Mayor of Evesham Coun Mark Goodge with his latest diary for the Observer
Normally, I’d be writing about the events I’ve been to and the ones I’m most looking forward to in the near future. But these aren’t normal times. As I’m sure you can imagine, all civic events have been cancelled for the foreseeable future.
Instead, what I want to concentrate on is our community’s response to the coronavirus crisis. In particular, I want to thank the people of Evesham for taking it seriously and doing your best to follow the government’s guidance. Staying at home as much as possible, and keeping your distance when you do need to go out, is absolutely crucial to getting the infection under control. And I’m pleased to see how empty the streets, parks and meadows have been, and how considerate their users have been when it comes to giving each other a wide margin.
I’m also proud of the way our community has stepped up to the plate when it comes to supporting the vulnerable and needy in our town. The town council has played its part in this, making the council vans available to distribute food and other necessities to people unable to go to the shops themselves. But the biggest thanks has to go to those who have taken on the responsibility of organising collections and deliveries.
I also want to thank everyone who isn’t at home, because they still have important work to do. From supermarket workers to bin lorry drivers, post office staff to broadband and mobile engineers, we rely on you to make the lockdown tolerable! And, of course, the NHS and emergency services, who are doing a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances.
We know that things are likely to get harder before they get better, and it will be some time before there’s another civic event to report on. But, as HM The Queen said in her broadcast on Sunday, we will succeed, and we will meet again. For now, we all have a part to play in getting us through.
