On 12th June the government announced that church buildings could be  reopened ‘for individual prayer’ with ‘significant limitations’.

Public worship is still not possible, although funerals can be held in a church if applying the same restrictions as for committals presently.

In the Benefice of West Trent we have 7 church buildings, valued for their beauty and interest, their spiritual ambience and meaning. It will not be   possible to reopen them all at the same time, not least because of the cleaning regime required. The last thing we would want is for a church building to be a potential source of C-19, so it is better to err on the side of caution.

Each church has to do a rigorous risk assessment, agreed by incumbent, churchwardens and PCC prior to reopening.

Here are the days/times of reopening around the Benefice as at present.

Bleasby, St Mary’s – Sundays (mid-am to dusk)

Halloughton, St James – Sundays (10am – 6pm)

Hoveringham, St Michael & All Angels – Fridays (day light hours)

Morton, St Denis – Wednesdays (10am – 3pm)

Rolleston, Holy Trinity – remaining closed

St Peter’s Priory, Thurgarton – Saturdays (8am – 8pm)

St Peter & St Paul, Upton – daily (10am – 5pm except Mondays)

You are more than welcome to visit as an individual or in your ‘bubble’,   following the notices in the church to guide you. People are working really hard to reopen but some are awaiting circumstances to change a bit more before they do.

Any questions or comments are welcome to myself or the churchwardens of the church.

Best wishes
The Revd Phil
077 200 100 66
phil_07@btinternet.com

The reopening of church buildings, a link to a letter clarifying about this:
https://www.beneficeofwesttrent.org/

Zoom worship continues…here is a link to see what we’re up to: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/1cJ6aLPZ60NITo2K7G_bQvQuFarOaaa81Cgc-PZbzRmdKh09vUrjpUA7L0w-_PUV Password: 7r#ZFbW5

FTCC are reopening the Priory Ground, Thurgarton for senior nets starting Saturday 13th June 2020.

All sessions are pre-booked through the committee. 

The ground remains closed for all other individuals. 

Any questions or problems, please contact Aaman Singh by email at aaman9@hotmail.com

Public Virtual Parish Council meeting….the Parish Council meeting was again held as a public virtual (on-line) meeting. Members of the public were able to join the virtual meeting, by sending a request for an invitation to the Parish Council prior to the meeting. It was agreed that these public virtual Parish Council meetings are working well and will continue in the same format for as long as this is necessary.

Thurgarton Emergency Plan (TEP)….how TEP will work in the new world of COVID-19 was discussed. New guidance for flood wardens and road signage wardens to follow shortly. A clearance of stones and general debris from the Beck may be organised in the near future.

TAAC (Thurgarton Action against Coronavirus)….the village community support initiative started by the Parish Council, the TCA and the WI continues to serve 32 households in Thurgarton with shopping, prescriptions and postal services. Huge thanks and appreciation were sent to all TAAC Volunteers who continue to provide this well needed community support. If anyone needs assistance or would like to help TAAC Users then please contact me at taac@thurgarton.org.uk

Village Hall….Village Hall refurbishment work started as planned on 18^th May and is due to be completed by 4^th July.

Environment….lots of work being undertaken all over the village.

Date of Next Meeting…The next meeting of Thurgarton Parish Council will be on Thursday, 25^th June at 7.30 pm, this will be a public virtual meeting, members of the public who would like to join the meeting should send their details to clerk@thurgarton.org.uk 

Tina Tsoukatos, Chair, Thurgarton Parish Council

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic the March Thurgarton Parish Council meeting was held as a private virtual meeting, this was also as a test to gauge how effective this medium would prove to be. I’m happy to report that this method worked well for Councillors but looking forward, it was agreed that we would have to keep the Parish Council meetings virtual and therefore private to enable the smooth running of the agenda. A consequence of this is that there is now the limitation of no public consultation within the meeting. To address this the Parish Council is asking that all comments, that would have been brought to the public section of the Parish Council meeting, be sent instead in writing to the Clerk to clerk@thurgarton.org.uk and also, if possible, that these comments are discussed with one of the Parish Councillors so that these points can be properly investigated and brought to the PC meeting.

