News, Facts & Guides
After the Government’s announcement on Sunday 10th May 2020 the following guidance has been updated and published:
The Government’s FAQ ‘What you can and can’t do’ guide updated on 11th May 2020 can be found here.
The Government’s ‘Staying safe outside your home’ published on 11th May 2020 can be found here.
After the Government’s announcement on Sunday we are now able to open our recreation grounds for exercise. The childrens play area remain closed and officially the football pitches are closed.
All social distancing rules apply. Common sense should prevail if in doubt.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic the Government has temporarily amended the law surrounding parish council meetings making them permissible via telephone and online methods with no legal requirement to hold them in person.
With these new powers we will hold our first online meeting on 18th May 2020 at 7.30pm and members of the public will be able to attend and take part in the public forum as per the Agenda. The meeting will be conducted as per a normal meeting via the Zoom app.
You do not need to download the Zoom application software to your device as it’s possible to join the meeting via your web browser, however Zoom will want to download its plugin software for the browser. You can choose to download and setup Zoom in advance of the meeting if you prefer as it may offer more functionality, plus it’s easy to do and free to sign up. Find Zoom here.
Important - You will need the Zoom meeting invitation link so please contact our clerk: clerk@saspc.info who will require some details from you and then send you the link and password - requests for the link must be made before 6.30pm on the day of the meeting but ideally well in advance. If you have any queries about the online meeting please let us know in good time.
If you do wish to join in please observe good online meeting etiquette, some of which includes: being in a quiet environment free from distractions, turn off phone and other device notifications, read the agenda beforehand. When in doubt, just practice common courtesy.
All future meetings of this type will be advertised on our notice boards via the Agenda and on our website.
We look forward to seeing you online.
The Parish Council welcomes the efforts of any resident to help with reporting fly-tipping within the villages to Guildford Borough Council.
Even if you intend to try to clear it up yourself it is important to log the fly tipping with Guildford Borough Council. GBC’s online reporting tool is easy to use and usually very effective at getting things like this sorted quickly and if they don’t we have a contact trail and timeline to hold them to account.
Logging the fly-tipping will show GBC the number of occurrences of fly-tipping in our villages which could prove useful in the future and it also gives them the possibility of attempting to identify the culprits through the waste material.
GBC’s online reporting tool is here:
https://www.guildford.gov.uk/report
And report it under fly-tipping. It helps to have photographs of the waste to upload when reporting.
If you complete your details GBC will inform you of it’s progress and when it has been cleared.
Alternatively you can call 01483 505050
Additional infomation about reporting to GBC or Surrey County Council can be found here.
If you are self-isolating, feel you need support or you would like to help others, please contact us:
To help you
Call our Community Helpline on 01483 444400 or go online at www.guildford.gov.uk/home for help with food, prescription collection and support for yourself -or you can register a relative, friend or neighbour on their behalf (helpline is open Mon-Fri 8.30am-7pm and Sat and Sun 10-2pm and Bank Holidays).
Call our Safe and Settled team on 01483 444476 if you have recently come home from hospital or are struggling to manage at home. We can help with adaptations, urgent repairs to your home and also answer queries about private tenancy agreements and landlord disputes. (Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm and from 10-2pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays).
To help others
Call 01483 505050 if you would like to volunteer to help others and we will put you in touch with community groups.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Caroline Reeves thanks all residents for continuing to follow the government guidance and urges everyone to #StayHomeToSavelives.
Please remember:
No volunteer should ask you for exchange of money or bank card details
Nobody should enter your property
All items should be left on your doorstep
If you have any concerns with callers at your doorstep, please call Guildford Borough Council on 01483 505050 or if it is an emergency and you feel at risk please call 999
To keep up to date with everything about Guildford please sign up at www.guildford.gov.uk/aboutguildford
Her Majesty The Queen to send a message to the nation to mark 75th anniversary of VE Day - 9pm.
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will read an extract from King George VI’s diary from 8 May 1945
Members of The Royal Family, the Prime Minister and the Culture Secretary will take part in video calls with Second World War veterans
Churchill’s famous victory speech will be broadcast as part of BBC special programming
A national moment of remembrance will take place with a two minute silence as Culture Secretary calls on the public to mark the occasion at home
Second World War veterans will receive calls from NHS Volunteer Responders
The UK Government has announced revised plans to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day which will include an address from Her Majesty The Queen.
In line with government guidance, the original plans for VE Day 75, which included a veteran procession, had to be adjusted due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced a new programme that will allow members of the public to remember and give thanks to the Second World War generation from the safety of their own homes.
We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the greatest generation that served in combat and on the home front during the Second World War.
