Shropshire

News from our partners Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin COVID-19 Vaccination Service

A six-time British record holder and youth weightlifting champion is encouraging those aged 16 and over to get their COVID-19 vaccine, in order to allow them to do the things they love and for life to return to normal.

Emily Sweeney, a member of the Team GB Weightlifting team, who has competed across the UK and Europe, wants to encourage young people living in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to get vaccinated, as the new academic year gets underway.

Emily Sweeney

The 17-year-old from Ellesmere, Shropshire, had her vaccine at the Vaccination Centre at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) this week.

Emily has a string of sporting accomplishments under her belt, having competed in the European Youth Championships with Team GB in December 2019 in Israel, where she was placed sixth.

Earlier this year, she competed in the English Championships virtually and won her category. She was then also named SBD Young Weightlifter of the Year by British Weightlifting. Last November, Emily also competed virtually in the World Youth Cup, where she was placed sixth.

Speaking after having her jab, Emily said:

“Everybody has sacrificed so much during the pandemic – things that beforehand we all took for granted but not anymore. The vaccine offers us hope.

“It’s the only way things will return to normal, which is why I’d encourage everyone, but particularly those 16 and over, where possible to get their COVID-19 vaccine, as the new school and college year is here.

“I understand you can’t make everybody take it, but in my circumstances I believe that getting the vaccine was definitely the right decision personally.

“For me, there are a whole load of reasons why having the vaccine is important to me. Not only is it protecting me, it’s protecting my parents, grandparents, other members of my family, as well as my friends.

“I, personally, have chosen to be vaccinated to make travelling abroad a lot easier for me. I work extremely hard, I train five to six times a week – so it was a no brainer for me to take the vaccine, when it was my time to do so.

“I do everything I can to keep fit and healthy, such as through diet and training, being vaccinated against COVID-19 is just another way of ensuring I’m in the best health possible.”

Angie Wallace, Senior Responsible Officer and Programme Director for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin COVID-19 Vaccination Service, added:-

“I would encourage anyone who is 16 or 17 to come forward for their vaccination as soon as they can.

“As Emily rightly says, getting vaccinated ensures we can get back to doing the things we love and for life to return to normal. A big thank you to Emily for speaking up and encouraging her peers to get their vaccine. I know that she’s an absolute inspiration to so many given her dedication and fantastic accomplishments.

“I wish her well in her upcoming competitions.”

More than 700,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given to local people across Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin thanks to the hard work of the vaccination programme team, including NHS staff and volunteers.

For further information about walk-in clinics, opening times and eligibility, visit Covid-19 vaccination walk-in clinic times. This list will be updated regularly as more clinics are made available. Alternatively, to book a COVID-19 vaccination online use the NHS National Booking Service or call 119. 

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• Rare 3,000-year-old sun pendant to be displayed to the public for the first time at Shropshire Council’s Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery as part of the British Museum’s National Programmes.
• Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery will also be fundraising to acquire other finds close to the findspot, including a unique lead gold-ring parcel and an axe which has the potential to date the transition from Bronze Age to Iron Age.
• Most significant piece of Bronze Age gold metalwork found in over a century in Britain – the only example of a British bulla that we currently have.
• A masterpiece of European Bronze Age gold work, it is evidence of the importance of the sun in people’s beliefs and cosmology during this period.

The Bronze Age gold bulla found in Shropshire

An extraordinary sun pendant is to go on public display for the first time in Shrewsbury as part of the British Museum’s National Programmes. The sun pendant, also known as a bulla, could be one of the most significant pieces of Bronze Age metalwork ever discovered in Britain. The rare and spectacular object will be hosted at Shropshire Council’s Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery from Friday 10 September until 12 December 2021 as a British Museum Spotlight Loan “Gathering light: A Bronze Age golden sun”.

Discovered in the Shropshire Marches in May 2018 by a metal detector user who remains anonymous, nothing like the sun pendant has been found in this country for over a century.

The sun pendant (HESH-43148A) is over 3,000 years old, dating between 1000–800BC in the late Bronze Age period. The elegant form and intricate decoration of the gold pendant includes an exceptionally rare depiction of the sun – not previously seen on objects found in Britain. Solar symbolism was a key element of mythology and belief in the Bronze Age and this pendant celebrates the life-giving power of the sun during the time of the earliest metalworkers. The sun pendant is therefore a hugely significant addition to knowledge of the art and iconography of Bronze Age Britain.

The sun pendant marks the end of an era as one of the final expressions of an art style and belief system that had lasted for almost 1,500 years. Deposited intentionally in a wetland landscape of bogs and ponds 3,000 years ago, the pendant provides a starting point for discussions about the role of both water and the sun in the religious beliefs and life in deep history. Measuring 3.6cm high and 4.7cm wide, this bulla is only the second ever found in Britain. The other Irton bulla – now lost – was discovered near Manchester in 1722 and only known from a picture. Its quality was so high that experts of the day believed it must be Roman. It was last recorded in 1806 before disappearing from records. Curators hope it may one day be rediscovered in a private collection. In Ireland, six similar gold pendants have been found, though these are not identical to this gold pendant.

