Hastings Lifeboat, Volunteer Vacancy, Isabel Blackman & More News

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!

Speedy Response from Hastings MP!

Hastings & St Leonards* (Simon Holland)

I have received a speedy reply (quality!) to my letter (previous blog) from our Member of Parliament Sally-Ann Hart, via her caseworker, which appears to show she is on board regarding Hastings, our local Hospitality Sector, and Tier 2. She was obviously well prepared for how her constituents may feel about this issue; see below: 

“I am deeply disappointed by the decision to put Hastings and Rother, along with the whole of East Sussex, into Tier 2.

 

Over the last weeks and months, I have seen how our local communities have pulled together in these trying times and kept infections rates low, and sometimes the lowest in the country.

 

Although I am pleased that the new tiering system means all retail, gyms, places of worship and leisure facilities can open, it leaves many parts of our hospitality sector closed and in peril.

 

We entered the recent national restrictions on Tier 1, with low infections, and we are now being told that following a month of tough restrictions the situation has got worse. I understand the criteria that has been used, but rates in East Sussex are now decreasing and therefore I will be looking for evidence to support us going into Tier 2.

 

Early next week the Government will be publishing the economic impact assessments of the decisions they have made, and this will then be followed on Tuesday with a vote in Parliament on this new system.

 

With infection rates falling, and our economy suffering, it is my view that East Sussex should have been placed in Tier 1, and that the evidence for the situation we now find ourselves in is not clear.

 

I will of course analysis the economic impact assessments next week, but I fear, at the busiest time of year for many businesses in our hospitality sector, not being able to open could be disastrous. My support for the Government’s new tiering system is not certain at this stage.”

We'll see how this goes, but I'm not optimistic... 

The photograph* above is reproduced with many thanks to Simon Holland Photography (facebook page), a wonderful view of Hastings & St Leonards, cheers!

From Safest Town in the Country to Tier 2 in 2 Weeks!

I just don't believe it, from living in the safest town in England and Wales (blog) to living under Tier 2 COVID-19 restrictions next week! What has the second lockdown done to Hastings in just a couple of weeks?!? I really do fear for our Hospitality Sector, and fear that Hastings may become a Ghost Town by the return of the tourists next year. Anyway, I felt I should write to our MP requesting she stand up for the town and her constituents, basically, do her job!  

My letter is reproduced below, if you want to write to her go this website.

I shall let you know how she replies, anyway, my letter:

Dear Sally-Ann Hart,

COVID-19 Latest Tier Restrictions

I brought myself to write to you because I am very concerned that the people of Hastings are being treated unfairly by Her Majesty's Government, and as our Member of Parliament, I would be very grateful if you would help defend this wonderful historic town, and its inhabitants.

Before the COVID-19 crisis descended upon us even, we have been treated unfairly, with the Central Government Revenue Support Grant awarded to Hastings being reduced from £14 million in 2010/11 to nothing nothing since April 2019. Indeed, the Government's 'The Indices of Deprivation 2019' stated that Hastings was the 13th most deprived area in England, from among the 317 local council areas in the country, and the most deprived local council area in the South East!

The unemployment rate locally was higher than the national average at the start of the COVID-19 'lockdown' from March, and is only rising, sadly, due to the restrictions deemed necessary to halt the rise of that virus. However, the local economy is highly dependent on tourism, and the hospitality sector was hit significantly by its closure. As you'll be aware, the hospitality sector in Hastings prospers, and ensures employment, during the warmer months of the year, but 'lockdown' and the loss of holiday periods such as Easter, and numerous festivals that bring visitors, consequently money, into the town, including Hastings Week, the Seafood & Wine Festival, the Herring Festival, and May Day and 'Jack in the Green' have all been lost to businesses in the local Hospitality Sector.

When the 'lockdown' ended early in July, with Hastings one of the safest places to live in the country with respect to COVID-19, the local Hospitality Sector looked at the latest rules regarding COVID-19, dusted itself down, and brought in vigorous supervision of customers, spending much money on ensuring 'mitigations' such as reducing the numbers that could enter premises by losing/moving furniture, taking details of customers for tracking and tracing, providing hand sanitizer, staff safety wear and serving at table, regular cleaning of their premises and toilets, sanitizing tables between customers, the list could go on, but they adhered to Government advice. Indeed, only a few didn't, and were suitably closed for periods by Police and the local authority to help them get their act together.

Since July, Hastings, in Tier 1, has continued to maintain a much lower than average number of cases of COVID-19, indeed, at the beginning of the second 'lockdown' we had the lowest incidence of COVID-19 in England and Wales, being 31.3 cases per 100,000 (2nd November).