Please also note that it was agreed at the March PC meeting to defer consideration of planning applications until the April meeting when these will be formally considered. Please click here to access the agenda for the April meeting.

Stay home and keep safe!

Regards, Tina Tsoukatos
Chair, Thurgarton Parish Council

tina.tsoukatos@thurgarton.org.uk

As I hope that you are now aware, the Parish Councillors along with members of the TCA (Thurgarton Community Association) and the WI have set up a community service group called Thurgarton Action Against Coronavirus or TAAC. This support service is available exclusively for Thurgarton residents who are self-isolating either through showing symptoms of the virus themselves or are caring for others, being in the over 70 age group or those at risk through medical conditions; and also to those who are feeling anxious or lonely and need a friendly neighbour to speak to.

With volunteers now in place (THANK YOU!) and discussions with Gonalston Farm Shop and GP surgeries completed, TAAC services will be available from Saturday 21st March. Let me now provide you more information.

Please Register

If you are self-isolating or need assistance, as described above, please register this by completing the TAAC Registration Form. Either:- 

• Complete the Registration Form on-line which you will find at www.thurgarton.org.uk/taac/ 
• OR complete the paper copy of the Registration Form which you will find inside the latest Thurgarton People and return to TAAC via email taac@thurgarton.org.uk or by calling Tina on 830371

Be aware that you can register or de-register as your circumstances change.

TAAC Services

TAAC are now offering a variety of services to those in need in our Village Community over the coming weeks and months:- 

• Food shopping – we have agreed a process with Gonalston Farm Shop / Budgens whereby volunteers will pick up and deliver shopping for TAAC users.
• Picking up and delivering repeat prescriptions – we have an agreed process in place with both Southwell Medical Centre and The Ivy surgeries in Lowdham and Burton Joyce
• Dog Walking – volunteers available to do this for you
• Posting mail – volunteers available to do this for you
• Well-being – a friendly chat – a variety of people are at your disposal

When you have registered with TAAC, by completing the Registration Form, as described above, we will send you comprehensive information as to what happens next.

Volunteers

All volunteers will be sent further information. I have documented how each of the services listed above are planned to work so that we are all delivering the same service in the same way. The need to be prescriptive will enable us to comply with the GP surgeries and Gonalston Farm Shop / Budgens. Whilst we now have about 20 volunteers (THANK YOU!) it is anticipated that this voluntary work will need to go on for a long time, so I’m still asking – if you would like to volunteer your time please contact me at taac@thurgarton.org.uk

How will this work?

Requests for service will be received by myself, the central co-ordinator, by email or phone from Registered parishioners who are in need, and I will then allocate these tasks to volunteers to action.  By co-ordinating tasks centrally it will mean that multiple requests for the same services can be grouped together and undertaken in one go, hopefully avoiding multiple trips to Doctors’ surgeries, shops etc.

We will, of course, be following government guidelines, so there may be changes over time.

Tina Tsoukatos, TAAC Coordinator

Email taac@thurgarton.org.uk

Call 830371

Zoom worship….The church is closed but the Church is open!

You are welcome to join virtual worship via the wonders of zoom in the Benefice of West Trent. Why not give it a go? See the note at the bottom about how to be invited.

This week we are leading up to the Christian climax of the year, Easter Sunday….

Wednesday 6.45 for 7.00pm a short, traditional ‘end of day’ prayer/reflection time called ‘compline’. Short, quiet, no sermon….Every week, same time during the C-19 closure.

This Thursday only … 6.45 for 7.00pm Maundy Thursday. A ’Tenebrae’ act of worship. Includes readings and quiet reflection time with symbolic candles…atmospheric (we hope) and poignant.

Good Friday Virtual Walk….we have materials to read and reflect on Jesus journey to the Cross for Good Friday, replacing our usual 6 Churches walk for Good Friday. Reading material emailed on request. Group discussion via zoom at 5pm.

Easter Sunday 10 for 10.30. Virtual Holy Communion. 30 minute act of worship with virtual communion, homily… Attendance recently over 50… (People, not necessarily age, families have been coming to!)

How does it work? 

You need to be invited to ‘join the meeting’  (worship) by email. This is to ensure security and intention to join.

Please send an email, text or call me (The Revd Phil White Phil_07@btinternet.com, 077 200 100 66), just say ‘yes to zoom’.