Alongside the sun pendant, Shropshire Museums are hoping to crowdfund the £40,000 needed to be able to acquire other historically significant objects unearthed from the findspot to help tell the complete story of ancient Shropshire. These include an exceptionally rare jewellery parcel wrapped by lead, believed to be one of the first records of using this material, and hoards which have the potential to date the transition between Bronze and Iron Ages.

This vast array of high-quality metalwork from this landscape suggests that the Shropshire site was an important location for a form of religious or ceremonial activity for over a thousand years. These objects and ongoing fieldwork at the findspot reveal important discoveries about this period in British prehistory, advancing our collective archaeological knowledge and understanding of why precious objects would be cast away. Displaying these important objects in situ together for the first time at the museum would be a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about this historic site. To find out more, and to donate money people can visit the Saving the North Shropshire Bronze Age Hoards crowdfunder website.

The sun pendant will also star in the British Museum’s forthcoming major exhibition on Stonehenge, whilst the Museum is seeking three more museums to host the Spotlight Loan from late 2022 onwards as part of its National Programmes and commitment to sharing the collection as widely as possible across the country. Part of the Spotlight Loan will also include further precious objects yet to be announced.

Cecilia Motley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for communities, place, tourism and transport, said:

“This Shropshire sun pendant is truly an incredible find and one of huge importance. We are delighted that this item, which is 3,000 years old, will go on show to the public for the first time at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery.

“This is an exceptionally rare depiction of the sun and undoubtedly one of the most significant finds from the Bronze Age in more than a century. As it was discovered in the Shropshire Marches, it is fitting that Shropshire should be chosen by the British Museum to display it. We are delighted that it will be hosted in the wonderful Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery and I am sure it will be a very popular attraction.”

Fay Bailey, Shropshire Council’s manager for Shropshire Museums, said:

“The Shropshire sun pendant is an unparalleled find of international significance. The discovery of this exceptional object and associated finds helps to deepen our understanding of Bronze Age Britain and confirms that Shropshire has an important story to tell. We are delighted to be the first venue to display this remarkable object.”

Neil Wilkin, Curator, Early Europe at the British Museum, said:

“The Shropshire sun pendant is an internationally significant object, reflecting the artistic brilliance of communities from the deep past and the social and religious connections that spanned western Europe. It is fantastic that Shrewsbury Museum will have the first opportunity to show the pendant and will do so alongside fantastic objects from their own collections. This will allow the pendant to be set in its landscape and regional context for the first time.”

Maria Bojanowska, Head of National Programmes at the British Museum, said:-

“The sun pendant is one of the most spectacular objects in our collection. I’m very pleased that through the British Museum’s National Programmes, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery will be the first place that the public can see this remarkable pendant in person and up close.”

The sun pendant will be on display at the museum from 10am on Friday 10 September 2021. For further information, and to book a free ticket, people should visit https://www.shropshiremuseums.org.uk/event/british-museum-spotlight-loan-exhibition-gathering-light/

This exhibition promises to be the start of an exciting journey for Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery as it joins with the British Museum to develop a new Partnership Gallery. This, the UK’s first pre-Roman British Museum Partnership Gallery, will focus on the national and international significance of Bronze Age Shropshire and is expected to open in 2024.

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News with partners

Shrewsbury has been chosen as one of the key flagship locations to celebrate national 999 day on Thursday 9 September 2021.

Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire and the High Sheriff of Shropshire will lead the county’s celebrations for Emergency Services Day with a special ceremony at St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury from 8.30am on Thursday 9 September 2021. The event is being supported by Shropshire Council.

999 Day – 9 Sep 2021

The 999 Day flag will be raised across the country, and above St Chad’s at 9am, to mark the 9th hour of the 9th day of the 9th month. There’ll also be a two-minute silence observed at 9am.

Emergency Services Day, also known as 999 Day, is a national day which takes place on 9 September each year. 999 Day is an opportunity for the country to celebrate the two million people who work and volunteer across the NHS and emergency services, including the more than 250,000 first responders. The day brings together senior Government leaders, the emergency services and the public to celebrate the work of the NHS and emergency services.

The public are also being invited to attend the event, but will need to use St Julian’s Car Park or another alternative car park, as parking at St Chad’s will be limited to dignitaries attending the ceremony.

999 Day is also aimed at promoting efficiency and educating the public about using the services responsibly. It aims to promote emergency services charities, and to highlight the many different career and volunteer roles available.

Founded in 2016 by Tom Scholes-Fogg, 999 Day has secured the support of Her Majesty The Queen, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Duke of Cambridge. It has the backing of the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Attendees at the service at St Chad’s include representatives from West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue’s chief, and West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The 999 Day’s founder, Tom Scholes-Fogg, and Deputy Chief Executive, Keith Fraser, will also be present, having accepted an invite from the Lord-Lieutenant.

