Just been thinking about how quick or slow the government has reacted to the pandemic.
What if Theresa May had still been PM? Would she have ordered the lockdown sooner or still be dithering?
It's a strong and stable virus. Covid 19 is Covid 19.
What if it was a Labour Chancellor announcing the employee financial help? Would the tory supporting newspapers be running stories about how Labour is putting the country in more debt?

https://www.facebook.com/hunter.hamlin.14/videos/508131296805974/?t=10

It is getting harder for me to remember all my pass words. So I came up with the following and would like comments if it is safe. Number the alphabet ---- then think of a word --- look up numbers.

Hoping this works! 🤔

Apologies if this has already been posted. It's a tweet from the Met Police. It basically says as part of the battle against the virus, HMRC has issued a goodwill payment of £285. Click on the link.

Don't click that link!!!!

-----

Move here everyone ... keep talking and sharing your thoughts etc

Police Update on Coronavirus
We understand that the new Government measures will undoubtedly have a major impact on you all and whilst this is difficult, it is a necessary adjustment. This is about protecting yourselves, each other and the emergency services working hard to keep you safe.

We ask you all to please take notice of the new direction from government and stay at home to help the national effort to stop the spread of the virus.

Thames Valley Police will, as always, police with respect and engagement and we will continue our day to day policing and we will be working with our communities so they understand the importance of complying with the government direction.

We continue to follow government, Public health England and the National Police Chief’s Council’s direction in the fight against Coronavirus.

We have tried and tested contingency plans in operation to enable us to continue to protect the most vulnerable in society and respond to where the need is most.

All precautions are being taken in order to protect our officers and staff so that we continue to police the Thames Valley.

Thank you for your support.

We will continue to share updates on social media and through Thames Valley Alerts. For more information on Coronavirus, you may want to visit the following sites:
NHS advice - How to avoid catching or spreading germs and when to seek medical help
PHE advice - Daily updates, signs and symptoms, current risk level
Government updates - Daily updates on the outbreak

Message Sent By
Emma Tarry (Police, Communications Officer, Thames Valley)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/11254410/bob-the-builder-star-william-dufris-dead-after-cancer-battle/

He was 62

What is happening if you are in the progress of moving?

Any recommendations please? Thank you

I need a key box fitted outside. Any recommendations please? Are they all electric? Have an electric door bell. Thank you

Continuing from round 2. Put up your own smiles.
--------------------------------------------
Joe was thrilled when he picked up his blind date - she was a knock-out!
They went to a carnival that was in town and Joe asked, "What would you like to do first, Kim?"
She said, "I want to get weighed."
So they ambled over to the weight guesser, Joe paid the dollar, and he guessed 120 pounds. She got on the scale; it read 117 and she won a prize.
Next they went for a ride on the Ferris wheel, and when the ride was over, Joe again asked Kim what she would like to do.
"I want to get weighed," she said.
So back to the weight guesser they went. Since they had been there before, he guessed her correct weight, and Joe lost his dollar.
The couple walked around the carnival and again Joe asked where to next.
"I want to get weighed," she responded.
By this time, Joe figured she was really weird, so he took her home early, dropping her off with a handshake.
Her roommate, Laura, asked her about the blind date, "How'd it go?"
Kim responded, "Oh, Waura, it was wousy."

Can not call you campers. How are you faring?


Sue L @SueL1 Your post is a similar subject. Just wondered if we could split the subject. One for a bit of chit-chat other for advise. What does everybody think?

Turn the page onto this new chapter... all over here now keep sharing and support each other at this difficult time.

Abog standard video.

Usually a quiet area but standing outside today is "eerie" quiet. How is your area?

DO NOT OPEN IT!
https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2020/03/23/whatsapp-martinelli-hoax-is-back-warning-about-dance-of-the-pope/

I received this from my theatre ticket supplier the other day and think it's about time I passed the message on to you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It goes without saying how hard everyone employed by the NHS is working - and in the most challenging situations. Today we became aware that some hospitals are now asking for donations as they struggle to deal with all the demands they face.
It feels bleak but we want to do what we can so we are launching a new project today, "The BIG NHS Thank You", and would like your help in sharing these details with your friends and colleagues so we can be as impactful as possible.

★ ★ ★ - "The BIG NHS Thank You" - Treat a NHS Worker to a pair of West End Theatre Tickets

So how will it work?

Firstly, you purchase one or more "BIG NHS Thank You" vouchesr. Each voucher costs £100.00 which can be paid to GREAT TICKETS LTD by a Bank Transfer or by Credit Card or Debit Card.

