Natland Parish Council Suspended

After consultation with the Chair, and in the light of advice received from NALC, it has been agreed that, due to the present crisis with the spread of coronavirus, meetings of Natland Parish Council are suspended until further notice.  

I shall keep you informed when meetings can be arranged again.  In the meantime, we hope you and your families are keeping safe and well.

The Parish Council can still be contacted via any Councillor or the Clerk.

                                                     Kevin Price, Clerk to the Council.

Emergency Help Service

Cumbria County Council and partners have launched a new emergency support service for people at high risk of becoming seriously ill as a result of COVID-19 and who do not have support available from friends, family or neighbours. People with no wider support network. The helpline can be accessed on 0800 783 1966 or via email on   COVID19support@cumbria.gov.uk. Details can be found online at Cumbria.gov.uk.  This new support service has been set up by Cumbria County Council and partners as a result of close partnership working with District Councils, CVS, Cumbria Community Foundation, community and voluntary sector, and private sector. This service provides a vital link between people at risk, and those who are able to help them.

Bus Services - further reductions from the 30th March

Stagecoach are implementing further bus service reductions, whilst maintaining an essential service for key workers needing to travel to work, and for others to access shops to buy food.

Kendal town services 41/4A, 42/42A and 42/43A are all withdrawn. 

The service 40 on Sundays (which started in November) continues to run with the same timetable  - at hourly intervals from 9.38am to 5.38pm from bus stop on A65 at top of Oxenholme Lane (heading towards the hospital).  

The service 40 will also run on Monday-Saturday, though with the first bus at the earlier time of 7.38am. The bus route serves the hospital, Asda, Heron Hill, Sandylands, Morrisons & Aldi, Sainsbury's, then Kendal bus station, before returning along the same route as far as Heron Hill, then via Oxenholme station.  Full timetable HERE.

A summary of the wider bus timetable changes in Cumbria can be found from links at the top of the County Council’s website page for bus services www.cumbria.gov.uk/buses

This information will be updated and refreshed as extra information becomes available.

For holders of concessionary bus passes:

Cumbria County Council have temporarily lifted the Mon-Fri restrictions. The passes can now be used for travel before 9.30am, enabling better access to the priority shopping times many supermarkets have designated for vulnerable and older people.

Spam Warning.

I received a spam text message today from phone number +44 7774 887973 saying that my bank had been unable to process my O2 bill and with an attachment which would have led to a false website. Clearly a fraud attempt, given the phone number, but using all the right words.

Hilary

Parish News for April

Here is a special edition Parish News for April. Instead of news of meetings and services it has prayers and reflections about Easter; a comfort for when we won't be able to worship in the church. There is also a very interesting account of the war experiences of John Howard Keesey by John Chandler.

Post Office still Open

Thank you to James and the team for continuing to open 6 days a week, though with reduced hours. Monday to Friday the shop and Post Office is open from 9 to 11 in the morning and 3 to 5 in the afternoon. On Saturdays it is just open in the morning. There is usually milk and bread for sale, as well as cheese, biscuits, cakes and chocolates.

Question of the Day

Why have United Utilities dug up the road on Longmeadow Lane when water is pouring from a leak on Abbey Drive?
Well, there was a very big leak on Longmeadow Lane, which they repaired promptly, and they've now done the one on Abbey Drive too, (though there's still a big hole).

Village Hall - update

First a big thank you to all those who supported the Art Exhibition just 10 days ago, either as helpers or by visiting and purchasing pictures.  The evolving health crisis meant that footfall was lower than usual, particularly on the Sunday.  Nonetheless over £500 was raised for hall funds, and that will be much appreciated as the hall now faces an indefinite, and probably lengthy, period without hire income.

The village hall is now not available for public events, meetings or sessions of  social and activity owing to the COVID-19 epidemic.  Groups who regularly use the hall will be advised as to when they can resume their sessions.

Meanwhile local residents could still support the hall by subscribing to the hall's 200 Club monthly prize draw.  Details and an entry form are available HERE

Sarah Roberts

Chair, Village Hall Management Committee

Greta's Tale

Here are some lovely stories of how life used to be on Natland Mill Beck Lane during the war, when Greta and her cousin June stayed as evacuees with Olive Williams. It's full of suggestions of things for people to do - bows and arrows with bows made from elder shoots, hopscotch, searching out wildflowers, marbles, ball games. Many aren't available now. The carthorses and pigs are no longer there to play among. 'Auntie always came because she loved a walk', and that is something we can all still do at least. Read the full accounts here.  