Speaking about the event, Anna Turner, HM’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, said:-

“We teach our children how to dial 999 from an early age because we know our emergency services are so incredibly important. In a crisis they bring help, knowledge, calmness and support. I am so pleased that we have this very special day to put them at the front of our thoughts and show the gratitude they deserve.”

 

Tony Morris-Eyton, the High Sheriff of Shropshire, said:-

“Shropshire is proud to support Emergency Services Day. The emergency services are unsung heroes, whom many take for granted but rely on in their hour of need. The staff of the three principal services, police, fire and ambulance, together with the NHS, work selflessly for us all, often exposing themselves to personal danger on our behalf. It is important that we use Emergency Services Day to show our appreciation and gratitude.”

 

Tom Scholes-Fogg, founder and Chief Executive of 999 Day, said:

“Emergency Services Day is an opportunity for the country to promote our NHS and 999 heroes – past and present. We are indebted to those who run into danger when others run away. I very much look forward to attending the service in Shropshire, hosted by the HM’s Lord-Lieutenant, Anna Turner.”

Lezley Picton, Leader of Shropshire Council, added:-

“It’s a great privilege for 999 Day to choose to host this flagship event in Shropshire. We work closely with many of our emergency services, who I know go above and beyond their role of duty.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community to offer our gratitude and thanks to all those for their vital work in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the public, and who in many cases put their own lives before others. We remain indebted to the all the work you do, which has been ever important over the last 18 months of the pandemic.”

Road closure and diversion 

To accommodate the event, there will be a temporary road closure of St Chad’s Terrace from its junction with St John’s Hill to the junction with Claremont Hill on Thursday 9 September between 8am and 10am.

Access for local traffic will be along Beeches Lane, Town Walls and Murivance. There’ll also be access to St Julian’s Car Park (off Williams Way).

A diversion for through traffic will be signed via: Wyle Cop; High Street; Mardol Head; Shoplatch; Bellstone; Barker Street; and Bridge Street.

Businesses are open as usual, and all car parks will be available as normal.

Further information 

Contact for media and additional information:

Tom Scholes-Fogg, Founder and Chief Executive of the 999 Day,

tsf@999dayorg.uk @TScholesFogg

• 999 Day’s Twitter is @999Day and the hashtag is #999Day
• 999 Day’s Facebook and Instagram is @Official999Day
• 999 Day’s Website is www.999Day.org.uk

Background

Emergency Services Day 999 Day) is a Government-backed national day across the UK, which takes place on 9 September each year. It is your chance to show your support for our selfless 999 heroes past and present.

More than two million people work and volunteer in the NHS and emergency services today, including 250,000 first responders. They work in a range of jobs – from answering emergency calls to dealing with administration to practising medicine, fighting fires, policing the streets and saving lives at sea.

Aims of Emergency Services Day:

• Promoting volunteering across the emergency services such as in the special constabulary, NHS community responders, volunteer firefighters, coastguard and search and rescue volunteers.
• Promoting the many career options available in the NHS and emergency services.
• Promoting using the emergency services responsibly.
• Educating the public on essential skills including how to be safe in the water, fire safety, crime prevention, and basic yet essential life-saving skills.
• 999 Day is an excellent opportunity for emergency services charities to fundraise, raise their profile, and generate support.
• A chance to engage with the communities we serve.

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Tina Ince, Alex Britton and Tom Watson died in the four-vehicle crash near Andover.

A series of businesses have revealed the incredible boost handed to them by Shropshire Council through special grant funding to help the county bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic.

Several firms have spoken about the help handed to them by the council through the Wider Economic Recovery Fund which saw grants of £10,000 – £25,000 handed out as the third Lockdown came to an end.

The funding was open to all enterprises in the Shropshire Council area that could show that their activity met local economic need, were sustainable, would provide legacy and benefit Shropshire as a whole as the county emerged from the crisis.

Over 50 awards were made, revealing a wide range of exciting projects, innovative businesses and inspirational individuals within the Shropshire business community.

Ed Potter, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economic growth, regeneration and planning, said:

“It is incredible to see the very real impact the grant funding has had on businesses the length and breadth of Shropshire as we aim to bounce back from the pandemic.

“As a council we are determined to do all we can to keep Shropshire the place to be for businesses, and this will show everybody how serious we are.

“To hear first-hand accounts from businesses means so much – these are real stories from real businesses owners and mean so much.”

The stories will be published over the coming weeks, and begin with The Poetry Pharmacy in Bishop’s Castle.

The Poetry Pharmacy is a bookshop with a difference and has already featured widely in national and international press.

Its founder Deborah Alma explains how, despite its appearance, the plan was always that the business would be so much more than a bookshop:

“We aim to be a national centre for the arts and wellbeing and have created our small arts venue or ‘social space’ where people come together to participate in an arts community, both locally and even internationally.

