The money raised by The Big Night In will be split between Comic Relief and Children in Need and will go on to support local charities and projects in the UK, so they can continue to provide vital emergency support.

There will be more demand than ever for support from local charities. This includes making sure people are safe from harm, mentally healthy and with access to food, warmth and shelter; as well as helping people stay connected, active and positive through these extraordinary times.

The Big Bike In

Endurance athlete and Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin is going to ride 100 miles inside on her static bike to support the BBC’s The Big Night In Appeal for those affected by coronavirus. 

Pauline Baker our Vice Chair of the St Luke’s Residents group is going to cycle on her exercise bike in support of this appeal.

She will definitely not manage 100 miles, but is determined to do her best until totally exhausted.

I will let you all know tomorrow how many miles she actually managed.

Joe Lazenby, a resident of the St Luke’s area has contacted us with a message and details of The Brasserie at the Bay Takeaway.

Hi Everyone 

If you fancied Sunday Dinner being cooked for you, you could contact Phil and Vicki who would love to cook it for you. You would need to talk to them or go on their website to let them know. The following information provides their email and website details if you would like Sunday Dinner cooked for you. 

Keep Safe. God Bless

Joe

Message from Phil and Vicki.

Dear St Luke’s Residents Association,

Some of you may be aware, but others not, that our chef has started offering restaurant quality meals suitable for contact free home delivery or takeaway direct from our Brasserie kitchen. 

We offer one delicious daily dish Wednesdays to Saturdays and on Sundays roast with all the trimmings. There is also a selection of puddings to choose from as well.

If you’d like to know more please visit the website at www.brasserieatthebay.com or call us on the number below.

Keep well and safe.

Phil & Vicki

—

Brasserie at the Bay

Meadfoot Sea Road

Torquay TQ12LQ

01803294722

www.brasserieatthebay.com

Many thanks to Kevin Foster for permitting us to use part of his weekly Residents’ Update.

This is an abridged version and the full version can be found on his website.

Lockdown Extended,

Devon & Cornwall Police and Torbay Council have been given a range of powers to enforce the law and to give guidance where needed. Fines have been issued to those ignoring the rules in our bay and will continue to be. I am advised the majority have been issued to those living locally.

Still There To Care,

Many residents have taken to heart the message to stay at home and support the NHS in its fight against Covid-19, yet there has been a reminder this week it is still there if you need urgent care for other conditions.

This week Firefighters joined the NHS frontline in our bay by becoming Ambulance drivers, bringing their skills of responding to emergency calls with them. They will be accompanied by a clinician when responding to 999 Ambulance Calls.

The Emergency Department at our local Hospital is open and arrangements have been put in place to separate suspected Coronavirus patients from those with other health needs. If you are short of breath, have chest pains or a severe allergic reaction the expert NHS teams are still on hand to support you either via 999 or heading to the Hospital.

You can find more detail on urgent care services available in our area, including Newton Abbot Hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit.

Care Homes,

In my call with Torbay Council today I was advised the Integrated Care Organisation, which is a merger of Torbay’s Adult Social Care and Health Services, is in daily contact with the 110 care homes in our bay. This is on a range of issues from PPE to testing and other supplies.

Supporting the Most Vulnerable,

Those most vulnerable to the virus are being advised to self-isolate until mid-June, with 2,963 people now being supported by Torbay Council to do this.

I was advised the council has been in touch with all but 10 of them, with a range of support being provided beyond food (and toilet roll) parcels. This includes outreach from library services and advice on keeping physically and mentally fit.

The whole team at the Council is working hard to deliver this and deserve our support in doing so.

4,100 Calls To Community Support Line,

4,100 calls have now been made to the Torbay Coronavirus Community Support hotline established by the Torbay Community Development Trust.

As of today they had processed 1,463 requests for help with a range of support provided to local people in need. The phone line, which will be staffed 24/7, covers Torquay and Paignton. The number is 01803 446022. Brixham Does Care can be contacted directly on 01803 857727 (Mon-Fri, 9am-4:30pm).

Given the number needing support in terms of food deliveries a joint appeal on behalf of the food banks in the bay for funds has been launched, which you can find by clicking here.

Domestic Abuse Support,

Whilst the current restrictions are needed to deal with Covid-19, one concern is the impact they may have on victims of Domestic Abuse who may find it harder to access support or be trapped indoors with an abusive partner.

There have been requests to promote the support available to those who may feel alone, which includes the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline number 0808 2000 247, run by Refuge, which can also be found online.