The BIG NHS Thank You invites you to nominate an NHS worker who will then receive two tickets to a top West End Show later in the year as a surprise thank-you. You can either nominate someone you know or has treated you or you can simply nominate an anonymous worker and we will work with our colleagues in the NHS to distribute your generous gift.

Once you have purchased your voucher you have the two options below to choose from;

1. You can nominate a specific worker and provide us with their contact details if you have (Full name and e-mail address and Mobile if you have) . We will then contact them as soon as theatres are open again with the surprise of two top price tickets to a London show which will have a normal face value much higher that the cost of the voucher. Once they have been to the show, we will e-mail them to make sure they had a good time and if we have your permission, let them know who donated the tickets. If you only know where they work we will be able to track them down if you give us the hospital and their name.

2. If you do not have a specific person you would like to nominate then your voucher will go into a pool of tickets that will then be distributed across Hospital staff. Or you can if you prefer just nominate the particular hospital you would like to benefit from your voucher and we will work with our colleagues at the NHS in that hospital to make that happen.

But there’s more - for each £100.00 voucher bought, GREAT TICKETS will donate £10.00 from each voucher to the London hospitals who are asking for donations right now.

For more info on that please see https://www.cwplus.org.uk/news/2020/03/18/covid-19-rapid-response-fund

Don’t forget, if you don’t know someone to nominate but would still like to buy tickets to treat our wonderful NHS staff, we will ensure tickets get to the deserving NHS staff as outlined above.

(*** To start the ball rolling, Graham stated at this point what he has personally bought on behalf of him and his family. I have deleted those details as I don't think it relevant for you all to see. ***)

We have over 5500 companies and individuals on our database so really hope between us all, we can give lots of NHS workers this special treat.

Regards

Graham Roberts

GREAT TICKETS LTD
07919 550054
grahamroberts@fastmail.co.uk

Continue sharing your thoughts and support for each other now we’re in lockdown...

I need to move to using Zoom or Skype to work remotely from home I have been told.

I've never used either so would value advice on how to go about setting it up and using it.

I have a temperamental laptop but which appears to have a camera function which I've also never used.

Any advice or links would be greatly appreciated.

Something to smile at.

As we are Going into self isolation I thought over the weeks we should put up some games to keep people occupied:
First game songs that are appropriate for the prospect of self isolating for 12 weeks..
Eg I want to break free-queen

You can slightly alter a song title to make it humorous if you like.

Click to enlarge

I wish firms would stop sending me all this stuff now, i am upstairs and have to go down for it - then go out to put it in the recycle bin. Come in, disinfect door handle [ got a bottle of vinegar [all i could get]down there] go up and wash hands - again.

... Not sure by how much but think 4 months should do it!

Cancel the Olympics you fools!

I just noticed I am paying an extortionate amount for my BT telephone line and I have broadband separately with Sky, combined they are costing me a fortune.
Telephone - £35.33 a month
Broadband - £19.50 a month
Is there a more efficient and cheaper way to do this?
I was thinking of just getting rid of it altogether as I have a mobile phone but it is likely to get more complicated with regards to downloading files and watching my CCTV on my PC.

It's easy to do from home to the High Street. I'm walking down instead of jumping on a bus. Even quite easy once I'm in the High Street. Just have to walk at a pace so you don't catch up with the person in front.
But when you get into the supermarket, social distancing is virtually impossible. At the checkout queue if you leave a 2 metre gap someone will think you are not queueing, so you move forward. And usually the person behind if they have a basket if right behind you.

Time to move to here everyone... let’s keep sharing about our lives and observations etc now coronavirus is here and is only going to get worse over the next few weeks sadly.
Continue supporting each other as the days go till we come out the other end.

Whilst there is discussion about dementia on another thread, I thought I would just create a post here so that people can leave messages about the various forms of dementia they come across.
Here's a poem I wrote after my Mother-In-Law died of Alzheimer's some time ago:
You’ve gone

You’ve gone,
You’ve gone and you’ve left me alone,
Very much alone,
I’m not the same person I was,
And I’m no longer in my home,
Since you’ve gone, they’ve taken me away.

They’ve taken me somewhere else,
They’ve taken me to a home,
And, I’m home alone,
Very much alone,
There are lots of others who are alone as well,
We’re all here together,
A bunch of lonely people.

Since you’ve been gone,
They try to feed me,
They give me what food they can,
But I don’t get enough obviously,
And they talk to me,
I don’t know what they are saying,
They are all foreigners.

They stand here in front of me,
And they say things,
And I don’t know what,
I feel so sad,
So sad that I can’t understand them,
That I can’t please them,
That I can’t do anything that I used to be able to do.

