Coronavirus update: the latest news from East Midlands businesses
The owner of Nottingham-based sign and graphics firm N1 Visual have set up a fund raising initiative to support Nottingham Hospitals Charity.
They have produced hundreds of ‘Thank You, NHS’ Stickers for people to display on their vehicles, homes and elsewhere, already raising £465 of their £500 target within 24 hours.
Paul Atherton of N1 Visual said: “This only started as a local initiative with the view that it was a meaningful home school project for our daughter. However, due to the increasing popularity and donations coming from further afield, we are now looking for an organisation who could potentially support us with postage.”
Contact paul@n1visual.co.uk for more details.
A new coronavirus crisis fund has been launched to help save lives in Lincolnshire.
The Lincolnshire Covid-19 Crisis Fund has been set up by the Lincolnshire Community Foundation which is hoping to raise £500,000 and is appealing for donations from kind-hearted businesses and individuals.
All the money raised will go to charities, community groups and social enterprises which are providing vital help and support to those most at risk from the disease.
Joint CEO of the Lincolnshire Community Foundation Sue Fortune said: “There is no doubt this money will help save lives. Over 23% of the people living in Lincolnshire are over 65 years old and face being isolated for months to come. Thousands of others are vulnerable owing to mental health issues, physical disabilities or underlying health conditions which also put them at risk.
“For many, the only advice, support and contact they receive is from local voluntary and community organisations running food banks, providing hot meals and offering befriending services over the phone or online.
“These organisations offer a lifeline for people of all ages living in both rural and urban areas of our county and the needs are increasing and evolving day by day as we try to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The first round of emergency grants has been distributed to organisations including: Jubilee Church Life Centre which is delivering over 20 food parcels a day to people in the Grantham area; Creative Start in Grimsby which supports members recovering from addiction; Tonic Health in Spalding which is delivering hot meals to elderly and vulnerable people living in rural areas; ACTS Trust and Bridge Church in Lincoln which are rising to the challenge of increased demand for food; and the Parish of Boston which provides homeless people with hot breakfasts.
Jef Todd
Locked in with… Jef Todd, BSP Consulting
Who are you locked in with?
I live on my own so it’s a good job I’m used to my own company.
How has the lockdown and working from home been for you so far?
The first couple of days were challenging but I soon got into a routine and realised that it’s perfectly possible to work from home and that I can do pretty much everything I need to do remotely. Over the last year BSP Consulting has invested quite heavily in VPN to give our teams the opportunity to work from home and our IT wizard got us up and running very quickly. At the moment, we are still working, still quoting and still being appointed on projects.
What has been the best thing about staying in?
My daily commute has been cut by almost two hours and my car fuel bill has dropped by £100 a week. I’ve also noticed a renewed sense of community in the village, which is heartening.
And what have you missed the most?
In my role as business development director at BSP Consulting, I spend a lot of time in face-to-face meetings and networking and business events – both during the day and in the evening – so I’ve missed socialising a bit but the IT’s available to allow people to get together virtually, which is great. I’m a keen horse rider, so riding is probably the thing I’ve missed most.
What previously essential thing have you realised is not actually essential?
The construction sector hasn’t perhaps always taken advantage of the improvements in technology in the same way as some other sectors, so we’d think nothing of travelling half-way across the country for a face-to-face meeting. It’s clearly not essential to drive to every meeting and It will be interesting to see how far this new way of working will be embraced in the future.
What are the changes you’ve made that you plan on continuing when restrictions are lifted?
There will still be a place for face-to-face meetings but it’s amazing what you can do with the technology we now have, so I think I’ll be aiming to do less driving and more video conferencing.
Have you made progress on any of your bucket list items?
My bucket list has changed. It now includes cleaning out a kitchen cupboard each day! I’ve also signed up to a personal challenge website where you receive virtual medals for completing tasks that you set yourself. My goals are to run the distance of Hadrian’s Wall in 12 weeks and to cycle the distance of Land’s End to John O’Groats in a year.
What is the first thing you will do when isolation ends?
Get on a horse and go riding. My riding instructor has sent me dressage tests to learn but trotting around the kitchen isn’t quite the same!