Fishing Industry,

Given the impact of the current situation on the fishing industry in our bay I am pleased to see a £10 million fund for England’s fishing and aquaculture sectors announced by the Government.

Palace Hotel Demolition,

The demolition work at the Palace Hotel is now well underway and the once grand façade is slowly disappearing.

and finally……Climbing a Mountain At Home.

On a local level another fundraising effort saw Torbay Councillor James O’Dwyer “climb a mountain” in aid of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Emergency Appeal. As he could not travel to the real mountain in Morocco , he did 11960 stairs at home to equal its height. You can find his page by clicking here.

That is all for this week and enjoy your weekend.

Best Wishes,

Kevin

If you no longer wish to receive emails from the St Luke’s Residents Group. Visit the stlukesra.org.uk homepage. Click on ‘Manage your subscriptions’ in the box located in the centre of the page.

or

If you are aware of any resident who is not on our database and would like to receive regular updates they can add their email address in the box on the right of the Home page and click ‘Subscribe’.

Torbay Council has asked for the following information be distributed.

We have launched a COVID-19 Community Action Fund to provide flexible resources to organisations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the social and economic consequences of this outbreak. All applications under £500 will be considered.

What is the Community Action Fund?

Whilst the Government, NHS and all local authorities are doing everything in their power to slow the spread of coronavirus, our Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and local communities are also helping to safely assist those most vulnerable during this unprecedented time.

Through the COVID-19 Community Action Fund, we will rapidly provide small amounts of grant funding to community-led schemes, which achieve the small but important things that can safely address some of the issues that are arising because of this Coronavirus outbreak.

These can include:

• Safe deliveries of essential goods and services to those who are vulnerable, such as foods and medicines.
• Support for accessing online information and services
• Virtual support groups to help people to stay connected and informed and to maintain and support mental health and wellbeing
• Transport related initiatives that support safe community responses to the outbreak

Who can apply?

Applications are encouraged from constituted and not-for-profit Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector groups and organisations, or a combination of groups working together.

See the guidance for more details.

How to apply

We have launched a COVID-19 Community Action Fund to provide flexible resources to organisations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the social and economic consequences of this outbreak. All applications under £500 will be considered.

What is the Community Action Fund?

Whilst the Government, NHS and all local authorities are doing everything in their power to slow the spread of coronavirus, our Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and local communities are also helping to safely assist those most vulnerable during this unprecedented time.

Through the COVID-19 Community Action Fund, we will rapidly provide small amounts of grant funding to community-led schemes, which achieve the small but important things that can safely address some of the issues that are arising because of this Coronavirus outbreak.

These can include:

• Safe deliveries of essential goods and services to those who are vulnerable, such as foods and medicines.
• Support for accessing online information and services
• Virtual support groups to help people to stay connected and informed and to maintain and support mental health and wellbeing
• Transport related initiatives that support safe community responses to the outbreak

Who can apply?

Applications are encouraged from constituted and not-for-profit Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector groups and organisations, or a combination of groups working together.

See the guidance for more details.

How to apply

We have launched a COVID-19 Community Action Fund to provide flexible resources to organisations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the social and economic consequences of this outbreak. All applications under £500 will be considered.

What is the Community Action Fund?

Whilst the Government, NHS and all local authorities are doing everything in their power to slow the spread of coronavirus, our Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and local communities are also helping to safely assist those most vulnerable during this unprecedented time.

Through the COVID-19 Community Action Fund, we will rapidly provide small amounts of grant funding to community-led schemes, which achieve the small but important things that can safely address some of the issues that are arising because of this Coronavirus outbreak.

These can include:

• Safe deliveries of essential goods and services to those who are vulnerable, such as foods and medicines.
• Support for accessing online information and services
• Virtual support groups to help people to stay connected and informed and to maintain and support mental health and wellbeing
• Transport related initiatives that support safe community responses to the outbreak

Who can apply?

Applications are encouraged from constituted and not-for-profit Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector groups and organisations, or a combination of groups working together.

See the guidance for more details.

Help and support

If you are uncertain about how to apply please contact grants@torbay.gov.uk and mark your email SUPPORT in the subject line.