“It’s already proved very popular and we know it’s brought many new visitors to Bishop’s Castle just to seek us out. We have already succeeded in putting Bishop’s Castle on the literary map of Great Britain.”

Deborah has a deep-seated belief in the power of poetry to heal, console and inspire. A few years ago, she purchased an old ambulance and visited schools, libraries, organisations and attended events.

In a pastiche of a therapy session after asking her ‘patients’ a series of questions about themselves, Deborah would then ‘prescribe’ a poem or reading.

Deborah added:

“I called myself the ‘emergency poet’ – it was primarily a piece of performance art, but it proved popular with hospices and dementia patients. I also worked with a number of charities, especially those supporting individuals suffering with loneliness.”

Deborah’s Poetry Pharmacy bookshop still offers ‘poetry prescriptions’ but also hosts workshops and events including reading groups and is developing a large poetry reference library.

The money from the Wider Economic Recovery Fund has enabled the business to purchase additional equipment and expand it facilities by developing the bookshop’s garden area.

“The grant has enabled us to improve our cafe space, with a new outside space for events and workshops, which have already started happening. We couldn’t be more delighted and grateful for this assistance”

Deborah also has exciting further plans for growing the business.  She would love to develop accommodation space so that she could offer residential courses, explore additional innovative projects –  eg making ink from natural materials – and continue to build on collaborative links and outreach work with charities, schools and the health sector.

The post Businesses reveal incredible boost handed to them by Shropshire Council appeared first on Shropshire Council Newsroom.

A new ‘state of the art’ teaching hub at Meole Brace School in Shrewsbury is nearing completion following several months work, as part of Shropshire Council’s ambition to create sustainable education provision with future school expansions.

The project, designed by Shropshire Council’s PSG (property services group), has been contracted to Read Construction, and is one of the first to drive the change towards more sustainable projects to meet the council’s 2030 carbon targets.

The new two-storey building will form the language teaching ‘hub’ for Meole Brace School and will also have an external recreation area.

Five classrooms will be provided along with a small group meeting room, a staff room, toilets and storage. The building will occupy a prominent site at the front of the school campus and be built to the highest modern standards; and will also be ‘zero-carbon’.

Initial concept design of new teaching hub at Meole Brace School, Shrewsbury.

 

The project is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings.

To further boost the environmental credentials, it has been built to the very stringent ’Passivhaus’ Classic standard, the first for the council and for Shropshire. This will result in a highly efficient building that consumes very little energy and delivers very high levels of comfort for all users of the building. A Passivhaus is a building in which thermal comfort can be achieved solely by post-heating or post-cooling the fresh air flow required for a good indoor air quality, without the need for additional recirculation of air.

An event was arranged recently to provide an update of the development, attended by Shropshire Councillors, officers from Shropshire Council, PSG and Read Construction.

Meole Brace School new teaching hub – visit. Left to right: Phil Wilson, Adam Dennett, Eilian Jones, Dawid Cloete, Karen Bradshaw, Councillor Jeff Anderson, Tim Smith, Harvey Gould, Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Carl Wellington and Peter Allen.

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, who attended the event, said:-

“I was delighted to see the progress to date on what will be a fantastic new facility for Meole Brace School. It was great to be able to see and learn more about the design and construction of the new teaching hub building firsthand, and ask questions to which PSG and Read Construction expertly fielded answers to.

“Pupils will benefit from a state-of-the-art learning environment and the very latest facilities to help make sure they get the best possible outcome from their education.

“The new teaching hub at Meole Brace School is one of several projects we are investing in to secure high-quality and sustainable provision of primary and secondary places in Shrewsbury and surrounding areas.”

Meole Brace School new teaching hub.

Dawid Cloete, Read Construction Director, said:-

“Read Construction are delighted to be working with Shropshire Council and PSG to deliver Shropshire’s first Passivhaus scheme, prioritising net zero carbon emissions whilst delivering a state-of-the-art education facility. The project represents an important milestone in Read’s own zero carbon journey, and is a beacon for the future that all stakeholders should be proud of.”

Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, natural assets and the green economy, added:-

“As a rural county we have a huge part to play in achieving net zero carbon emissions, and it’s important that we all work together to make it happen. Addressing the impact of climate change has been adopted as one of the council’s key operational principles.

“We’re working in partnership with many local businesses and communities to develop a wide range of carbon management projects and initiatives which will help us all reduce our contribution to the carbon footprint of the wider county, as well as ‘leading by example’ by improving our own performance.

“We’re therefore delighted about the new teaching hub’s environmental credentials. It’s excellent to be part of a project that could help set the standard for future buildings and significantly contribute to our climate change ambitions.”

The new teaching hub is scheduled to be completed later this Autumn term 2021.

Further information

Expansion of Meole Brace School 

The Meole Brace School development programme will include further expanding the secondary provision of school places in Shrewsbury by constructing a new five-classroom teaching block at the school. The school is already taking in additional pupils over and above their published admission number.