Whilst we now need to celebrate VE 75 in our homes and on our doorsteps, rather than in parades and street parties, I know the nation will come together to mark this historic occasion.
In these difficult times, acts of remembrance are even more poignant and I am sure that millions will want to join me to remember and give thanks to those who gave so much to secure peace, freedom and prosperity in Europe.
To mark this historic occasion, Her Majesty The Queen will send a message to the nation at 9pm on BBC One, the exact moment her father, King George VI, gave a radio address in 1945.
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will read an extract from King George VI’s diary from 8 May 1945 which describes the day including The Royal Family’s iconic Buckingham Palace balcony appearances.
Members of The Royal Family, the Prime Minister and the Culture Secretary will take part in a series of video calls with Second World War veterans and those who served on the Home Front. First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford will also host calls with veterans in Wales. The official commemorations will begin at 11am with a national moment of remembrance and a two minute silence.
Other plans for the day include:
As part of special BBC programming, extracts from Sir Winston Churchill’s victory speech will recreate the moment peace in Europe was announced 75 years ago at 3pm and the Prime Minister will speak about the importance of VE Day.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will record a special reflection and moment of prayer for VE Day.
Her Majesty The Queen’s 9pm address to the nation will be followed by a national singalong of Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’. The public will be encouraged to open their doors and join in with this national moment of celebration.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has produced a template pack so that the public can hold a 1940s style afternoon tea party at home complete with homemade VE Day bunting, original recipes, games, and educational and creative activities for children.
NHS Volunteer Responders will be deployed to give a number of Second World War veterans a call and provide an opportunity to share their stories.
Historian and broadcaster Dan Snow will host history lessons for children from Monday 4 May. At 4pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Dan will host a History Hit live on YouTube’s Timeline channel that will focus on a different aspect of the Second World War and aim to teach the public about the importance of VE Day.
The Government and Ancestry are working together to encourage the public to join together in commemorating VE Day by discovering their own connection to the Second World War. As part of this, all UK historical records available on ancestry.co.uk will be free for the public from Monday 4 May until Sunday 10 May, giving people the opportunity to uncover the personal stories of the Second World War and the roles their families played.
Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland will broadcast a virtual Service of Remembrance followed by online tributes from a range of performers.
The First Minister of Wales will host a video call to veterans.
A number of commemorative events will also take place across Northern Ireland.
As we face some of the most challenging times since the Second World War, now more than ever it is important to unite in recognition of people’s service to the nation, just as communities did 75 years ago.
With members of the public unable to attend VE Day 75 events, we are calling on people across the UK to mark the anniversary from home and take part in these national moments of remembrance and thanksgiving. There is no right or wrong way to take part in the Silence at 11am, some people may wish to stand at their windows or step outside their front door, but we hope that individuals and families across the UK will embrace the opportunity to share in a national moment of reflection.
> VE Day is one of the most significant moments in British history and Ancestry is proud to be working with the UK government to help the nation commemorate its 75th anniversary from their homes. Stories of WWII are something we share not only within our families, but as a nation, so using this time to learn about those experiences through historical records and speaking to our relatives gives us all an opportunity to feel connected – to our family and to people all over the country.
The Parish Council urges residents to not support sky lantern campaign.
Seale and Sands Parish Council joins the National Fire Chiefs Council, RSPCA and other organisations in urging residents to not support a social media campaign to light sky lanterns on Thursday night.
We will be joining in the national #clapforcarers applause at 8pm and encourage our residents to do the same, but sky lanterns are a danger to the
environment and wildlife and a fire risk and we ask residents not to light.
Our commons and surrounding areas are very dry so any naked flames in these areas could cause a major fire problem. Please be smart and encourage others to do the same.
Thank you.
We have produced a bib for use by the Community Support Group volunteers whilst undertaking tasks for the community.
The bibs have been funded by the Seale & Sands Summer Show and the Parish Council.
The bib will provide reassurance to those requesting assistance that the person at their door is a trusted volunteer of the group.
The Seale & Sands Summer Show Committee have taken the tough decision to cancel this years show due to the coronavirus pandemic and the current retrictions on movement.
When government guidance permits they aim to have an impromtu fun and social event at the recreation ground.
We will pass on details when we have more information.
Under order from Surrey County Council we have closed the car park on Botany Hill. This is to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.
We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause but we hope you will undertsand in the circumstances that everyone has to play their part.
We will advise when it re-opens.
Please stay on the alert as reports come in other parts of the country of fraud or attempted fraud related to Covid-19.
The majority of reports are related to online shopping scams where people have ordered protective face masks, hand sanitiser and other products which have never arrived.