Times have changed,
Times have really changed,
Sometimes these people who talk to me,
Think I must be deaf,
Just because I don’t understand what they are saying,
They shout it.

Inside I’m shouting back at them,
“I don’t understand, I’m not deaf,
Don’t shout, I don’t understand”,
But I can’t tell them,
I can’t tell them that,
Because they wouldn’t understand me either.

And I would have to shout back at them,
And sometimes I probably do,
All of us here,
Probably do,
We all have our own way,
of getting through each day,
Each day that’s lonelier and lonelier.

And I really don’t mind,
I really don’t mind,
I don’t mind that I don’t understand,
That I don’t eat,
That I am fading,
I don’t mind ‘cos I don’t know.

I don’t know these things are happening to me,
Not since you went,
Since you went and left me,
Without a mind,
Without a memory,
Dementia is cruel.

I have unlearned everything I learnt,
Faster than I learnt it when I was learning.
I have nothing left to learn,
I have nothing left to forget,
My brain will keep me going for as long as it can,
A primal function to survive.

Eventually that small part of my brain,
Which forces the heart to beat,
Will be starved of the nutrients it needs,
To keep my body alive,
Until that day I will not live,
I will merely survive.

I don’t normally put petitions up asking people to sign but as this is important as they are telling everyone to self isolate not go out work not spread the virus but they are not offering to give self employed any real help like they have offered a fair package to everyone else in the country but the 5 & 1/2 million tax paying Self-employed are offered nothing to be able to continue to Pay bills and feed themselves so many self employed are having to continue going out to work and not isolating Because they can’t.
please can people sign this petition to help enable self-employed to also isolate and protect themselves and other people from this awful virus.

https://www.change.org/p/self-employed-to-access-full-pay-through-hmrc-through-this-crisis-self-employed-to-access-full-pay-through-hmrc-earnings-through-this-crisis?recruiter=1059227085&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=fd190635d499427698e2aef2432069d7&recruited_by_id=95ea54d0-6c2a-11ea-bcca-630fde590fb4&utm_content=fht-20997132-en-gb%3Av12

All onto here... to continue sharing supporting and keeping up to date with the daily changes.

This post is to celebrate Mother’s Day as I know people are upset they can’t go and see their Elderly mums as it’s important to stay away and keep them safe.
I thought perhaps people might like to share messages for their mums or just share stories about their mums and what they mean to you.... any special things they have done for you ... Whether your mum is here in this world going through this frightening unsettling time Or if your mum is no longer here but treasured And loved in your heart and in your memories. Please share Your thoughts today🌹

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8009669/amp/Did-coronavirus-originate-Chinese-government-laboratory.html

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/coronavirus-three-arrested-after-police-find-stolen-toilet-paper-in-van-11961352

If this was April 1st you would think it was the newspapers April Fool story.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8132933/Its-Safespace-Snowflake-Meet-Marvels-two-new-superheroes-woke-generation.html

Burglary Reduction
Your local officers were involved in a joint forces operation, in Thames Valley, Hertfordshire, Surrey and the Met, over 3 days that led to the arrests of 63 people, who were using the road network, for a variety of offences.
This intervention will have stopped a number of crimes from occurring and will disrupt gangs who are targeting properties in our area.
I am pleased to say that this has helped us to see a reduction in the amount of burglaries in Chiltern & South Bucks and High Wycombe.

Message Sent By
Darren Walsh (Police, Sgt, Amersham)

Maybe a myth but has logic. They believe virus could be spreading via petrol pumps. Suggest we wear gloves or use paper towel and dispose immediately. It’s plausible so passing message on.

Let’s keep sharing our thoughts..concerns and what’s happening in your area re food supplies & just be there as support for each other during this awful time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojrtwXqqc6g

At least it should be sunny near me! Hope your forecast is the same.

Received from Neighbourhood Alert this afternoon.

Good afternoon,

We are sharing this information on behalf of our partners at the National Cyber Security Centre .

Cyber criminals are exploiting people’s interest in COVID-19 to spread Ransomware by locking people out of their accounts or stealing information unless a ransom is paid.

Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents you from accessing your computer (or the data that is stored on it). The computer itself may become locked, or the data on it might be stolen, deleted or encrypted.

Kindly read and follow the current advice from the National Cyber Security Centre to avoid becoming a victim of Ransomware.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/updating-malware-ransomware-guidance


Attachments
Covid19Ransomware.JPG - 321.2 KB

Message Sent By
Graeme Barbour (Police, Digital Communications Officer, Hampshire)


I didn't click on the link to the jpg.