How is it that, after a couple of weeks of 'lockdown' the Government has decided to move Hastings from Tier 1, when it became the safest place to live in England and Wales, into Tier 2 from next week? Surely this means the Government's strategy isn't working, when, during 'lockdown' the position got worse apparently? Yet Government figures appear to be suggesting the rise in infection rates has leveled off with signs of falling numbers.

When this comes before Parliament next week, I trust you will stand up for Hastings and your constituents, and defend our Hospitality Sector so that, and hopefully we shall see the Summer of 2021 be something close to normal for tourism, there are still some businesses remaining open to benefit, please let's not allow Hastings to become a 'Ghost Town.'

I look forward to receiving your support for Hastings in Parliament, and your comments, many thanks,

Yours sincerely,

Christmas Tree & Decorations: But isn't this still November?!?

I first noticed that Christmas lights had gone up when I was out for my daily exercise (walking) early-ish on Tuesday morning, and since then, on Thursday, 5 Christmas Trees were erected around the Borough of Hastings, including this one (above) in the town centre. The early advent of Advent (officially begins a week from today) this year, and around the country, appears to have been stimulated by a campaign started in Nottingham to 'boost' mental health (BBC), a very worthy proposition indeed. 👍

It would be churlish of me to not support this campaign, particularly as I'm a retired RMN, but am I the only person wondering why, with lockdown lasting until the 2nd of December at the earliest, consequently, no-one out and about during the night, and most of the evening for that matter, lights are lit for hours and not being appreciated by the good folk of Hastings? Seems like a waste of energy and money to me... 😔

But let's trust things will improve asap, be careful folks and please watch out for each other: wash your hands regularly still, wear face coverings where appropriate, maintain social distancing, and respect each other always, and Best Wishes to all. 💓 

Together, we can beat COVID-19, roll on the 3rd of December, and fingers crossed! 

Pigeons, Woodpeckers and Allies - Birds Part 7

Another blog with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* as, quite frankly, all I have seen of the birds mentioned in this chapter on my walks during these troubled times and the 2 lockdowns, are pigeons, doves and woodpeckers... For anyone reading my Bird Blogs for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this group is a “rag-bag of species, convenient in that they are the "only perching birds that do not belong to the order Passeriforms." So now you know...

Great Spotted Woodpecker

For my first couple of sightings I refer to the woodpeckers, and, usually heard rather than seen, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, the most common and most widespread woodpecker in Britain. I have heard woodpeckers drumming and drilling away all over the place, notably when walking in the higher parts of Alexandra Park, but early on in my cross Hastings Country Park walks during this crisis I not only heard them, but saw one, I heard it first and was lucky enough to spot it whilst walking long Barley Lane just after Fishponds View, thank you very much! They eat mostly insects and larvae, but during the Autumn and Winter months they switch their diet to include berries and nuts, and they may be seen in gardens pecking at peanut feeders.

I have seen many more Green Woodpeckers than the more common Great Spotted variety during my life, well noticed them anyway, indeed my first ever was as a young lad out with a mate, duffle bag over my shoulder, and flask of tea and some goodies in the bag for sustenance, saw the Green Woodpecker and followed it for quite a way until it flew over a small stream, without thinking I threw my bag over to the other side and leapt over myself; well, thermos flasks in those days had very fragile glass linings and I wasn't forgiven by my mum for ages, and no more tea to drink either that day! Similarly, their main diet is insects, and they can often be seen searching for food on the ground, ants forming a significant part of their diet, indeed, the one I saw, again quite early during the lockdown, was on the ground along a track off Barley Lane.

Collared Dove

The ubiquitous and largest pigeon in the country, is the Woodpigeon, and the most commonly seen pigeon during my walks across Hastings Country Park too, with an almost husky 'coo.' It eats seeds, leaves, grain, fruit, peas and root crops, consequently, it can become a pest to farmers. It's amazing that pigeons appear to know where to live, for example, up on the Country Park the Woodpigeon is virtually the only pigeon/dove you will see, whereas the feral town pigeons (mostly descended from rock doves/domesticated pigeons, although you may spot a hint of white dove or even collared dove interbreeding here and there), well, those town pigeons stay in town!

But back to the edge of town, and smaller than the Woodpigeon, I have spotted Collared Doves close to the Hastings end of Barley Lane during my travels. A relative newcomer to Britain, which was first recorded nesting in Norfolk in 1955 having spread westwards from Asia, but it has since spread throughout this country (and across to America too), and now is quite common in Britain. Again, it 'coos' but in a more gentle manner, almost begging you to listen, and eats seeds and grain from the ground.

