22.04.20 Newsletter no.4

What a brilliant community we live in. Instead of feeling despondent about the continued lockdown, you’ve been coming up with really positive ideas on how we can sustain our spirits and help each other over the next few weeks:

A new-look Lissenden website to lift us all

A team of volunteers is looking at the possibility of launching a Lissenden Gardens community website, to help us meet the challenges of the coronavirus and interact better with the tenants’ association and as a community. 

At its meeting last week, the LGTA Committee suggested that we ought to look at taking the best of the two existing websites (yes, there are two) and combine them into one site with a new, fresh look. The re-launched site would include lots more helpful information and would be updated with important news, the LGTA Bulletins, our coronavirus newsletters – and more. 

It could include fun stuff too, for example photos and videos from the festivals. There are lots of possibilities. Over time we could add events pages and sections covering local interests. With a small team running it (under the LGTA umbrella) we could easily keep it updated and current, and the responsibilities could be shared. 

Our community has great strength and positivity at the moment. It would be really helpful to understand who might find a new website site useful, and who would like to contribute ideas or skills. A rough draft is ready to go, and could be live in a couple of weeks. 

If you are interested in the idea, contact Sarah Wallis. Email:  swallis2012@gmail.com; tel: 07904 455586.

Would you prefer to get this newsletter electronically?

We’re going to continue to post this newsletter through people’s door to ensure everyone can keep up to date with what’s going on in Lissenden, but if you’d prefer to get it electronically, email: newsletter.lgta@gmail.com

Keeping boredom at bay during the continued lockdown

Karen Belter from Clevedon Mansions knows more than most people about lockdown. She’s been confined to her flat since she had to give up work for health reasons in 2014. Her secret for dealing with a life at home? Reading. ‘My sister Angela and I both love reading,’ she says.

While they each always have a book a go, their greatest pleasure is their daily ‘reading hour’, when Karen reads aloud to Angela. ‘That way we’re living the same book and enjoying it together at the same time.’ Karen says they read books of all kinds and their flat is full of books. ‘I’m never bored,’ Karen says.

Here are Karen and Angela’s recommendations

·      Romantic Outlaws The Extraordinary Lives Of Mary Wollstonecraft And Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon. 

·      Special Forces Cadets: Siege by Chris Ryan. Army action adventure.

·      Forbidden Spaces Trilogy by Helen Grant. Folklore, legend and thrilling murder mystery. Suitable for teens and adults.

·      White Heat by Dominic Sandbrook. Brilliant and immersive social and political history of the Sixties.

·      Us by David Nicholls. Charming bittersweet story of a modern marriage. A great read.

Would you like to tell others about books you’ve been enjoying? We’re setting up a What’sApp group to swap recommendations, views and possibly even the books themselves. If you’d like to join, send a text to Ros Bayley. Tel: 07910 055708.

Children reading out loud

Isn’t it also magical when you see children reading aloud? If you’re looking for a way to encourage this, why not get them to take part in the ‘Lissenden Reading Aloud’ scheme? We’re asking children on the estate all to read the same book – Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown. If you can get a copy over the next few days and have a practice, we’ll have suggestions in the next newsletter about how you to record your child reading out loud, and we’ll put together a recording of Lissenden children reading the whole book.

Making banners for our balconies

Some beautiful banners in support of frontline staff have been displayed on balconies during the clap for carers events on Thursday evenings. And now a small team of enthusiasts with craft skills (and some materials), is ready to help you or your children  make banners for your balconies. The project may even expand into a broader Lissenden Gardens’ Crafts group. If you are interested, text Andrea Dawson. Tel: 07540 644774.

For more on this Thursday’s 8pm Clap for Carers – and a new song, click here.

We’ll have more ideas in the next newsletter, but the most important thing is to continue to FOLLOW GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES ON CORONAVIRUS.

Protect yourself. Protect your family. Protect your community.

 If you have any suggestions for the next newsletter, contact Frank: 07757 706419.

Would you like to be in our Lissenden ‘Lean On Me’ video? Click here for more details.

For previous newsletters, click here.