Gareth Johnson
MP for Dartford
 

 

7th May 2020

 

Coronavirus - update

 

 

Lockdown


On Sunday 10th May, we are expecting a statement from the Prime Minister to set out details of the next phase in the battle against coronavirus.

It is important we heed the message above, especially as this bank holiday weekend is expected to be warm and sunny.

We have to find ways of protecting lives whilst at the same time getting the economy back up and running and the release from lockdown will be a gradual process. The SAGE committee is looking at a range of different scenarios and will give guidance to the Government on the best steps forward.

 

75th Anniversary of VE Day


This Friday, 8th May, marks the 75th anniversary of victory over Europe in the Second World War.  

On 8th May, 1945, Winston Churchill made a radio broadcast at 3.00 pm telling the nation that the war in Europe was over, following Germany's surrender the day before.  Street parties and celebrations took place up and down the country with large crowds gathering outside Buckingham Palace, dressed in red, white and blue.  King George VI and his family, including our current Queen, came out onto the balcony and many people went to church to thank God for the victory.
 

This Friday is our chance to pay tribute to the generation of the Second World War including British, Commonwealth and Allied Forces.

It has often been said during this pandemic that we are facing our greatest challenge since the Second World War and it is more important than ever that we unite, just as people did 75 years ago.  

We have already seen the spirit of the Second World War generation manifested in the fantastic actions of Captain Tom Moore, who has now been made a Colonel in recognition of his fundraising efforts for the NHS, raising a massive £33 million and celebrating his 100th birthday at the end of April.

Even though the public are not able to attend events to mark this 75th Anniversary, The Royal British Legion has a central role in delivering commemorations that we can all enjoy from our own homes.  These include:

  • Two minute silence at 11.00 am.

  • A VE Day 75 livestream at 11.15 am on The Royal British Legion webpage and on their Facebook page- bringing together the World War Two generation with today’s generation, sharing stories and memories from those who served and sacrificed during the Second World War, as well as recognising the difficulties people are experiencing today.

  • BBC One commemorations from 8.00 pm, including a singalong to Vera Lynn's 'We'll Meet Again' at 9.00 pm.

If you would like to download bunting and posters to mark the day, a link can be found below.

 

 

Thank you NHS posters


You may have noticed rainbow posters when you have been out exercising during lockdown.  As well as being a symbol of hope, they are a thank you to our front line NHS staff, care workers and all those keyworkers keeping the country going.  If you would like to download a poster to display, please click on one of the links below.  You can either download a ready-coloured one or one to colour in.

 

 

 

National Postal Workers' Day - 29th April 2020

You may be aware that 29th April 2020 was National Postal Workers Day.  This event is held annually to promote the fantastic work our postal workers do.

This event marked the ninth annual National Postal Workers Day, recognising the hard work of hundreds of thousands of postal workers, who collect, sort and deliver letters, parcels and packets to 29 million addresses, 6 days a week.

During these unprecedented times, it has been 'busier than Christmas' for most postal workers as people opt for online deliveries and I would like to thank postal workers for all they do all year and in particular, during this pandemic.

 

KCC's Household Waste Recycling Centres


Kent County Council has announced that from 15th May, its Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) will open to the public for essential use.

On 13th May, people will be able to book a slot to use one of the county's 18 HWRCs which have been closed since 23rd March.  Bookings can be made online or by phone and details on how to do this will be released next week.

The booking system is designed to keep visitor numbers at a level where social distancing can be maintained and minimise queuing.

The sites will be open to the public between 9am and 3pm rather than the usual opening hours in order to allow for enhanced cleaning.  Most sites will be open seven days a week and will accept all types of waste including chargeable items.

Government advice is that residents should continue to temporarily storing their waste at home, if they can do so in a way that doesn’t pose a risk to their health.  If waste and recycling cannot be stored at home without causing risk of injury, health or harm, people can book a slot at their local HWRC.

Only one trip can be booked in any four-week period to allow all residents to have access to sites.

You should not book a visit or attend a site if you have symptoms of Covid-19, if you are part of a household undertaking 14-day isolation or if you live with someone who is in the shielded category.

Further details can be found by clicking on the link below.

 

Gareth Johnson MP website

 

 

Gareth Johnson MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
Tel: 0207 219 7047
email: [email protected]


Copyright © 2020, Gareth Johnson MP, All rights reserved.


 

To unsubscribe, please reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

 

UK Parliament Disclaimer: this e-mail is confidential to the intended recipient. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, or copying is not permitted. This e-mail has been checked for viruses, but no liability is accepted for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail. This e-mail address is not secure, is not encrypted and should not be used for sensitive data.