Sorry folks, I haven't seen an owl for ages, consequently, not in my chapter! But the photograph above is of a wee painting I was given as a present over 35 years ago.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations... The next chapter of the book* is called Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks, but my Birds Part VIII blog will likely just be called Gulls, you'll understand! 😉 Please do watch out for it, I'll try not to leave it for so long this time, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Spotted Woodpecker is reproduced with many thanks to Mark Hamblin, and of the Collared Dove with thanks to Gillian Day, and thanks to The Wildlife Trusts for both.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Shop & Buy Local...

 

Of course we all want to shop and buy local, as has been encouraged by Love Hastings (website), and also by Hastings Borough Council, but I fear for local businesses, not just shops and artisans, but hairdressers, pubs, bars, restaurants, and many other local businesses. I added such a comment to a post on a social media page, and was informed that many businesses are delivering or providing click & collect, as I discussed in a recent blog that included The Jolly Fisherman. 

These were the businesses I was informed of: Soak, Mame's Place, Red Gallery, Warp & Weft, Butler & George, Courthouse Cooperative, Reste, and my thanks to Soak for that information, cheers!

If anyone wishes to add about other local businesses offering similar services during these strange times please feel free to add about them in comments and I will include any I am told about in a future blog (providing they are legal, of course 😉)

Hastings to Bexhill Walk "The Musical"

I had to include this image at Pelham Beach because it is so amusing, an outdoor beach gym thingamabob and notice saying "This facility is closed" - Honest! 😂 Anyway, an eclectic mix of music, something that tells a story for each image: Walking From Hastings to Bexhill & Back The Musical, first link to YouTube. Oh yes, and I took these photographs earlier today, mostly...

My second image is, well you can see it, Hastings Pier, sadly closed until who knows when, and there was such hope for an expanding and exciting future at one time (for example, blog), but either the Administrators' ineptitude, incompetence and/or a stuffed brown envelope left it in the hands of Mr G, annoyingly; anyway, YouTube.

OK, I really should have posted the photograph I took of the Azur Pavilion, but it doesn't look great with all the shutters closed, so I posted this, if you've seen the film Byzantium, you'll know what I'm getting at, cue YouTube.

This wonderful building I have written about many times before, particularly detailed in this blog, and a highly appropriate song from YouTube.

And you really can hear the echo of the sea hitting the beach, and quite severely today too, off the sand cliffs here; Great song (for me anyway) at YouTube.

If you've walked this walk before you will be aware that this is the cliff side of Galley Hill, I did take a photograph of the road going up the hill, but it wasn't good, anyway cue YouTube, and I didn't run... By someone I had a bit of a crush on as a younger man, and who I would have been very happy to run up hills with in those days. 😉

So, here we are at Bexhill, and I own up, this wasn't taken today (as if you couldn't have guessed), but my brother calls me lots of things, maybe the best of which is 'Mr Blue Sky' (don't fall for that one 😉), as he says I regularly exhibit Blue Sky Thinking. As it was pretty overcast earlier I used this photograph as an exquisite image with plenty of blue sky! The De La Warr Pavilion (blog), championed by the 9th Earl De La Warr, however, his father, the 8th Earl De La Warr, turned Bexhill on Sea into the "Birthplace of British Motor Racing" from 1902, indeed, running up Galley Hill (website).

Anyway, my final piece of fun music @ YouTube, hope you enjoyed the musical! 😊

Out for a Weekend Walk & Beer to Your Door!

I had to get out for a bit of exercise and to stop myself climbing the walls this morning, living alone can lead you to do suchlike, particularly if you don't see anyone else you know for too long. So I got out and managed to wave and/or say 'hello' to a few people I know, and a couple I don't know, as that face in my bathroom mirror gets a wee bit boring when the only other person I see. 😉 Anyway, a bit windy, high waters and waves, like above at Rock-a-Nore, where a couple of lads were actually fishing at the end of the east harbour arm, having to jump up for every high wave; I would have published a photograph of them, but I was giggling and the one above came out better.

I had managed to see a few people I know, thankfully, and had short very socially distanced chats, and on my way back I noticed that the Jolly Fisherman was again making Friday deliveries (blog from the first lockdown), and this lockdown the rules allow for click & collect too; above are the ales, keg beers and ciders/perry available; they also have numerous bottles and cans. Go to their website for further details, I have to admit to being tempted, particularly by the Angels & Demons brew, but... 😈

Notice anything different in the photograph above? Well, the footpath 'widening' has gone a few weeks earlier than originally planned (blog), there were a few complaints that it was effecting local businesses because of less parking, although with the lockdown until the beginning of December, at least, did it really matter? Anyway, now I'll have to walk in the road proper to avoid cycles on the footpath, or do as I did earlier and use the cycle path, much safer and less likely to get hit by a cycle! 😏

Talking of parking, was there an Optivo convention on Pelham Beach this morning?

Anyway, please look after yourselves folks, wash your hands regularly, maintain social distancing of at least 2 metres, wear face coverings where required, and let's respect and be considerate to each other, cheers m'dears!