Guidance

1. Non-constituted groups without their own, separate bank account, small local businesses and individuals may apply but they will need to do so with the support of an accountable constituted organisation acting on their behalf as the holder of the funding. If you fall into this category, organisations that Torbay Council would accept as fund holder include:
   • Brixham Town Council
   • Your community partnership
   • Another constituted local voluntary group that qualifies
2. If you are successful in getting funding for your idea/initiative, we will ask you for some feedback on how your project went within six weeks of receiving the funds.

Terms and conditions

• I am authorised to sign on behalf of the above-named organisation and that any funding will be used to benefit the community in line with the priorities of the COVID19 Fund and will only be used for the purposes specified in the application.
• This CPA grant will be used before 31 March 2021 and any unspent/uncommitted monies will be returned to Torbay Council promptly; without proof of purchase or commitment.
• That I/we will provide Torbay Council with evidence of how the funding has benefited the organisation/local community.
• That I/we acknowledge and understand that approval of any grant relating to this application does not commit the Council to on-going funding.

Definitions: “Authority” means Torbay Council and “Recipient” means the organisation in receipt of this grant

1. You are authorised to apply for the grant on behalf of the organisation or you have identified an accountable constituted organisation which is willing to act on your behalf as the holder of the funding.
2. The grant is awarded to enable the Recipient to undertake the project described within the application form.
3. Any changes to the use of the grant set out at 2. above must be with the prior written agreement of the Authority.
4. Any additional costs over and above the approved funding shall be met by the Recipient.
5. Any grant funds unspent or uncommitted by 31 March 2021 shall be returned to Torbay Council promptly.
6. The Recipient shall provide the Authority with evidence of how the funding has been spent by no later than six weeks following payment of the grant to the recipient.
7. The grant shall become repayable immediately in full:
   1. where the Recipient uses the grant for purposes other than those set out in this Agreement, unless with the prior agreement of the Authority;
   2. the Recipient is unable to provide evidence in accordance with clause 6 of this Agreement.
8. No amendment or variation to the terms of this Agreement shall be valid unless previously agreed in writing between the Authority and the Recipient.
9. The Authority may, at its sole discretion:
   1. extend this Agreement beyond the agreed term by a further period or periods, as deemed necessary by the Authority.
   2. provide additional funding to the Recipient under the terms of this Agreement.
10. The Recipient acknowledges and understands that approval of any grant relating to this application does not commit Torbay Council to on-going funding.
11. Any Value Added Tax (VAT) payable by the Recipient is your responsibility and Torbay Council shall be liable to pay any additional amount.
12. Torbay Council will not offer funding for:
    1. Projects working with vulnerable people where there is no Safeguarding Policy and/or appropriately trained staff/volunteers.
    2. Reimbursement of previously incurred expenses.
    3. Activities the Authority deems to promote or be linked to religious or political ideologies or beliefs. This does not preclude applications from religious or political groups, only the overt promotion of an ideology.
    4. Projects that are deemed by Torbay Council to be unethical.
    5. Individuals, groups or organisations who are a debtor to Torbay Council.
13. Repayment of the fund can be required at the sole discretion of Torbay Council if you supply false information, fail to spend the money in the allotted time period, your organisation becomes insolvent or there are any other breaches of the conditions or eligibility criteria.
14. Our fund is limited and will be allocated on a case-by-case basis. Once it runs out we will not be able to fund subsequent projects

More information can be found on the Torbay Council Website.

Many thanks to Kevin Foster for permitting us to use part of his weekly Residents’Update.

£17.7m Hospital Debt Write Off,

There was very welcome news earlier today as the Government confirmed Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Torbay Hospital, will benefit from a £17,731,000 debt write-off as part of the government’s announcement to scrap £13.4 billion of NHS debt across England.

This debt write-off will rid more than a hundred NHS hospitals of historic debt, freeing them up to invest in maintaining vital services and longer-term infrastructure improvements. This announcement also comes alongside a new NHS funding model to make sure the NHS has the necessary funding and support to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The changes will provide much needed financial support during this unprecedented viral pandemic, as well as laying secure foundations for the longer-term commitments set out last year to support the NHS to become more financially sustainable.

This is part of a package of major reforms to the NHS financial system, designed in a collaboration between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, which will begin from the start of the new financial year.

Trusts across the South West will see a total of £825,562,000 of debt written off thanks to this move.

Supporting The Most Vulnerable,

The Torbay Shielding Hub has now been established at Torquay Town Hall to support those who have been advised to shield themselves for 12 weeks.