I have just ordered on line Lego https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=LEGO+BUGATTIKeep me busy for a few days or weeks.
Other ideals are welcome

Italy vs Spain vs England

I've been ill for roughly 12 days, getting better but still unhappy about cough which is getting worse at night. Symptoms don't seem to fit any particular bracket and I haven't really been worried until last 2 nights when I've had to sit up in bed to get any sleep.

Symptoms of Coronavirus seem to change depending on which website you read.

Just done a questionnaire on Drs site and it said contact 111 immediately. Did similar on NHS website and it said rest and contact 111 if I get worse.

Suppose I've just got to see if I improve or get worse.

Message from a Brit in Italy 🇮🇹

......Dear People of the UK

You will of course be aware that Italy has taken extreme measures in the hope of slowing the spread of the Corona Virus. These are measures the UK may be forced to implement, later down the line.

As a Brit living in Italy, here are some things you need to know:

Our supermarkets HAVE STAYED OPEN. They are on slightly reduced hours and you have to queue to get in (yes, it’s a ball-ache) but they are OPEN, EVERY DAY. Deliveries continue to arrive so for fucks sake, shop like NORMAL HUMAN BEINGS!!!

Enforced social isolation does not mean you cannot leave your house. It means you can still leave your house for ESSENTIAL activity, like shopping. So put down the fucking pasta and toilet rolls and breathe. Now you don’t have to share a bed with your four kids because you’ve had to turn their rooms in to store cupboards for the all the pointless and selfish hoarding you are doing.

Pharmacies are still open so you DO NOT NEED 236 bottles of Calpol, 429 packets of paracetamol and 987 Tubigrips. Colds, flu, headaches, muscle pain, period pain, teething babies, they are still out there, Corona Virus or not. So, again, step away from the goods, buy what you NEED, put back what you don’t.

We still have access to all basic medical needs. Again, we have to queue and observe the recommended 1M distance from others but within our community, this has been well-organised and adhered to. Suck it up. For info, the Italians do not queue or respect personal space in the way that we Brits do. If they can do it, then you fucking can too! It’s practically a national pastime!

Bakeries and butchers - still open. See points above.

Pet shops - still open. Calm it, Fido. Your nightly Dentastix is safe.

DIY shops - still open for ESSENTIAL maintenance items. I only know this because I tried to buy a cactus when I went for a new shower head, only to find non-essential aisles closed to the public. Fair enough, right?

Do me a favour. Share this around. The measures are extreme but they are not SO extreme that you need to be utter fuckers to each other.

Shop responsibly. Then go home, pour yourself a gin and celebrate the fact that your food shop is not going to take you 6 hours to put away.

And let’s be honest, on the off chance that you do contract the virus, the last fucking thing you are going to want is a big bowl of pasta, 2ltrs of Fanta and a bumper pack of fucking Morrison’s sausage rolls!!!😮😮😂😂

Thought this was lovely when a car eventually stopped for the deer.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx1OrAWrRSs

Perhaps we could have a post of happy things running that people could add videos or funny jokes...pictures or amusing stories too🙃
Cv free just to keep us from drowning in all this doom and gloom.

Good Afternoon,

All the Country Parks will remain open as normal – the sites are large open spaces where visitors will be able to maintain social distancing.

In light of the current situation, parking charges have been temporarily suspended at all our sites until further notice. Season ticket holders will be automatically compensated with additional time added to their passes when they are renewed. For updated information please visit our website and view the onsite car park signage.

For opening times and the most up to date information, please visit our website - https://countryparks.buckscc.gov.uk/

Kind regards,
The Country Parks Team

Dear Neighbourhood Watch supporters,

Neighbourhood Watch supporters across England and Wales have been responding rapidly to the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis making a positive impact within their local communities. This is a challenging time for all of us. We must highlight health, safety and wellbeing must be our top priorities and at the heart of every decision we make. Please see our full statement from Neighbourhood Watch Network on COVID-19 here:
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2020-03/NW%20COVID-19%20Message%2018.03.20.pdf.

We have built a dedicated area on our new website:
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/news/NW_national-news/covid-19. Over the coming days, weeks and months we will be adding to this as the situation develops, sharing updated guidance, resources, partner links and encouraging communication between supporters through our social media channels, especially to share some of the positive ways communities are coming together to support one another through this.

We wish you all health and safety.

Kind regards,
Central Support Team, Neighbourhood Watch Network

Follow us..
Website: www.ourwatch.org.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourwatch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/N_watch
Instagram: neighbourhood.watch.insta
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neighbourhood-watch/
Message Sent By
Deborah Waller (NWN, Multi Scheme Administrator, England and Wales)