The project will involve the development of a new teaching block on the edge of the school site. The location will allow the construction of the new building to be carried out with minimal disruption to the operation of the day-to-day education of pupils at the school.

The project forms part of significant investment to expand primary school and secondary provision across Shrewsbury to meet the increasing demand for pupil places across the town and surrounding areas.

The Shrewsbury School Places Programme also includes the Haughmond Federation new build at the Harlescott Junior School site on Featherbed Lane, and the new primary and special schools in Bowbrook, off Squinter Pip Way.”

The new teaching block is scheduled for completion in the Autumn term 2021.

The Meole Brace School project was designed, up to planning by the council’s PSG team, and the contract was awarded to Reads Construction under a design and build project.

About PSG

Shropshire Council’s PSG (property services group) are a dedicated, experienced, locally- based team of property professionals with vast experience and knowledge of building maintenance and design. PSG comprises of a team of architects, quantity surveyors,  building, electrical, mechanical, land surveyors, engineers, clerk of works, facilities management, business support and finance. The team pride themselves on creating, managing and maintaining inspiring facilities, housing, teaching spaces and venues.

PSG provides an award-winning multi-disciplinary design service which can ensure that clients maximise the potential of their existing buildings. Using the latest state-of-the-art software, incorporating building information modelling (BIM), PSG deliver sustainable and cost-effective building projects. They can also co-ordinate any funding opportunities.

Everything they do at PSG reflects the commercialism, and the enterprising and forward-thinking vision, of the team. The team aim always to be at the heart of the greater vision for Shropshire and its surrounding areas, affecting business, culture, community and academic excellence.

PSG work for a range of clients within the council, and external clients including Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, housing associations, schools and academy trusts.

Building standards

• BREEAMis the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Environmental Assessment Method, first launched in the UK in 1990. It sets best practice standards for the environmental performance of buildings through design, specification, construction and operation. You can find out more here.
• Passivhaus is an international energy performance standard with buildings constructed to the Passivhaus standard. The core focus of Passivhaus is to dramatically reduce the requirement for space heating and cooling, whilst also creating excellent indoor comfort levels. This is primarily achieved by adopting a fabric first approach to the design by specifying high levels of insulation to the thermal envelope with exceptional levels of airtightness and the use of whole building mechanical ventilation. You can find out more here.

 

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Charlotte Jackson's son died after she reported fluid loss to staff at an under-fire hospital trust.

Joel Mumbongo scores his first league goal as Accrington go into second place in League One with a 1-0 win over Shrewsbury.

Gunner's mum says she faces a tough wait to find out how successful the operation has been.

The last major structure at the Ironbridge Power Station is brought down in a controlled explosion.

Uncertainties created by the pandemic and supply chain issues are among some of the challenges that Shropshire Council’s budget faces in the coming year.

These make it harder than usual for the council to predict what its end of year budget position will be, as its first quarter financial report published ahead of the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 8 September 2021 highlights.

A range of projections for this year estimate a budget shortfall of between £2.5m and £9.7m. At this early stage of the year, the report suggests the council could face a £7.3m budget shortfall if no action is taken: however, it says that the council is now looking at ways to meet this.

Among the key reasons for the projected shortfall are continuing pressure on children’s safeguarding services and loss of income for services such as schools catering, car parking  and commercial property income, all of which have been directly impacted by the pandemic, and a delay in the council’s transformation programme.

However, more grant funding could be announced by the Government, particularly to help with one-off pressures linked to the pandemic; although the council says it cannot rely on this coming forward, and must therefore plan accordingly.

Finance teams are also working with services to identify how they can meet the shortfall and many mitigating actions are being developed, which will help address the in-year challenge as well as the longer-term underlying budget deficit of c£39 million rising to £58 million by 2025/26, much of which has been hidden by one-off grants and Government funding in recent years.

Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for resources, said:-

“We face a unique set of challenges created by the pandemic, pressures such as social worker shortages for vulnerable children, and supply chain issues that are affecting many parts of the economy.

“The first report of the year covers a period entirely impacted by pandemic restrictions, making the job of projecting our financial position even harder, but it’s very important that we plan and prepare now for the uncertainties.

“This includes making sure that our activity aligns with our objectives and plans for a healthy economy and a healthy population for Shropshire, and that all we do is best value using our resources in the best way we can.

“The most worrying concern is our longer-term deficit. This shows why we must continue to fight for fairer funding, and against a system that ignores the extra costs we must meet to provide services in one of England’s most sparsely populated and rural counties.

“In Shropshire it costs us more, for example, to provide social care over sparsely populated distances. We have one of the biggest road networks to maintain in England, yet receive lower funding per mile than many other councils.”

The post Uncertainties add to budget challenges for council appeared first on Shropshire Council Newsroom.

The Multevo Multihog

More than 10,000 potholes and other road defects have been repaired in the Shropshire Council area since the middle of April [2021], latest figures show.

In total, 10,357 defects have been tackled since 19 April – an average of more than 500 per week – with more being repaired every day.

