Articles

As regular readers of my County Council Gartree News column will know, I  have been monitoring the positive Covid-19 cases. I have been looking at the numbers and rates per 100,000 daily for the  Kibworth and Great Glen Middle layer Super  Output Area (MSOA) since mid October.  There was an unexpected spike in the  numbers for this MSOA for the 7 days to 23  January. The increase in case numbers continued for a few days. Case numbers rose  from 26 (rate of 239.2) to 54 (rate of 445.5)  over a 4 day period. I was alerted to a possible  outbreak and contacted the Director of Public  Health over the weekend. He was able to  confirm that 35 people (23 residents and 12  staff) had indeed tested positive at a local care  home. The residents had been offered vaccinations prior to the regular testing process giving the positive results. The majority were  asymptomatic. I understand relatives were  informed as a matter of course. 

During 2020 most of our patients didn't travel very far. Some took up new hobbies during lockdown. Others started new fitness regimes.So when we were approached by one of our patients with an unexpected request during a most unusual year, we did our best to help. We were helping a rowing team to "see at sea!"

(4^th January to 28^th February)

Normally for this month's Chronicle I would be writing about our preparations for the Regional Area Brass Band Contest in Bedworth. Unfortunately like so many other events this has been cancelled and as the band room remains closed and the band silent we must wait until next year.

The recent snowfall in late January, brought some beautiful snow scenes around our villages. Gumley was turned into a Winter Wonderland by the deep covering of snow.

Who would ever have believed the restrictions for Covid would have gone on  so long? We started off by sending a quiz out each week to our members. After  a couple of months it got more and more difficult to think up something new,  so now they are few and far between. However we are still in contact and  exchange emails on a regular basis bringing everyone up to date. The latest  topic is, “When are you having your vaccination?” Thankfully these are being  managed very well, and distribution goes from good to better.  

We are pleased to announce that Kibworth Velo Club Merchandise can now be purchased from our own online shop at http://www.kvcshop.co.uk 

All on the committee were saddened not to celebrate Burns Supper recently (the Village Hall’s key fundraising event).

Snowmen pictures as supplied by our readers. Thank you.

I really hope this article finds you well.

Teachers, teachers leave those kids alone; Pink Floyd's lyrics do not accurately describe the situation as it is now. However, the kids, many kids are being left alone and at home with parents and grandparents who are thrust into the role. This role ever was the introduction of Universal Education by the post war Labour Government and has been passed to professionally trained teachers (the preparation was the work of R.A. Butler, a member of the national wartime government and the resulting1944 Education Act). 

Earlier today I walked into Kibworth to do some shopping. I came across this token in a clear wallet laying on the ground. I was curious and looked closer.

I have a seat at the front of the stage with a brilliant view of all the actors in the play. I like to sit in the shadows.
I have a useful skill- but nobody really wants to use it.

Having read the Kibworth Chronicle article on concerns about speeding on the A6 I thought that I might reassure your readers that your hugely committed neighbourhood team, and the Force wide multi-agency Safer Roads Partnership, are aware of those concerns and have given them appropriate attention. Of course those concerns aren’t the only ones that we have to deal with; in 2020 we dealt with over 141,000 emergency 999 calls, 96% of them answered within 10 seconds, over 333,000 non-emergency calls, 68% of them answered within 30 seconds, and well over 16,000 online reports. We have also made over 12,000 arrests (132 of which in December alone were for drink or drug driving), dealt with an average of 16 missing person reports every day and handled over 19,000 reports of COVID related incidents. That level of calls for service from local people means that we have to prioritise, especially as we rebuild police numbers after the pressures of austerity reduced our officer numbers from 2352 in 2010, when I became Chief Constable, to fewer than 1800 at some points. We are now recruiting again and heading back towards (and hopefully beyond) 2000 officers, which can only be good news for local communities and bad news for offenders.

Christmas Fun at the Club!