I was out earlier today, enjoying my exercise walking along the seafront, and took this 'moody' misty pier photograph (above), still closed of course, and mulling over what I should write about today. Well, I've been thinking for days now of updating regarding the COVID-19 Crisis, Lockdown and Tier 2, but I wanted to see what else the Government is offering the 100-odd Conservative MPs who are suggesting they may rebel tomorrow unless the Government provides evidence of why areas in Tier 1 before the second lockdown are rationally being placed in Tier 2 from Wednesday, and what other help the Government may provide to the Hospitality Sector, which appears to be the only sector not being allowed to reopen, unless they meet the 'substantial meal' proviso. Indeed, even Santa's Grottoes are being allowed and carol singing is to be allowed! What does the Cabinet/Scientists have against the Pub Trade in particular, which before the lockdown had worked hard to successfully implement the 'COVID-19 Safe Surroundings' requested by the Government's rules (Campaign for Pubs)? Anyway...
So, giving the COVID-19 Crisis a miss for the moment (I carry on about it a wee bit a wee bit further down!), I'll move on to
Hastings Lifeboat, their television appearance, and an important volunteer vacancy that has been announced. First, we should all be aware of the lifeboat's involvement in
Storm Ciara earlier in the year (
BBC), but were you aware that this incident was included in the BBC television programme
Saving Lives at Sea last week? Go to the BBC
website to catch up on
iPlayer if you missed it.
With regard to the vacancy, the
Volunteer Fundraising Group Leader for Hastings RNLI is being sought, and with many thanks to Sue who has held this position for many years now... This rewarding role includes raising awareness and to create ways of raising funds for the RNLI and our local lifeboat (
website).
Other news includes the scaffolding that has been at the end of George Street for eons (a wee exaggeration) has now been removed, as Councillor Bacon assured us it would be recently on his twitter feed, following the building being 'made safe.' You will appreciate that this photograph wasn't taken today, but yesterday. 😎
Even better news, the
Isabel Blackman Centre in Winding Street has been saved from extinction, having been bought by a consortium of community groups following a long campaign that helped to gain the required funding, as reported by Emma Harwood in
Hastings Online Times; go to their
website for the excellent full report.
Oh yes... Happy St Andrew's Day!
Sadly True
Leader/Editor Comment:
Finally! The
COVID-19 Crisis, and a few relevant updates I thought I should share from other media sources, as you will be aware if a regular reader of mine, I am not exactly complementary about the Government's handling of this
crisis (for example this
blog), nor its incompetent, perhaps corrupt, waste of £ billions of taxpayers money and, notably,
Hastings going from the safest local area, with the lowest incidence of
COVID-19 in England and Wales, to being designated in Tier 2 two weeks later (
blog). However, these links provide some relevant further reading, make up your own minds:
The
R Rate is now below 1 (
BBC), a fact which is supported by the highly respected
Imperial College React-1 Study, of over 100,000 people this month, that estimated the
R Rate to have fallen to
0.88 (
BBC), whilst the nationwide
incidence of
COVID-19 has
fallen by 30% since
Lockdown Two began in early November!
Oh yes! And just how reliable are the stats regarding infection rates? Another report highlights that during the 19th and 23rd of November, 1311 people were noted as testing 'positive' but the test results were actually void (BBC), and that figure, and who knows how many other errors, has obviously been included in deciding what Tiers local areas should go into. Complete and utter ineptitude...
Hopefully I can provide more positive news soon, but whatever, please remember to carry on being careful folks, wear face coverings where appropriate, maintain social distancing of 2 metres, and wash your hands regularly. Be safe!
If you've got down to here I am impressed 😉 Look after yourselves!