One Bus Still Running

Bus services have been reduced in light of the current epidemic. The 41/41A is running on an hourly frequency, leaving Kendal at 15 minutes past the hour - so a service 41A which stops on the far side of A65 opposite Oxenholme Lane.

The Mon/Wed/Fri bus service from Park Close bus stop into Kendal has been suspended altogether.

 A summary of the Monday to Friday changes in Cumbria can be found from links at the top of the County Council’s website page for bus services www.cumbria.gov.uk/buses

This information will be updated and refreshed as extra information becomes available, including for Saturdays, Sundays. The revised timetables will come into effect from Monday 23rd March.

All the normal Stagecoach summer timetable enhancements have been postponed until the end of the isolation period.  Sarah Roberts.

Natland Monday Club Meetings Cancelled

Because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, we must put the Monday Club on hold for the rest of this season, ending in June. As well as the cancellation of the 20 April meeting, the AGM due on 18 May is postponed, and the summer outing scheduled for 15 June, has been cancelled. John Inglesfield

Litter hunt cancelled

Due to the CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY the

Natland Spring Litter Hunt

on Saturday 28 March 2020 is

CANCELLED

by Natland Parish Council to comply with Government guidance on social distancing and avoiding non-essential contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But small groups or individual volunteers can still ‘have a go’.  David Peters has a small stock of black plastic bags, gloves, high visibility jackets and picking tongs in his garage.  Ring 015395 60671 to arrange.

David Peters

Chair of Natland Parish Council

18/3/20

Missing Cat

Gismo went out 11am on Saturday and not been seen since. He belongs to Pat Williams on Helmside Road Oxenholme. Please look out for him.

Covid 19 cancellations

The Church of England nationally has said that churches shouldn’t hold public services until things improve, so there’ll be no services in St. Mark’s on Thursdays and Sundays. The church will however be open for private prayer. 

The Parish Council has cancelled its meeting at the end of March.

More Covid 19 News

The Women's Institute have decided to cancel their meetings for the next three months.

James at the Post Office is staying open as long as he can.

David Willan at Oxenholme Station is offering to deliver anything he sells to those who can't come out.  https://www.davidwillan.co.uk/

Nasty Scam

A telephone call on my BT landline number this morning said my internet service provider had been trying to reach me as my service would be removed within 24 hours due to illegal activity on the line. Press 1 for etc ... At which point I hung up. 'Ring back' gave me the number 0101 316 7566 and said 'hang up' . I checked the number and it's listed as coming from China. As B4RN is our internet provider, this was clearly the start of some sort of scam.

I thought this might be a useful warning for others.

Best wishes,

Hilary

Cancellations because of Covid 19

The Monday Club decided to cancel its meeting today because of the risk of spreading infection. The Lent lunch on Wednesday in Church is also cancelled, as are the refreshments after the services. There will be no Lent lunches for the rest of Lent.

Art Show Coming Up

Natland and Oxenholme Village Hall

ART EXHIBITION

Works by local artists for sale

Saturday 14 March  10am-4pm

Sunday 15 March  11.15am-4pm

Admission £1 Raffle    Refreshments

Proceeds to Village Hall Funds       Registered Charity no. 523072

The Weather in February

February	2020	Feb. average
Temperature at 8 a.m.	4.7° C	2.8° C
Minimum Temperature (Ave)	3.1° C	1.9° C
Maximum Temperature (Ave)	7.7° C	5.9° C
Rainfall	330 mm 13.2"	92.5 mm 3.7"

It was the wettest February in the last 15 years but not as wet as December 2015 (554mm) or November 2009 (365mm). It was also very windy with three named storms in the month. Temperatures were milder than usual. March to May is usually the driest period here so let's hope that continues! John Dobson.

March Parish News Available.

Here is the Parish News from St. Mark's Church. There are Lent prayers and lunches every week in March, plus Lent Groups, a Family Service, a Youth Group, a Cafe in Church, a Movie Night with discussion, a Mothers Union Meeting and a Men's Meeting, and much else besides. Click here for details.