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GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my regular South West Surrey update No 124. All of us are feeling a special sense of sadness following the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh. As I said when the news came through he personified a sense of duty which made us proud of the Royal Family and proud to be British ([link removed]) . Those of us from Naval families have been very touched by the many references to his distinguished Royal Navy career but what has struck us all the most has been the way he gave up that - and all other ambitions - to support the Queen for over 70 years. Of course he was human - and famous for the odd gaffe over the years - but that lifetime of service seems rather poignant in the ‘me’ world we all now live in. We are also of course thinking of the Queen who has been deeply touched by the outpouring of affection for the Duke. The funeral will be televised and take place at St George's Chapel at 3pm this Saturday (17th)
([link removed]) . Click here ([link removed]) to see the BBC announce the very sad news on Friday and here ([link removed]) for their very moving obituary. RIP Duke of Edinburgh. For what it’s worth I think all our broadcasters have been brilliant over the last few days - sometimes, surely, they should put on what we ought to see even if it is not always what we want to see.

BACK TO CORONAVIRUS As of today we have had a total of 4,369,775 positive cases of COVID-19 with 127,087 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 5,781 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 246 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 36 active cases in Waverley ([link removed]) , right down from last week. All data is accurate as of 11am this morning.

OVER 32 MILLION PEOPLE have received a first dose COVID-19 vaccination in the UK – a fantastic achievement. 7,466,540 individuals have been vaccinated fully with two doses – more than 1 in 10 adults. There is also speculation that the fourth vaccine, the one-jab Janssen, could be approved within the next week or so. The government ordered 30m doses last summer, more information here ([link removed]) . Fingers crossed.

COVID-19 AND MENTAL ILLNESS According to a new study, one in three COVID-19 survivors could develop a mental disorder ([link removed]) such as depression or anxiety. Other neurological disorders have also been observed, especially in those with more severe symptoms, although they were rarer. The research analysed the health records of around 236,000 mainly American patients and according to Professor Paul Harrison ‘although the individual risks for most disorders are small, the effect across the whole population may be substantial.’

The key number to remember for anyone with pandemic-related difficulties remains 0300 200 1008 the Surrey Helpline run by Surrey County Council (Mon-Fri 9 am to 5 pm).

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

THE GLOBAL TRAVEL TASKFORCE has produced a new traffic light system to safely reopen international travel. It’s too early to predict which countries will be on which list, but international travel looks likely to resume from 17 May - flights to Tel Aviv anyone? Click here ([link removed]) to find out how the traffic light system will work but the key thing is going to be which countries are on the ‘green’ list meaning no quarantine needed on return (but a pre-departure test and a PCR one when you are back). Slowly but surely, we will return to normality…

BELFAST BLUES It is truly horrific to see the police attacked by petrol bombs and stones - hadn’t we left all this behind? Everyone who knows about the situation says it is about much more than Brexit border bureaucracy, but there are clearly issues in the operation of the Irish Sea border in particular that still need resolving. Brandon Lewis, Northern Ireland Secretary, has issued a statement about the very worrying ongoing violence in Londonderry, Belfast and other NI regions. He stated: ‘all communities in Northern Ireland must work together to resolve the tensions that we are currently facing…the only way is through dialogue and in that regard we must all lead by example.’ Click here ([link removed]) for the full statement and here ([link removed]) for the timeline of events.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

FROM TODAY we will see the re-opening of shops, hairdressers, gyms, pubs and restaurants (outdoor), beauty salons, spas, libraries, zoos, theme parks, and self-catered holidays, as part of step two of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown. Great to see the easing of some restrictions. More information here ([link removed]) . My appointment with the hairdresser is on Thursday although Lucia has actually done a pretty passable job.

BOUNCEBACK CAMPAIGN I launched a campaign to help local businesses stand on their own two feet in December…only to be thwarted by the unexpected January lockdown. Well now I can restart it…better late than never…so please fill in the survey ([link removed]) to show your support for local businesses. So far a massive 84% of us said we would buy more locally sourced produce when we shop and 68% said our main consideration when shopping was to support local businesses. These are really encouraging figures and business owners and managers I hope can take heart.

HIGH STREETS SURVEY Waverley is also conducting a survey ([link removed]) to find out the views of residents about the reopening of the high street which will in turn help inform Welcome Back Fund activities.The £56 million Welcome Back Fund ([link removed]) was announced last month by the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick to prepare our high streets for a safe return.

NOT DONE WITH EASTER? The Busbridge and Hambledon Easter Egg treasure hunt is still on till the end of next Sunday. The Hunt children completed both the Hambledon and Busbridge circuits yesterday with the unexpected thrill of collecting the final pieces of edible ‘treasure’ from Chris and Maggie Jagger’s home in Busbridge. I can confirm there are lots more sweeties left in the treasure chests so for a late Easter activity with the kids before they go back to school, check out the details here ([link removed]) .

THE SLEEP OUT AT HOME event will take place from 9pm on Saturday 10 July until 7am on Sunday 11 July. Transform Housing & Support are a local charity committed to the prevention of homelessness. Register here ([link removed]) to help transform a life. Sounds like a great event to be part of.

FARNHAM REPAIR CAFÉ is looking for new repairers and volunteers ([link removed]) having moved to bigger premises at the Spire Church. There will be a free webinar on 22 April from 7pm which will provide more details, highlighting the skills required. To register, please e-mail [email protected] with your name and organisation. Martin can also be found on Twitter at @mcharter1.

See my list of local groups working to support vulnerable residents here ([link removed]) .

THE ECONOMY AND JOBS

6 MILLION PEOPLE were on furlough leave in mid-March 2021 according to new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data ([link removed]) . The good news is that the percentage of businesses currently trading has risen by four percentage points from January 2021 (71%) to March 2021 (75%) - a number that will surely bounce right up after this week’s partial relaxation of lockdown.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON

HIGH IQ? Check out this quiz ([link removed]) to find out. There are 15 questions and if you get at least nine right, you’re officially ‘highly intelligent’. Something to brighten up your day… (or not).

AND FINALLY, did you know that if only 100 people lived in the UK, 14 would live in the South East and 14 in London. Click here ([link removed]) to see view the other UK regional numbers.

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Promoted by Sean Donovan-Smith on behalf of Jeremy Hunt MP and South West Surrey Conservatives, all at 2 Royal Parade, Tilford Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6TD.

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