Keeping the Library Open

 

I went past the Library the other day.  They were open for Click and Collect, with all the books ready for collection on a table by the door, in brown paper bags marked with the borrower's name.

The Community Interest Company, HayPublicLibrary.org have been negotiating with Powys County Council to keep the library open - they are trying to get the County Council to agree to a five year contract from 2021 - 2026.  As they report in this month's Wye Local, negotiations have reached a critical stage.  It's going well, but if they fail, Hay will lose the Library.  

So, what they need is a display of support from the local community.  Michael has been going round distributing the orange stickers to businesses and local residents (I've got one up in my window) and it would be very helpful to the campaign for everyone who can to display them.

It's not just about keeping the level of library service that we have now, either.  The CIC and HOWLS (Hay-on-Wye Library Supporters) have plans to expand the services that the library can offer.  For instance, Hay Town Council have awarded a grant to use in the library to establish a Climate Change Club, to be run by local young people (when people can meet in groups again!).

The CIC can be contacted on Query@HayPublicLibrary.org

Holocaust Memorial Wreath

 

It was Holocaust Memorial Day on the 27th January, and yesterday I saw that a wreath had been laid, and a candle lit, on the War Memorial.  I don't think it's ever been done before in Hay.

Derek and Bernie

 After the famous picture from the US Presidential Inauguration, Bernie Sanders has become an internet sensation - even in Hay:

(or is that Derek Addyman....?)

Snow

 

Looking up Cusop Dingle

Snowdrops

 Today we have snow in Hay, but a few days ago I went down by the river and found my first snowdrops of the year:

Haygarth Vaccine Clinic

The Haygarth doctors will be opening their first Covid vaccine clinic on January 25th, and for the rest of that week.  The staff have had the necessary training, and it will be run like the flu clinics.  They are starting with the over-75 year olds.  

The surgery will phone to book patients into the clinic - there is no need for anyone to contact them.

The clinic is also dependent on the supply of vaccine that they can get.  They're using the Astra Zeneca vaccine.

New Takeaway Van

 I got a leaflet pushed through my door for Phillips Tasty Bites.

They'll be providing breakfasts at the Cinema Bookshop every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8.30am to 10.30am, and then they'll be at the Market Square on the same evenings from 5pm to 8pm, as well as Wyeside Gardens from 5pm to 8pm on Tuesday evenings.

The menu is mainly burgers and kebabs and that sort of thing (one of the specials is Faggots and peas with onion gravy and chips), and they have vegetarian and gluten free options available - well, it says "gluten options" but I'm sure that's what they mean.

I hope the weather improves for them - I think we're getting the edge of Storm Christoph this week, and the river is due to rise.

Big Jump!

I was sitting near my front window where my laptop is set up, when a young mum passed by with a little boy.  He was toddling along the top of the wall until he came to my steps, where he would either have to go round, or jump.

That's when his mum looked up and saw me, and started to make apologetic gestures.  So I waved to them to carry on, waved hello at the little boy, and clapped when he did a Big Jump across the step!

It's cheered me up for the day (though I do feel as if I'm turning into my gran - that's exactly what she would have done.)

Cae Mawr Tree

 I'd never noticed before just how much mistletoe is growing on this tree:

Cusop Churchyard

 Seen on a recent walk:

Vaccinations

 I've just had my official letter from the Powys Teaching Health Board, to say that the vaccination programme for Covid-19 has begun in this area.  No-one needs to book an appointment - they will be invited when it is their turn.  There is information in the letter about how to book a test, though.

I'm nowhere near a priority so it will be quite some time before I'm invited to a clinic, but it's good to see that progress is being made.  The priority for now is elderly people in care homes and health and care workers.

Seen in Backfold

 

An interesting use for old teapots at Lot 51.

Covid-19 Infection Survey

 Looking at the news over the New Year so far reminded me of a letter I got last year.

I dragged it out from the bottom of my in-tray to look at it again.

So, the Office for National Statistics and the University of Oxford, in collaboration with the Welsh Government, sent out a letter last October inviting households to take part in a Covid-19 Infection Survey.  The idea was to gather information to provide a better response to the pandemic.

They were asking people to sign up to the scheme to take the test for Covid-19, so they could see how far the virus had spread.  Someone would come to my home to provide the test at regular intervals.

I signed up, and got my £50 gift voucher for doing so - and I haven't heard a thing since.

I imagine they need a certain number of people in each area, so that the person coming out to give the tests isn't travelling long distances just for one or two people, but even so, it's disappointing.

Small Business Saturday

 

Here's Communikate, which used to be down by the Clock Tower, and has now moved to the Craft Centre.  They're not open for business at the moment, but they are working from home.

They moved into the unit which used to be occupied by Old Forest Arts, which has moved across the Craft Centre to larger premises:

They are also closed for the duration.

Latest Bus Timetable

 It occurred to me that the T14 bus was probably running a reduced service again for the present lockdown, so I looked it up (not that I was planning to go into Hereford for the foreseeable future):

There are 4 buses going from Hay to Hereford on weekdays - at 7.24, 10.24, 12.24 and 16.34.

There are only 3 T14 buses from Hereford to Hay - at 8.35, 11.35 and 13.35.

However, there is also the 914 service, which leaves Hay for Hereford at 7.27, and leaves Hereford for Hay at 16.33 and 17.40, so the service does seem to be pretty good, under the circumstances.

Winter Wonderland

 The big fat flakes of snow have stopped now, but it's still snowing in tiny flakes.  A family have just walked past my house.  Dad was encouraging a small boy to throw a snowball at him - which hit from a distance of about two feet away.  They were towing a sledge behind them.

I'm quite happy to sit here by the fire, watching the snow through the window.