Dear people of Broxtowe
I am really pleased to share the news that the Nuthall Pharmacy on Upminster Drive, Nuthall, has reopened to serve the local community. This will be the first time in five months that the pharmacy has been open. We lived in a house on Mornington Crescent estate in 1998 and the pharmacy was not here then so we got our medicine from Kimberley. I know that a pharmacy in Nuthall in normal times is useful, but it is absolutely essential during this pandemic. I am, of course, delighted as is the pharmacist Adam Meakin. Adam and his team are also offering a new service to deliver prescriptions and are able to deliver essential groceries. They are organising extra delivery drivers to enable them to provide this service to those who are isolated and self-isolating. To access this service please contact Sue Stack who is the Clerk of Nuthall Parish Council on 0115 9519717. Adam said, “he could tell that I used to be a military man and getting stuff done”. This is very kind of him to say, but I also worked with others to get this done. Cllr Paul Simpson and the Chief Executive of Broxtowe Borough Council, Ruth Hyde, also worked with me to get the pharmacy open again. We need to work together across Broxtowe to get things done during this pandemic and I am pleased Adam and his team can now serve the people of Nuthall again.
I am currently working in Parliament to serve you the people of Broxtowe. Yesterday, (24th of March) there was an Urgent Debate on the provision for the self-employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. I would liked to have asked a question during this debate but there were restrictions on numbers in the Chamber. Nevertheless, I will make sure that your voice is heard by Treasury ministers to ensure that the self-employed in Broxtowe are supported throughout this pandemic. As and when the new package is announced, I will be uploading it onto my website with the other measures that have already been released.
The Coronavirus Bill has now passed all the stages in the House of Commons and it is now going through the House of Lords. The bill is necessary to ensure that we can tackle and defeat this virus.
We are now into day two of further restrictions. For instance, gatherings of more than two people in public and closing shops that are not essential. The advice is that you must stay at home and only leave your home for the following very limited purposes:
1. Shopping for your basic necessities. Please make these as infrequent as possible.
2. One form of exercise a day - for example, a run, walk or cycle - alone or with the loved ones that you live with.
3. Any medical need or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
4. Travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary, and your work cannot be done from home.
Staying at home will protect the NHS and save lives. To provide clarity on who is a key worker - key workers are those who work in these sectors:
· Health and social care
· Education and childcare
· Key public services
· Local and national government
· Food and other necessary goods
· Public safety and national security
· Transport utilities, communication and financial services.
For more detailed information on key workers please go to my website.
My staff and I are working hard to serve you. As an example, I had a lady over 70 years old who contacted me about if she could hang her washing out on the line in her back garden. The advice to the lady was that she is allowed to go into her back garden but please keep to the social distancing rules. If you or your loved ones need advice, go to my website or contact me or my office because I am here to help and serve everyone in Broxtowe and I will carry on doing so.
I know that by working together, by all of us doing our bit, by all of us playing our roles and supporting each other and following the Government’s advice, we can come through this together and beat coronavirus. I also know that we in Broxtowe will do our bit and more.
Here to serve you.
Darren