If you don’t have zoom then download it (zoom.us) to your desktop or the app to your device (tablet, smartphone).  When the email invitation arrives click on the link and ensure video and internet audio are both on. Call me if you want a trial run first. 

Some things have been recorded (eg short sermons – homilies) to our website www.beneficeofwesttrent.org

Feel free to visit it.

Last but not least, however you spend the time, our prayers and best wishes to you on this strangest of Easter weekends …. 

Phil

The Revd Phil White
Vicar: Benefice of West Trent.
Bleasby, Halloughton, Hoveringham, Morton, Rolleston, Thurgarton and Upton, inc. the village of  Fiskerton.
Southwell & Nottingham Diocese.

The Vicarage, 208, Southwell Road, Thurgarton, Notts. NG14 7GP.
M: 077 200 100 66
Email: phil_07@btinternet.com

At FTCC, we hope yourself and families are well. This is a difficult time for us all and we wanted to update you on how this will affect Fiskerton and Thurgarton CC.

For the near future:

• We have suspended all junior and senior training at the club.
• *The grounds are CLOSED. Please DO NOT enter the ground as our groundsmen are the only individuals allowed on the premises.*
• *Cars have been spotted on the grounds. Following government guidelines this is NOT allowed, the police will be contacted if this continues.*

The ECB have suspended all cricketing activities for the near future.

https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/1646355/ecb-statement-on-the-recreational-game
The situation and guidelines are changing and we will keep you updated on the situation as we receive more information.  

You can keep in touch through our Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/Fiskerton-Thurgarton-Cricket-Club-134622786550450/ 

Most importantly Stay Safe through this time!

FTCC Committee

Virtual Parish Council meeting…. with the knowledge and approval of our Councillor Roger Jackson this meeting was a virtual meeting, held using zoom, and was experimental in that we had never used a virtual medium before. I’m pleased to report that all 7 Parish Councillors plus Roger Jackson were able to successfully meet and deal with the agenda. How the April Parish Council meeting will be held will be announced in due course. As Parishioners would normally have had the opportunity to raise comments during a Parish Council meeting your Parish Councillors decided to shelve the planning applications until the April Parish Council meeting when Parishioners will be able to have their comments brought before the meeting.

Village Spring Clean …. took place on 14^th March when 23 people turned out to help – litter was picked, the bus shelter and street signs were washed, overgrown shrubs were removed from the War Memorial, the Beck gutter was tidied, the lay-by was cleared, shrubs were cut back, flower beds and pathways were weeded and swept, and verges were strimmed. A great morning’s work – and our village looks a great deal smarter as a result. Other parishioners and Forterra also took part in the Spring Clean but on a different day.

TAAC…. Thurgarton Action against Coronavirus or TAAC, an community support initiative started by the Parish Council, the TCA and the WI is now working. TAAC has been up and working since 21^st March. There are currently 53 TAAC Volunteers serving 24 Households in the village with shopping, prescription collection, Dog walking, Mail and Newspapers. TAAC has been registered with both Notts County Council and Newark and Sherwood District Council at their request. TAAC requests come in daily and are fulfilled.

Village Hall….due to the current Coronavirus health crisis the refurbishment of the Village Hall been put on hold.

Date of Next Meeting…The next meeting of Thurgarton Parish Council will be on Thursday, 23rd April at 7.30 pm

Tina Tsoukatos, Chair, Thurgarton Parish Council

I am delighted to report that Rev Phil White, the local Vicar, has offered his help to the local community and is actively working with TAAC (Thurgarton Action Against Coronavirus). Please note that this is a non-faith related initiative. Anglican clergy are appointed to be there for every parishioner irrespective of faith or no faith.

Revd Phil is available for confidential one-to-one chats on the phone if you need to talk through any concerns. Please phone 077 200 100 66 or email phil_07@btinternet.com Phil will also be running support groups online on zoom on Mondays at 10.30am and Thursday tea time at 5pm, where people can meet and chat together. You can access zoom from a smartphone, tablet or computer. Please email or phone Phil if you wish to join one of the groups. Phil will email you a link and if you click on the link you can join the meeting.

Tina Tsoukatos, TAAC Co-ordinator