Author: Lesley Webb

Jane and I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our Gourmet to Go service during lock down, it really has made a difference to whether we were able to reopen our doors to the public again.

Thankfully, on the 4th July we were able to do just that, albeit offering a limited amount of accommodation and seating in the restaurant.  We are now serving dinner Wed-Sun and are accepting non-residents in the restaurant, in small numbers and not too far in advance.

Unfortunately, this means that we have had to suspend our takeaway service for now as we are unable to manage the hotel, restaurant and this aspect simultaneously.

We will review this decision in autumn when things have quietened down again, but lastly we just want to to reiterate our enormous appreciation for the support you have given us, and hopefully you have enjoyed the weekend treats along the way!

Best wishes,

John & Jane Bradley
Dunkery Beacon Country House

Click on this link to read the 24th July 2020 Benefice Newsletter

Have you bought anything online recently?…

Almost 34% of all retail sales during May 2020 were carried out online, and new research suggests that only 16% of UK consumers intend to return to their old shopping habits post-lockdown.

Online shopping fraud during lockdown

Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, received over 16,000 reports relating to online shopping and auction fraud during the lockdown, with losses totalling over £16m.

Members of the public have reported buying mobile phones (19%), vehicles (22%), electronics (10%) such as games consoles, AirPods and MacBooks , and footwear (4%) on sites such as eBay (18%), Facebook (18%), Gumtree (10%) and Depop (6%), only to have the items never arrive.

Top tips for shopping online securely:

Choosing where to shop:
If you’re making a purchase from a company or seller you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first. For example, by checking to see if others have used the site and what their experience was.
Email accounts:
Use a strong, separate password for your email account. Criminals can use
your email to access other online accounts, such as those you use for online shopping.
Scam messages:
Some of the emails or texts you receive about amazing offers may contain links to fake websites. Not all links are bad, but if you’re unsure don’t use the link, go separately to the website. And remember, if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Payment method:
If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one as other payment providers may not provide the same protection.

What to do if you’ve fallen victim to online shopping fraud

We all make mistakes and these days the scams can be incredibly convincing.
If you think you’ve visited, or made a purchase on, a bogus website, you should first, take a note of the website’s address, then close down your internet browser. You should then report the details to Action Fraud and contact your bank to seek advice.
Whether you’ve been a victim of fraud will depend on how much information you’ve provided to the website, so keep an eye on your bank transactions, if you can. Contact your bank immediately about anything that you don’t recognise, even small amounts.

For more information about how to stay safe online, please visit www.actionfraud.police.uk/cybercrime

Would you be willing to give up TWO MINUTES of your time to help raise funds for the Timberscombe Play Area at no cost to yourself?

Do you order online from stores like Amazon, PC World, M and S, E Bay, Dell, John Lewis, Viking Direct, HMV, Staples, AA, Currys, Lands End, or any of 500+ other top stores?

If the answer to these two questions is yes then read on !

www.easyfundraising.org.uk is an organisation which has persuaded 500+ top online stores to donate an average of 2.5% of your online purchases to a charity of your choice, at no cost to you. To start raising money for your charity all you have to do is:

Go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk

Click on “login” and then create an account by selecting “support a good cause”

Select the Play Area by typing “ John Arlott Playing Field”

Complete your name, address, e-mail address and chose a password.

Click on “accept and register”

AND THAT’S IT !

Each time you want to shop online go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk

Type in your e-mail and password. (This can be saved so you don’t even need to type this)

Search for the store you wish to buy from.

You will be taken to the stores normal website. 

If you make a purchase the store will automatically credit your chosen charity with the money it owes them. You need do nothing !

Why not put  www.easyfundraising.org.uk on your favourites page. Use it every time you buy online and make a real different to your chosen charity. It doesn’t matter where you live so why not ask your friends and relatives to register and help us too?