And 96% of these repairs are permanent ‘right first time’ repairs, compared to 25% just 18 months ago.

As part of efforts to improve the county’s roads, crews from Shropshire Council and its contractor Kier are out across the county every day tackling potholes in a variety of ways.

Methods include the innovative new Texpatch process, which is being used to treat urban roads and provides a longer-lasting, smoother, neater finish compared to traditional pothole repairs

Work is also carried out using the new Mulithog road planer (pictured) which treats potholes and  other defects more quickly and effectively, reduces the likelihood of potholes forming in the short-to-medium term and cuts down on the need for road closures.

And four Roadmaster vehicles are being used to carry out jet-patching on rural roads. Roadmasters use compressed air to blow water or dirt out of a pothole that needs repairing and then fill it with hot bitumen and chippings. The repair is compacted by a roller and sealed with a layer of surface dressing – meaning a better quality of repair.

More traditional repairs by gangs are also carried out.

Repairing a pothole through Texpatching

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways, said:

“These figures are really encouraging, and provide evidence of the work we’re carrying out every day to improve the county’s roads.

“There are still are a lot of potholes and other defects in need of attention right across the county, but we’re working hard to tackle them and to make the county’s roads safer for all road users.”

For more information visit www.shropshire.gov.uk/highways

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Shrewsbury and Gillingham are charged after incidents at Saturday's game during which four people were sent off.

Shropshire Council is flying the Red Ensign, the UK Merchant Navy’s official flag, to mark Merchant Navy Day 2021 (today – Friday 3 September 2021) – a day which aims to raise public awareness of the UK’s dependence as an island nation on past, present and future Merchant Navy seafarers.

The flag, which was raised as part of a small flag-hoisting ceremony at 9am, is flying outside the council’s Shirehall headquarters in Shrewsbury.

Merchant Navy Day flagraising – 3 Sep 2021

Since 2000, Merchant Navy Day has honoured the brave men and women who kept the ‘Island Nation’ afloat during both World Wars, and celebrated its dependence on modern day merchant seafarers who are responsible for 95% of the UK’s imports.

Shropshire Council is just one of the many councils and Government organisations across the country which is flying the flag to remember the sacrifices, salute the courage and support the future of the often, unsung personnel of the Merchant Navy.

Merchant Navy Day flagraising – 3 Sep 2021

Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for the Armed Forces Covenant, said:-

“We are proud to be flying the Red Ensign in support of Merchant Navy Day.

“Our country relies heavily on the Merchant Navy for things that many of us take for granted, including food and fuel.

“As well as supporting current personnel, it is also a day to show respect to those who lost their lives serving in the Merchant Navy during World War I and World War II.

“I hope that when people see the flag flying, they will take a moment to remember our brave and selfless seafarers.”

On the subject of brave seafarers, Whitchurch resident Oscar Anderson, who served in the Norwegian Merchant Navy during World War II, approached the council back in 2019 about coming along to its outreach service in Wem where he proved to be a real hit with everyone.

He most recently enquired about the befriending service, which is known as ‘Telephone Buddies’ and is provided by the Royal British Legion.

The ‘Telephone Buddies’ service enables those feeling lonely or isolated within the Armed Forces community to speak to someone on a regular basis to build connections, experience companionship, gain support and have a friendly ear to listen.

During World War II, Oscar worked on oil tankers going between Norway and the USA. On one of these trips his ship was torpedoed, not only did he survive, but he saved the lives of 16 other crew members.

Oscar joined the Norwegian merchant navy in 1936 and when Norway was invaded by Germany in April 1940, he found himself on board a ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

When torpedoed 12 days out of Liverpool as part of a 45-ship convoy for New York, he had the respect of his shipmates to order the lifeboats and the captain off the boat – at just 22. Of the 45 ships, 19 were sunk.

Oscar, who already possesses the Norwegian War Medal and the King Haakon VII Freedom Medal, marked his 100th birthday with a special celebration on 14 August 2021 – three days before he officially turned 100 – as he was flying to Oslo instead, after being invited by the King of Norway and his government to be thanked personally for his endeavours.

Merchant Navy Day flagraising – 3 Sep 2021

For further information about the Armed Forces Covenant, people can visit http://new.shropshire.gov.uk/support-for-armed-forces-personnel-veterans-and-families.

#MerchantNavyDay

The post Flying the flag for Merchant Navy Day appeared first on Shropshire Council Newsroom.

During the 7-day period between 20-26 August 2021:

• 1,130 new COVID-19 cases reported
• A decrease of 4% on the previous week
• The 7-day infection rate for Shropshire was 347.2 per 100,000
• It was 325.5 per 100,000 for the West Midlands, and 313.2 for England
• 34 hospital beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients
• 8 COVID-19-related deaths in a local hospital

COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths locally – 20-26 August 2021

Cases

• Of the total positive cases in this 7 days period, the average age was 36.2 years.
• 308 cases (30.1%) were age 0-19. 137 (13.4%) were age 20-29.
• Meanwhile 71 cases (6.9%) were aged 70+, showing an increase in the rate of cases in the older population.
• During the last week 42% of cases were in the Shrewsbury & Atcham area, 32% in north Shropshire and 26% in south Shropshire.

Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said:-

“While we’ve seen a very small decline in COVID-19 cases in the 7 days period up to 26 August, Shropshire still has one of the highest rates in the West Midlands.

“We have seen cases across the county continually increase over the past several weeks and, not only that, we have seen increasing evidence of the spread of the virus beyond people in their 20s, to older and potentially more vulnerable age groups.

“The virus is highly transmissible, currently widespread within our communities, and we must take it seriously.

“There has also been an increase in COVID-19 patients in Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals (SaTH), and I’m sad to report that there have been 8 further deaths in our local hospitals during this time.

“By now we all know the things we can do to stop the rapid spread of the virus and, with the situation still as it is at the moment in the county, we all need to play our part. We know Shropshire residents have remained resilient and have stepped up to help stop the spread of the virus, but I strongly urge people to continue to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces, and social distance where possible to protect yourselves and others.

“The best protection is still two doses of a vaccine. It significantly reduces your chances of becoming seriously ill if you get COVID-19. All adults aged 16 and over are now eligible.”

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for public health, added:-

“As we know coronavirus is going to be with us for some time, and our priority is to stop the spread of infection and protect the health and wellbeing of all residents in our community, in particular our most vulnerable.

“I would like to offer my sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones.  I urge all of you to please continue to remain vigilant. The Government’s preventative measures, coupled with the continued efforts of Shropshire residents, will hopefully stop the situation from escalating further and protect our most vulnerable residents.”

Further information 

What you should do

Coronavirus has not gone away, so it’s important to remember the actions you can take to keep yourself and others safe. While COVID-19 cases are high, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious.

• Get a test if you develop COVID-19 symptoms, even if your symptoms are mild. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test result, please do not leave your home and self-isolate immediately. The rules around isolation changed recently, which means people who are double vaccinated no longer have to self-isolate if they are a close contact of a positive case. For more guidance click here.
• People without symptoms of COVID-19 should test twice a week – find out more here.
• The NHS will contact you when your vaccination is ready or to find out if you are already eligible click here.
• Remain cautious when meeting with people outside your  of household.
• Meet others outside or let fresh air in. Follow the hands-face-space-fresh air guidance.
• Continue to work from home if you can.
• Minimise the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
• Quarantine when returning from red list countries, and for those people not fully vaccinated arriving from amber list countries.
• Wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport and shops.
• You should continue to follow the guidance even if you have been vaccinated. We would to remind everyone that you can still develop COVID-19 even after you have been fully vaccinated. Please be sensible and take a PCR test to check if you have the virus or not.

The post Coronavirus: COVID-19 cases still high as hospitalisations and deaths rise during week 20-26 August 2021 appeared first on Shropshire Council Newsroom.

Treating a pothole using Texpatching

An innovative new way of repairing Shropshire’s potholes more quickly, quietly and effectively is being used to tackle potholes in Shropshire’s towns and villages.

Since 21 June [2021] more than 2,600 potholes and other defects covering a total of 9500m2 have been treated in towns across the county including Oswestry, Whitchurch, Broseley, Ludlow, Shifnal and Cleobury Mortimer (see notes).

Under the new process, potholes on urban roads are cleaned out, filled with a unique material called Texpatch, then covered with a neat, square patch. This provides a longer-lasting, smoother, neater finish compared to traditional pothole repairs, and seals up all joints, which should result in an increased life span for the repair.

Its focus is to repair a large number of potholes, with up to 40 being be repaired each day – compared to 20 per week using more traditional methods.

Recent Texpatching work in Albrighton

The work is being carried out by Shropshire Council and its partners in the Shropshire Highways alliance, Kier and WSP, and L&R Roadlines.

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways, said:

“I’ve said many times that we’re working hard to improve Shropshire’s roads and make them safer for all road users, and here’s evidence of that. We’re out there every day, right across the county, treating potholes and other defects on roads.

“Using Texpatching we’re repairing the roads in our towns and villages, with hundreds of potholes treated in the past two months, and many more to be tackled in the weeks ahead. Using this process for treating urban potholes also frees up crews to tackle potholes in rural areas using our four Roadmaster vehicles, the new Mulithog road planer and more traditional repairs by gangs.

“There are still are a lot of potholes and other defects in need of attention right across Shropshire, but we’re working hard to improve the county’s roads and we’re making really good progress.”

The work is also much quieter than traditional repairs and can be carried out at night, as it doesn’t require the use of mechanical tools – other than the air hose which will be used to clean out debris from the defect. And night working allows more work to be carried out as there aren’t the same traffic restrictions.

Likewise, the process is so quick it’s classed as mobile works and therefore traffic management isn’t be needed for the vast majority of the repairs, reducing disruption and inconvenience to road users while work is carried out.