Other frauds being reported include ticket fraud, romance fraud, charity fraud and lender loan fraud.
There have also been over 200 reports of coronavirus-themed 'phishing' emails. These attempt to trick people into opening malicious attachments which could lead to fraudsters stealing people’s personal information, email logins and passwords, and banking details.
Some of the tactics being used in phishing emails include:
• Fraudsters purporting to be from a research group that mimics the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO). They claim to provide the victim with a list of active infections in their area, but to access this information the victim needs to either click on a link which redirects them to a credential-stealing page or make a donation of support in the form of a payment into a Bitcoin account
• Fraudsters providing articles about the virus outbreak with a link to a fake company website where victims are encouraged to click to subscribe to a daily newsletter for further updates
• Fraudsters sending investment scheme and trading advice encouraging people to take advantage of the coronavirus downturn
• Fraudsters purporting to be from HMRC offering a tax refund and directing victims to a fake website to harvest their personal and financial details. The emails often display the HMRC logo making it look reasonably genuine and convincing
.
You can protect yourself by:
- watching out for scam messages - don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious or out of the blue emails and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details
- when shopping online, if you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carrying out some research first, and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase. If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one as most major credit card providers insure online purchases
- protecting your devices from the latest threats - always install the latest software and app updates to protect your devices from the latest threats. There is lots more advice about avoiding cyber crime relating to Covid-19 in our newsletter here.
If you think you have been a victim you can report to Action Fraud, but if you are elderly or vulnerable report directly to Surrey Police on 101 or online.
Please share this advice as widely as you can. Thank you.
Under order from the Government we have closed both our recreation grounds in Seale and Sands. This is due to the ongoing Coronavirus and to help reduce the spread of the disease.
We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause but we hope you will undertsand in the circumstances that everyone has to play their part.
We will advise when they are re-open.
We will update our site with information both local and national regarding the Coronavirus.
We are doing what we can to help the COVID-19 Community Support Group reach as many residents as possible. You can ask for assistance using out temporary telephone number 01252 279350 or fill out the form here: COVID-19.
You can also volunteer by emailing Ollie Turner or calling him on 01252 781760
If you know a neighbour that may not have internet access please ask them to phone our clerk to give their details if they’d like to have information posted to them: 01252 782626. Do not put yourself or them at risk in doing so - the safest way is to telephone them or if you see them face to face remember the rules of social distancing and leave at least 2 metres or 6 feet between you.
Sorry to say that the above Parish Tidy has been postponed until September. We’ll let you know when the new date as been fixed.
In the meantime please don’t hestitate to report issues of litter and fly-tipping to Guildford Borough Council: www.guildford.gov.uk/article/16799/Report-a-street-cleaning-issue
We are sorry to report that the next Parish Council meeting is cancelled due to the Coronavirus.
The date of the next meeting of the 18th May is tentative. We are constantly reviewing the situation and will publish any changes accordingly.
David Turner of Seale is collating a list of volunteers to help those who may be in need of support due to the Coronavirus.
If you are able to commit to help those in self-isolation whether by collecting/delivering necessities or by remote social interaction please forward the following information to David davidturner@bintoncoppice.com:
1. Name
2. Mobile number
3. Email address
4. Address and postcode
All information supplied will be managed by David Turner for this current outbreak only.
The meeting on Wednesday 18th March to discuss the Neighbourhood Plan at Seale & Sands Royal British Legion is postponed due to the current situation with Coronavirus.
We will re-schedule the meeting at such a point in the future when deemed safe to do so and advertise the new date as before.
If you would like to discuss anything about the neighbourhood Plan in the meantime please do get in touch.
The event to be held on Monday 16th March at The Shackleford Centre is cancelled due to the current situation with Coronavirus.
Any queries about this should be directed to Guildford Environmental Forum (GEF).
Please join the Seale & Sands Royal British Legion in a shared moment of celebration for the 75th Anniversary of VE Day on the May Day Bank Holiday - Friday 8th May 2020 - 12:30 - 4:00.
Everyone is welcome to attend this free party.
Enjoy the sounds of a military marching band and iconic 1940s music throughout day while feasting on an afternoon tea and looking through a selection of historic memorabilia and village photos taken throughout the years.
To add that extra touch to the event, we would also welcome themed dress to help commemorate this key anniversary.
We hope you can join with us on such a special day.
You can find a poster of the event here: VE Day Poster
Saturday, 4th April – 9.30 am
Meet at either Seale or The Sands Recreation Grounds for our Annual Parish Clean Up!
Litter Pickers, High Viz vests, gloves etc., all to be provided, plus Refreshments
