Charlton Village in Worcestershire
Ultrafast Broadband Update – February 2022
We are pleased to announce that we now have confirmation from both Openreach and Worcestershire County Council that sufficient people have signed up to the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) vouchers to enable the design and building of the infrastructure to get the full Fibre To The Premises (FTTP) scheme to go ahead. This will take place over the next few months and if all goes according to plan we hope the scheme will be fully in place prior to the end of this year
For those of you that have not received the voucher emails from the Department of Culture Media and Sport, clarification is now being sought on our behalf by Worcestershire County Council as to whether further vouchers are needed for you to sign up to. Despite this we have been reassured that you remain within the scheme.
Things will probably go quiet for a while but we will update you when we hear more.
Sue, Ted, Richard & Roger
Details of Church Services in February
The next service to be held in Charlton Church will be Holy Communion at 9:30am on Sunday 20th February.
For details of services in all churches within the 5 Alive parish in February, go to:
Latest Update on Erection of New Lychgate
As many of you will have seen, the erection of the timber frame of the new Lychgate is now well under way. The frame has been constructed from green oak using traditional methods, as can be seen from the drilled and pegged joints. The timber has been treated with UV resistant oil which will preserve the natural rich colour and texture of the wood and prevent it fading to grey over time.
The next stage will be the addition of the roof using the original roof tiles which have been stored safely off-site. The internal sarking boards will be finished in a similar colour as the frame. It is hoped that all work will be completed over the coming days.
HM Government announces the end of Plan B restrictions in England
The Government has announced that the measures put in place under Plan B in England will be lifted. They urge you to continue to follow safer behaviours to protect yourself and others.
This means that:
From Wednesday 19th January, you are no longer asked to work from home if you can. Talk to your employer to agree arrangements to return to your workplace.
From Thursday 20th January, staff and pupils in secondary schools and colleges will not be required to wear a face covering in classrooms.
From Thursday 27th January, you will not be required to wear a face covering, including in communal areas of schools, but the Government suggests you continue to wear one in crowded and indoor spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
You’ll no longer need to show your NHS COVID Pass at venues and events by law.
You can find full details of all of the Government’s advice on Coronavirus at:
Charlton Old Schoolroom 100 Club Draw Results December 2021 & January 2022
December Bonus draw (double usual prize money)
1st prize £100 R & M Mumford #8
2nd Prize £60 Chris Spencer # 83
3rd Prize £40 Richard Ingram # 21
January Draw
1st Prize £50 Sue Hall # 12
2nd prize £30 Kathy Rayers # 16
3rd prize £20 Lindsay Beckman # 57
Wychavon District Council – Business Email News – Omicron Business Support Funding
Wychavon District Council’s latest Business Newsletter contains details of the range of Omicron support funding schemes and advise on how to apply. You can download the full email here:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKWYCHAVON/bulletins/30638bb
Progress on Lychgate Replacement
As you will see from these pictures, construction of the main timber structure of the new Lychgate is now well underway at a specialist joinery company. It is hoped that this will be installed during February, with replacement of the original roof tiles to follow. We anticipate that the repairs will be completed by the end of March at the latest.
Changes to HM Government Covid-19 Rules and Restrictions
On Thursday 13th January HM Government advised that the self-isolation period for people in England who test positive for COVID-19 will be reduced from next week to five full days, instead of seven.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said that early signs indicate that the rate of hospitalization from the coronavirus in the country is starting to slow.
However, if you get a positive rapid lateral flow test result, most people will not need to take a PCR test to confirm the result. You must self-isolate immediately if you get a positive rapid lateral flow test result.
You can read full details of the rules and restrictions applying to people in England, including rules for people arriving in England from other countries at:
Have your say on a new political map for Wychavon
The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) is in the process of reviewing Parliamentary constituency boundaries for the existing 650 constituencies for the UK Parliament in England.
The review process is heavily informed by public consultation and you have the opportunity to express an opinion on the draft recommendations for new wards, ward boundaries, and ward names for proposed by Wychavon District Council.
You can click on the following link to access the Boundary Commission’s website including the portal where you can submit your comments.
Please remember that this consultation closes on 21 March 2022.
Wychavon Business News January 2022
The latest edition of Wychavon District Council’s Business Newsletter contains details of the forthcoming online annual business ratepayers breakfast meeting, updates on some business funding initiatives including how to apply for a grant from the Malvern Hills and Wychavon upskilling project, how to apply to receive up to £2,000 for each new apprentice or other trainee of any age you take on plus many other support packages for your business.
You can download the full e-newsletter here:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKWYCHAVON/bulletins/303da61