Further information

1) Towns that have been worked in so far…

Oswestry, Market Drayton, Gobowen, Whittington, St Martins, Whitchurch, Albrighton, West Felton, Ludlow, Broseley, Much Wenlock, Shifnal, Cosford, Highley, Cleobury Mortimer, Bishops Castle and Craven Arms.

2) Areas to be visited in the coming weeks (exact dates depend on the weather and any other unforeseen circumstances)

Bridgnorth, Church Stretton, Much Wenlock, Bayston Hill, Hanwood, Pontesbury, Minsterley, Whitchurch, Shrewsbury, Wem, Ellesmere, Trefonen, Treflach, Nantmawr, Lynclys, Pant, Llanymynech, Alveley, Clun, West Felton, Shawbury, Ruyton XI Towns, Bomere Heath, Baschurch, Harmer Hill, Grinshill and Clive.

3) The traditional ‘cut out and fill’ method of repairing potholes doesn’t lend itself to night working due to the need for Stihl chain saws, jack hammers and Wacker plates. It also generates large amounts of waste that needs to be disposed of.

4) The work is aimed at reducing safety defects, but in the future could also target minor defects not usually rectified under Shropshire Council’s highway safety inspection manual. This will help in preventing future potholes appearing as part of a proactive treatment.

The post Innovative new treatment tackles hundreds of potholes in Shropshire’s towns and villages appeared first on Shropshire Council Newsroom.

Shrewsbury end their lengthy goal drought as they come from behind to beat Gillingham.

Matthew Pennington's red card proves the difference as Rochdale seal victory 10 minutes after the Shrewsbury defender's dismissal.

Ryan Hardie scores twice - and Luke Jephcott gets the other - as Plymouth breeze to victory at still pointless Shrewsbury.

A highly-successful programme which brings business leaders together to share their knowledge and help each other’s companies grow is returning to the Marches.

The Peer Network Programme – which is fully funded by the Government and supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and Marches Growth Hub – earned widespread praise when it was first run earlier this year.

Now the programme – which brings together business owners and leaders in groups of 11 to help them learn from each other as well as specialist business advisers – is returning in September and businesses are being urged to book their places now to ensure they do not miss out.

A series of weekly Zoom sessions is being held every Thursday to give businesses a chance to find out more about how the programme works and the benefits it can bring. Executive coach Leon Mundey, of Neale Lewis Associates, which is delivering the programme across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, said it would provide business owners and leaders with the perfect opportunity to learn from each other.

“We are running three separate cohorts which will bring together businesses to tackle common challenges and take advantage of potential opportunities and create the perfect environment for those taking part to assess how they might grow.

“The programme is again being run on a virtual basis which means there is no wasted travel time and we can include businesses from every corner of the region. Groups will cover all sizes and sectors, though there is a requirement that any business should have at least five employees and a £100,000 turnover.

“The feedback from the first programme was absolutely fantastic, with widespread agreement that the networks added real value for those taking part. It is an opportunity to really work on your business and take a bit of time to reflect on your ambitions for it.”

As well as the programme of group sessions, each business will also receive two one-to-one sessions with their group leader.

“The idea of the one-to-ones is that everything said is entirely between you and your advisor, and it gives an opportunity to raise issues which you might not wanted to have shared with the whole group.

“This is a chance to tap into the expertise of the professional coaches, all of whom will have years of experience and knowledge to bring to the discussions.”

Leon said the Zoom sessions were taking place between 8.30am and 9am each Thursday and could be accessed via: https://bit.ly/peernetworkwebinar

For more information about the programme visit: https://nealelewis-5021433.hs-sites.com/free-business-support-programme

Case study:

Telford businessman John McGregor took part in the first Peer Network programme – and says it was ‘enormously useful’.

John, of M3 Consulting, said the scheme had allowed him to ‘step back and consider the business in a new light’.

John McGregor

John, whose company works on project and programme management with Government and ‘big pharma’ companies, said:

“Our business is actually independent of geography – our key customers are currently in other parts of the UK and we can deliver anywhere, more or less. Peer Networks felt like a great opportunity to connect with businesses more locally, and was also something that, in 2020, with lockdown, was a chance to break out and meet new people and engage with them.

“I was apprehensive at first, and unconvinced that I would have anything in common with other local businesses, let alone have anything of value to offer them from my own experiences.

“But I was swiftly disabused of this from the first session when I encountered not only businesses like my own, but a lot of the same problems and issues – and it felt really good to be able to swap experiences and offer each other advice.

“The programme has provided a chance to step outside of the day-to-day running of M3 and consider the organisation as a business – what it needs, where it’s going, how my own personal plans and the company’s need to complement each other.

“Looking at my business like this was actually something that was long overdue but possibly something I may not have started to work on properly without Peer Networks. In addition, the networking opportunities and advice and input from my colleagues in the group have been absolutely invaluable.”

Marches LEP

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