhouse! Never mind, new sowings have been made, and they will soon catch up with the earlier sown plants.
On Saturday we made a trip over to Hythe to collect our hop plants from the Hythe Hops Scheme along with other eager growers. As well as collecting the dormant plants, there was a seed and plant swap. Such a great way of swapping any seeds/plants you might not need. We were on the lookout for seeds and plants that would provide a treat for the bees. On Wednesday we had noticed that some bumble bees were out and about in the weak sunshine and were busy foraging, luckily we have a few flowering plants such as borage and violas in full bloom. Early flowering plants are so important for the bee population on days when they emerge and are so low on energy. There will be plenty of flowers for them to feast on later, but there is not so much to choose from right now.
We are sowing and growing as many things as we have room for and more, for the Incredible Edible project, and the nursery children. If you are a grower and have some spare plants or seeds, please consider us – we may even be able to do some plant bartering. We hope at some stage to be able to have a selection of plants that can help us to raise funds through donations….. So, if you will be looking for tomato plants, or maybe a few spinach or bean plants, keep an eye on our Instagram page or newsletter for what is available. We will also be putting up some notices at the garden to let you know what we may have, what is in season, and about any spare veg plants.
What’s next?
