Green waste recycling collections recommence on Monday 11th May. Bridgwater recycling centre also opens on Monday 11th May but with many restrictions in place.
Somerset residents are being encouraged to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day and remember all those who helped to secure peace in Europe.
Friday 8 May marks the milestone anniversary of the day the guns fell silent in Europe ending six years of conflict.
Sadly, national and local plans to mark the milestone anniversary due to take place on the weekend of 8-10 May have had to be postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But everyone can take time to remember, while still observing social distancing, by decorating their homes in red, white and blue on 8 May.
Somerset County Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Rod Williams said: “The 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe is a cause for celebration, but it is also a cause for sombre reflection and remembrance. For those whose parents or grandparents fought and lost comrades, it is also a cause for sadness.
“The Second World War was a terrible period for the generation that lived through it. The outbreak of the war only 21 years after ‘The War to end Wars’ dashed hopes for peace.
“Victory in Europe led to possibly the greatest achievement of the post-war world – the rehabilitation of Germany and a NATO alliance that has maintained peace for 75 years.
“But it has been a peace in which there have been only two years (1968 and 2016) when a member of the British Armed Forces has not been killed on operations. We should celebrate Victory in Europe and remember ‘the Greatest Generation’ – the one that lived through, fought and won the Second World War.’”
There are lots of ways that you can get involved and show your support in marking the day on social media and via your digital channels. The Royal British Legion has a range of ideas: https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/remembrance-events/ve-day-75
The Government has published a toolkit of resources, to include bunting and posters that you can print and display at home in your windows. English Heritage has a pack to help you put together your own celebrations to mark the anniversary from home. Share your Second World War stories, families’ histories and messages of remembrance on social media, using #VEDay75 to join the conversation. For school children, historian and presenter Dan Snow has set you a creative challenge to research what VE Day is all about.
The BBC has launched a VE Day scheme under its Make a Difference initiative, encouraging people to make their own Great British bunting to display at their home – details are available here https://bbc.in/3cTfBev
People are also encouraged to join a national toast at 3pm on 8 May, raising a glass, mug or tankard of a refreshment and declaring: ““To those who gave so much, we thank you.”
Members of the public can now sign up for regular email newsletters about Somerset’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Somerset County Council is currently providing daily email bulletins on all things coronavirus related to councillors and stakeholders – and these are now available to anyone.
The updates include information on affected council services, details of help available for the public and businesses, latest national and local headlines, and tips to keep your mind and body healthy during the emergency.
To sign up, simply visit www.somerset.gov.uk/coronavirus and enter your name and email address in the box provided.
CAB has now stopped giving face-to-face advice.
You can get advice:
by phone – 03 444 88 9623 (Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm)
by email – [email protected]
Help to Claim – 0800 144 8444 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm)
on the Citizens Advice website https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
Waste collection crews in Somerset are poised to distribute ‘please park carefully’ notes in solidarity with fire service colleagues this week.
Staff working for Somerset Waste Partnership’s new contractor Suez will be putting the polite notices from the fire service on to the windscreens of the rising number of problem parkers.
With the Coronavirus lockdown meaning more people working from home, inconsiderate parking is becoming a big issue for Somerset Waste Partnership and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Services.
The cars are often legally parked, but parked in a way that makes it difficult for recycling and rubbish collections trucks to negotiate narrower streets. They have meant collection crews haven’t been able to make some recycling and rubbish collections – and this despite having smaller vehicles at their disposal as part of a new fleet.
Listen in to BBC Somerset on Wednesday evenings between 7-8pm for some great tips and expert advice on staying healthy, happy and safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of Somerset County Council’s Public Health team will be on Charlie Taylor’s evening show, interviewing a different guest each week from services such as adult social care, and from the voluntary and community sector. The frequencies to tune in are 95.5FM, 1566AM, DAB, or listen at www.bbc.co.uk/bbcsomerset and on the BBC Sounds app.