Walking, Seafront, Parks and Shopping, Lucky Us!

Rather than walk eastwards today, my exercise included a couple of walks along the seafront, first, to the west and then heading away from the seafront by the majestic Marine Court (older blog) and walking up through the delightful St Leonards Gardens (another older blog). I cut across to Bohemia Road via Tower Road to go shopping at Lidl, as you do sometimes when you go shopping. Then, to get home, I walked back downhill through yet another delightful park, Alexandra Park (above, and yet another older blog). We are so lucky, not only do we have the healthy seafront to walk along, but 3 excellent award winning parks too (blog), quality! 

Hastings Lifeboat

It almost makes lockdown bearable... almost, but it does help a lot. Anyway, after a mug of tea and a couple of Rich Tea biscuits, I headed out along the front again, though eastwards this time, as I had to collect something fishing boat/work related. Lo and behold, our Shannon Class lifeboat, RNLI 13-28 Richard & Caroline Colton was sitting outside the Hastings Lifeboat Station (above), that was a pleasant surprise! The video linked in this blog during Storm Ciara earlier this year is well worth watching if you haven't already seen it. Although I've seen it quite a few times and feel blessed by our lifeboat crew and volunteers every time I see it, my respect to them all!

Daily Walks & Hastings Proud Record Regarding COVID-19

Not much has happened, to me anyway, since Lockdown Mark 2 began... I've walked quite a bit over my first lockdown regular route across Hastings Country Park Local Nature Reserve, and not been inside a pub. 😒 But I have seen a few people I know/have as new friends because of my first lockdown wandering (mostly dog walkers), and been beeped by passing vehicles with drivers I know (not just because I stepped into the road in front of them 😉). Anyway, yesterday was a lovely day to walk, even if a bit misty, for example, the photograph looking back westwards above.

At Fairlight and looking back across Warren Glen (above), still a wee bit misty but it was a lovely bright day yesterday... But, before I go on about walking, I shan't keep you in suspense about the COVID-19 incidence in Hastings. I shall link you to SussexLive, which tells us that Hastings has the lowest incidence of COVID-19 in England and Wales, if not quite in the UK, apparently the incidence in the Scottish Highlands is lower. Anyway, I have regularly reported about the low incidence in Hastings, which SussexLive tells us is now the equivalent of 31.3 cases per 100,000, compared to the average of 167 per 100,000 in England (BBC). Obviously it's healthy in Hastings! 👍

So, back to my walking, but to my equivalent walk today, and I took this photograph from the steps up the East Hill of one of the catamarans coming in to land at about 07.20, again, a wee bit misty, but not so bad really, and great to see the fishing fleet still going out, about 5 fishing boats were missing from the beach as far as I could see...

I walked over to Fairlight again, pleased to hear quite a bit of chatter among the birds accompanying me, particularly Robin song, where it was a bit more misty than back in Hastings town (Warren Glen above), and I thought I'd share a comparative image:

One of the original 19th century Pre-Raphaelite artists, William Holman Hunt painted Fairlight Downs, Sunlight on the Sea (immediately above) looking down from about 20-30 yards to the right of where I took the photograph of Warren Glen (above) this morning. This painting is now in the private collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber; if you want to read about other links between the Pre-Raphaelites and Hastings, please go to this blog which I wrote a few years ago and, believe me, there are many connections!

Back in Hastings, and it is certainly quieter than usual, as you'd expect, but nowhere near as quiet as during the first lockdown, and certainly more traffic on the roads.

Anyway, please stay safe folks, mind your social distancing, wear face coverings where required, and wash hands regularly, very important... Look after yourselves!

 

Do you remember the good old days before the lockdown?!?

So lockdown mark II has started today, until the 2nd of December, allegedly, although rules are a bit different from mark I. Some differences: you can meet up with ONE person from a different household, providing it is outside, for example on the beach or in a park (plus you may have a child with you, if not at school); oh yes, and children and young adults are remaining at school/college/university (I shan't go on about how I feel about that here); dentists and opticians are remaining open; there is no formal shielding; public toilets should remain open; BBC for more information. 

There are many similarities, pubs and restaurants are closed, but takeaway and deliveries of food alcohol are allowed. I've seen that most takeaways, eg many McDonald's, KFC etc are staying open, but not for sitting in. Hairdressers will be closed; libraries will be closed (although they hope to organise a click & collect service from Monday); Household Waste Sites will remain open; the Registry Office will be closed, but birth and death registrations can be arranged by telephone and appointments. And exercising is allowed, but not limited; so that's me walking the miles again daily.

Please be careful folks and remember social distancing, face coverings where appropriate, and wash your hands regularly, look after yourselves!