Author: Lesley Webb

Somerset Waste Update

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Every household in Somerset will have Easter waste collection day changes but recycle sites will stay open.

With no pick-ups on Good Friday 2 April, these will take place a day later on Saturday 3 April.

No collections on Easter Monday 5 April mean that all the week’s kerbside services will be one day later, including Friday pick-ups on Saturday 10 April.

All of Somerset’s 16 recycling sites switch to their summer timetables from Thursday 1 April – but for essential journeys only to start with.

They will continue to start at 9am but close an hour later, at 6pm.

Year-round Saturday and Sunday hours remain 9am-4pm at all 16 sites.

In line with government guidance, Somerset Waste Partnership is still advising residents to only make trips if they really have to, for example because waste at home is causing some kind of risk.

On-site safety precautions continue including social distancing, no staff assistance with unloading, gloves must be worn.

Members of the public are asked to consider wearing a mask.

Letter from ENP Chief Exec.

Published on by Lesley WebbLeave a comment

To all those who love Exmoor,   After the trials of another lockdown, it’s a huge relief to be able to begin welcoming visitors back to Exmoor from next week (29th March). As restrictions ease this Easter and we are able to do more, it’s vital we stay aligned with the Government’s roadmap for moving out of lockdown, so as not to undermine the hard work we have all put in to suppressing the virus this winter.   Your safety and wellbeing is our top priority and we would urge anyone planning a future trip to Exmoor to read the top tips on our website before you travel: www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/planyourvisit. Following this simple advice will help make a great day even better as together we take these first cautious steps out of lockdown.   Perhaps not since National Parks were founded after the second world war have they been so important to our country – places for people to connect with nature and each other, to renew and restore their health and wellbeing. We know many of you have sacrificed time in the places you love, with the people you love, while others have endured losing loved ones to this dreadful disease.   Last summer saw many more people out in the National Park and it was good to see them taking rubbish home, controlling and picking up after their dogs, heeding warnings not to BBQ and on the whole showing great consideration towards our communities, landscapes and wildlife.   Throughout the lockdowns and re-openings, our farmers, staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to help care for the landscape – signposting footpaths, removing litter, adapting infrastructure, making repairs, and putting intensive cleaning measures in place to help keep you and our communities safe.   Thanks to all their efforts, you’ll find the same stunning views and historic villages here unchanged. And thanks to our amazing local businesses, who continue to go above and beyond to adapt and make visiting safe, you can expect the same warm Exmoor welcome. Please support them by booking ahead wherever possible and taking time to sample some of the delicious and skillfully made goods produced right here on the moor.   Aside from the pandemic, other important forces of change are also acting on the nation’s landscapes. The ecological and climate crises have reached the global stage and are requiring us to re-evaluate the way people and nature must coexist. National Parks have a fundamental part to play and we hope your experience of Exmoor will inspire you to join us in furthering those efforts, through our Get Involved programme of events, training, and volunteering and through donations to CareMoor for Exmoor.   Spending time in nature makes you feel better, it eases anxiety and promotes a sense of wellbeing. Throughout this pandemic and beyond we hope the National Park continues to be a source of sanctuary and solace, hope and sustainability – for everyone.

Sarah Bryan,
Chief Executive,
Exmoor National Park Authority

Takeaways

Published on by Lesley WebbLeave a comment

osc22.3.21

Somerset: Scams / Local Numbers!

We are hearing several reports of members receiving scam calls from local numbers, these are where scammers are trying to trick you into believing they MUST be real as they are near by. One such example has been received from a member in Martock who had a call claiming to be from Ebay security on a local number, very handy if there was indeed a problem with Ebay as we may be able to visit them to fix the problem (After Lockdown)! but quite clearly a scam. Several others have been reported since from various companies and again the ploy is to instil a sense of trust in the recipient.

Do please remain alert to any calls you receive advising for example you have a slow broadband connection, your loft insulation does not meet current regulations, you have post from Royal Mail that has not been fully paid, your Amazon Prime has expired or has been hacked, these will almost certainly be scams and if in doubt hang up, let the phone line clear for at least 5 minutes and then call the company back on a number you know, preferably on a different phone. And please never press 1 on your keypad when asked.