The number of Torbay residents who have been advised to shield is now at 2644. The hub have now made successful contact with more than 1,500 vulnerable residents. The aim is to ensure those residents who have been advised by the Government to shield are OK and that they have essential supplies to get them through a couple days. Where residents advise they do not have enough food, the delivery of a food parcel is arranged to go out to them. If concerned they are not able to get exercise, then a call from the Lifestyles Team can be arranged and if residents are struggling more generally with the challenges of self-isolation then they can be referred to the Community Development Trust for support from the community and voluntary sector.

The Hub is staffed by five officers from Torbay Council plus others from the integrated care organisation.

It is good to see this support package get underway and my thanks go to Torbay Council’s team who have got this vital service underway.

I am advised details of this list has also been shared with the major supermarket chains who will look to co-ordinate their delivery slots to provide a priority service for those affected by this.

Hospice Funding,

Last night a £200m package of funding for Hospices was confirmed as part of a wider package for charities.

I was delighted to hear this news having written on behalf of Rowcroft Hospice to Cabinet colleagues urging them to consider the plight of these services, which are based on charitable donations. The £200m package reflects what the Hospices sector had asked for.

Rowcroft’s services are more vital than ever, but funding has dried up as many fundraising events have been cancelled. They simply cannot furlough their staff and mothball their facility at a time when so many are in need, hence the need for the Government to step in.

harity Funding Package,

Charities across the UK will receive a £750 million package of support to ensure they can continue their vital work during the coronavirus outbreak.

• £750 million pot for frontline charities across the UK – including hospices and those supporting domestic abuse victims

• £360 million direct from government departments and £370 million for smaller charities, including through a grant to the National Lottery Community Fund.

• The Government will match donations to the National Emergencies Trust as part of the BBC’s Big Night In fundraiser later this month – pledging a minimum of £20 million.

Government Departments will now work at pace to identify priority recipients, with the aim for charities to receive money in the coming weeks. The application system for the National Lottery Community Fund grant pot is expected to be operational within a similar period of time.

You can read more details on the Government website.

Council Call Centre Available Over the Weekend,

Torbay Council’s Call Centre will be available over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend for anyone who needs support with council services.

The call centre is available on weekdays from 9am to 5pm and will also be available on Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Easter Monday from 9am to 1pm. It will also be available every weekend throughout April from 9am to 1pm.

The call centre can be contacted on 01803 207201 and will be available to provide advice and support to local residents on all services including housing, council tax, Registrar services and business rates, and can also advise on changes to local services as a result of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Community Helpline,

Staff at Torbay Community Development Trust (TCDT), Ageing Well Torbay (AWT) and Brixham Does Care are working with voluntary groups across the Bay and have set up a phone line for people in need of help because of illness or isolation and also for those that are prepared to offer help.

The phone line, which will be staffed 24/7, covers Torquay and Paignton. The number is 01803 446022. Brixham Does Care can be contacted directly on 01803 857727 (Mon-Fri, 9am-4:30pm).

Easter Service,

Whilst there will be no physical walks of witness or Dawn Services on our beautiful beaches, there are still plenty of chances to mark Easter.

The Church of England will be posting services and reflections on its Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/thechurchofengland/

The Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales has posted a wealth of resources on its webpages:

Catholic Church in England and Wales

This will seem an odd time for Christians here in the bay, we are used to our church meeting and celebrating Easter and its promise in our beautiful and historic buildings, then sharing the fellowship with our friends and family. Yet this is something many in the persecuted church can only dream of, instead marking it behind closed doors at home.

This Easter will be a chance to reflect on this during our own time of challenge.

and finally…….Virtual Riviera.

Ending on a different note it will seem strange spending a sunny Easter Weekend at home, but you can still take in the sights our bay has to offer.

You can walk around Berry Head Nature Reserve, take a tour of the Brixham Fish Market or visit tigers, crocodiles and penguins during feeding time at Paignton Zoo and Living Coasts in virtual reality all from the comfort of your home.

You can put on a VR headset to experience these videos in full, or simply enjoy the 360 video online and on your mobile. Just click here to find them on the English Riviera website.

That is all for this week and I hope you have a Happy Easter.

Best Wishes,

Kevin

This is an abridged version and the full version can be found on his website.

If you no longer wish to receive emails from the St Luke’s Residents Group. Visit the stlukesra.org.uk homepage. Click on ‘Manage your subscriptions’ in the box located in the centre of the page.

or

If you are aware of any resident who is not on our database and would like to receive regular updates they can add their email address in the box on the right of the Home page and click ‘Subscribe’.