Over 40 people took part in Poppy’s Big Quiz Night In last Saturday in aid of raising money for five-year-old Poppy Blackburn, who has been diagnosed with leukaemia. The quiz raised £1,607 for the Blackburn family and the winners of the quiz donated their £100 winnings back into the fundraising pot. The organisers would like to thank everyone who took part, donated and helped in any way.

Gloucestershire County Council has recently commissioned a range of new mental health services to respond to the changing situation in the light of Covid-19. Information for the Cotswolds is available here: bit.ly/3elf2L9.

Next Sunday’s Worship at Home service is for Pentecost Sunday on May 31, and will be led by Revd Caroline Symcox, Vicar of Fairford. For more details, visit: bit.ly/3c1ny0u.

Local Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) are starting to open again. Fairford’s nearest HRC is at Fosse Cross, which re-opened on May 18. The centres will be very busy to start with and you will need to pre-book your visit and check before going that the materials you wish to dispose of are being accepted. To limit the number of people on site, vehicles should only have drivers wherever possible – a maximum of one passenger is permitted if you need help to unload your waste and recycling. HRC staff need to social distance, so will not be able to help with unloading. The HRC online booking system can be found at: www.gloucestershirerecycles.com.

University student, Felicity Ollson is making face-masks for free. Felicity lives in Fairford and is making these masks from a selection of different types of fabric and patterns for you to choose which you like. Secure them with ties round the back. Can be delivered locally or can be collected. Email Felicity for more details: felicityollson@hotmail.co.uk.

The PPG (Patient Participation Group at Hilary Cottage Surgery, Fairford) wishes to share this story: On March 16, a local resident had a vague headache and felt a bit under-the-weather. He then remembered that the week before he had entered his PIN number in a shop with no gloves. The next day, March 17, he phoned his GP at Hilary Cottage Surgery, who advised it could be Covid-19 and to call 111. The resident was then told to self-isolate, and found that he needed to take advantage of Fairford Town Council’s volunteer scheme. For two weeks, the resident felt rough, wobbly and weak and had an annoying cough and also felt disorientated and found it hard to concentrate. After waking up at night coughing and short of breath a few times, he found that propping himself up helped. It was very scary but, ironically, after two weeks of being ill, a letter arrived from the Government advising that the patient should not go out as he was classed as ‘at risk’ because of diabetes.