GOOD news from Hilary Cottage Surgery.

All the staff are fit and well and at work.

To minimise risk to staff and vulnerable patients, some clinical assessments are being carried out in a tent, which has been set up in the car park and the special team of nurses run by the Friends of Fairford and Lechlade Communities is still giving care to the very frail in their own homes.

This all seems to be working well and the doctors, nurses and staff are very grateful not just for the co-operation that patients have shown, but also for the messages of thanks and support they have had.

THE committee of the Palmer Hall would like to thank the Lakes By Yoo and the Friends of Fairford & Lechlade Communities for the grant it received to support the historic hall at a time when bookings have had to be cancelled and the hall is closed.

Sue Crowley, chair of the Palmer Hall Committee, said: "We are very grateful to both organisations for the grant.

"With no revenue coming in because the hall is closed, we would have found it difficult paying the normal bills associated with running a village hall, such as utility bills and insurance.

"The committee is still doing the regular cleaning and maintenance in order to keep the hall in tip-top condition ready for when people can return to enjoy their usual meetings, exercise classes and social activities."

PLEASE help Fairford Primary School win £5,000 of National Book tokens for the school's library.

All you have to do is nominate the school on www.nationalbooktokens.com/schools.

If your nomination is chosen, you could also win £100 of book tokens for yourself.

MORNING prayers each day at St Mary's Church, Fairford is on every morning, apart from Friday, at 9am and can be watched online throughout the day via bit.ly/3csEiyT.

AT the virtual annual meeting of the town council last Tuesday, Cllr James Nicholls was unanimously elected by his fellow councillors as Fairford's new town mayor.

Cllr Richard Harrison was elected as the deputy mayor.

James was brought up in Fairford and went to school at Fairford Primary and Farmor's School.

At the age of 16, he enlisted in the British Army and started basic training in Bovington, Dorset.

After his training, he was posted to the 4th Regiment Army Air Corps in Detmold, Germany and experienced different challenges in Europe, Canada, USA, Bahrain, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

James is married with three children.

He said: "Fairford has always had a great community spirit and this shines through, especially in this difficult time.

"I am very proud of my fellow residents, helping the vulnerable and those in need."

Cllr Richard Harrison has been on Fairford Town Council for five years and has lived in Fairford for over 20 years.

He has taken particular interest in planning issues and the Neighbourhood Plan.

He said: "I want to do everything possible to support our new mayor and the rest of the council in doing what is best for the community now and in the future."

THE Wild Towns project invites you to help design and plan a new Sensory Garden for the Walnut Tree Field in Fairford, which could bring bright colours and bold smells to a wildlife-friendly corner of Fairford.

There will be a virtual Public Consultation today between 2pm and 3.30pm.

The team want to hear your thoughts/ideas about what you would like to see included in the design.

To register for this event, go to: bit.ly/2zQqz6d.

IMPORTANT bank-side restoration work needs to happen to ensure there is a national trail leading to Lechlade (Thames Path) and that navigation in the river continues for tourists and the land is managed well for wildlife and food production.

The Water with Integrated Local Delivery (WILD) project is about improving the local environment with a focus on waterways.

In Lechlade, work has included fencing along the river, management of riparian vegetation on the riverbanks and sympathetic pollarding of oak trees.

Each of these tasks aims to contribute to the health of the Thames, while maintaining the Thames Path's well-established appeal to local people and tourists alike.

Fencing of the Thames Path has reduced cattle access to the water to try to preserve the banks that have become badly eroded.

In addition, managing the vegetation along the riverbank will help to keep the banks in place, anchored by the roots of riparian plants and shrubs, as well as improving biodiversity in the area.

With correct management, more of the native species that are often out-competed by others, such as nettles or Himalayan balsam, can be encouraged to grow.

The pollarding of willow trees along the banks is also being undertaken as part of a staged management plan.

The work will prevent the river being overly shaded, which will benefit plants and wildlife and keep navigation channels clear.

It has been a team effort and the WILK team will continue to provide environmental and social benefits along the Thames Path in Lechlade for many years to come.

If you have any queries or concerns, email joanne.leigh@fwagsw.org.uk.