Tuesday 4th August 2020 – Day One Hundred & Twenty Six
Aloha kakahiaka! (Goodmorning!)
Your responses to these newsletters have been overwhelmingly positive and uplifting for me!
I just wanted to extend my gratitude to you all for staying engaged and making me feel like I’m not talking to a wall haha. I know I’m always saying thank you, but forealz I mean it!
I am supposed to go camping with my family this week, but the number of virus cases in Hawai has continued to climb over the last few months. With record numbers yesterday! The campgrounds here are still open, as long as you don’t have more than 10 people with you. So we are on the fence now about whether or not we should go. It will be the second time we reschedule… crossing my fingers that we do. Camping is one of my favourite summer pastimes.
I heard about the heatwave that passed over London a couple of days ago. That must have been brutal! It gets hot in Honolulu, but the trade winds tend to make it bearable. How are you all coping with the heat?
My email is amber@dragonhall.org.uk
FOOD / SHOPPING
Thank you to everyone who has forwarded their wonderful support and comments to me regarding the Food Bank Project organised by Covent Garden Community Centre / 7 Dials Club. It is really gratifying to hear that so many people are benefiting from the service:
Foodbank – We are flexible with regards to who we can help. If you fit the following criteria, please register.
- Self Isolation due to symptoms
- Isolation due to vulnerable or shielded status
- Income reduction because of lockdown & crisis measures
- Income reduction while waiting for benefits to arrive
- Homeless
Just a reminder. If you (or know of anyone) who cannot go out because they are vulnerable, self isolating or for any other reason and need help with food etc.
Assistance can be found on the government web page. The form is rather long, but is fairly straightforward. If you (or know of anyone who needs support) please let us know.
What can I share with you today?
TV LICENSE UPDATE
From John:
Free TV licences for over-75s are ending:
Here’s what to do now About 5 million people in the UK over the age of 75 are losing their automatic right to a free TV licence and many will have to pay £157.50 a year. But there are some exemptions, a new payment plan for those who find the initial bill too much – and a promise from TV Licensing that you do not have to do anything until it contacts you.
The BBC’s plan was for over-75s to pay from the start of June but this was delayed for two months by the coronavirus outbreak. The new payment regime begins on Saturday 1 August 2020.
KEEPING UP WITH THE COMMUNITY
From AgeUK:
Here is Age UK Westminster’s thank you video for National Volunteering Week 2020
From me: I came near shedding a tear while watching this video….its so sweet!
From AgeUK: Age UK Westminster’s Weekly Newsletter is out.
Take a look and find a zoom session that might interest you!
Age UK is also seeking financial support to help older people in Westminster.
Age UK Westminster has always been at the forefront of support for older people and in these unprecedented times, we need to ensure older people continue to receive vital services, food, basic essentials, and have someone to talk to by phone or online.
If you would like to help out, click here
ART & CULTURE
From Chris B:
True to Margate Pride’s alternative and DIY roots, we have come up with an alternative Pride for 2020.
Along with the rest of the world, our original plans have been scuppered by the impact of the corona virus. But we want to mark our Pride weekend to celebrate Margate, its extraordinary resilience shown in recent weeks, the LGBTQIA+ community of artists and creatives and our many town-wide allies and beyond.
Though Margate Pride will no longer have a parade, we’ve programmed plenty of other safe content.
From Chris:
WWT London is open for booking.
We missed you all during lockdown and we hope you’ve kept safe and well. You remain our primary concern, so rest assured that we’re following the latest Government guidance and we are only opening as and when we can do so safely. To help keep you and our staff, volunteers and local communities safe, we’re limiting the number of people who can visit on any one day. And we have introduced a booking system to manage that.
HEALTH
From Christine (Couch To Fitness):
Here is the link to the ‘Couch to Fitness’ program, which is sponsored by Sport England.
Myself and two other coaches are leading the workouts!. Please feel free to sign up and also send it to colleagues and friends.
POETRY CORNER
Having A Coke With You – by Frank O’Hara
Frank O’Hara was a dynamic leader of the “New York School” of poets.
He was an American writer, poet, and art critic. Because of his employment as a curator at the Museum of Modern Art, O’Hara became prominent in New York City’s art world.
THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE
* Celia has graced me with her artistic talent and drawn a chibi character of me!
Quote for the day:
“Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .”
― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
From me:
If you have time, watch this heartwarming video of a German Shepherd losing 50 lbs!
That’s all for now – You can contact me at amber@dragonhall.org.uk
or you can reach John at 07759 646507 in case of an emergency.
Be safe – and remember to laugh at the little things!
– Amber