Month: <span>February 2016</span>

Shropdoc and NHS 111 – future plans

Reports in the press indicate that Shropdoc will continue to run Shropshire’s out-of-hours GP service for at least two years following a vote by health chiefs.
But the service will go out to tender in 2018 and other companies will be invited to bid for the contract, despite protests from residents who want to see Shropdoc retained.
As part of the changes, people will be asked to ring the NHS 111 number from October for non-emergency care.
Shropdoc’s chief Dr Russell Muirhead is said to be “very pleased and relieved” at the announcement that the not-for-profit company would be running the service until at least 2018.
Shropdoc will have an “extremely good case” to put forward that it should be allowed to continue providing the out-of-hours GP service in the county when the contract comes up for grabs, its chairman has said.
To read more, see these articles from the Shropshire Star here and here

Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services

A Non-Emergency Patient Transport service (NEPT) is provided for patients who have a medical condition which prevents them from using other forms of transport to travel to and from healthcare appointments.
The service is not provided to people who want transport for social or financial reasons, or for those who are able to travel on public transport or by other means to get to their healthcare provider.
The service is totally separate from the emergency ambulance services.
You could be entitled to use the service if you are registered with a GP in Shropshire or Telford & Wrekin, and have been referred for a hospital or another medical appointment. Patients will be assessed on their suitability using a short and simple series of questions to ensure fair and consistent access to the service.
Medical Services are the provider of NEPT services in Shropshire. To contact them direct, please call: 01743 762650
Or to visit their website; for the FAQs see this link
A PDF copy of their Patients’ Leaflet is available from Transport Services page on the Hodnet Medical Centre’s website.

Staying Connected

Staying ConnectedYou may have noticed posters like this around the area recently.
It is hoped that as many people as possible will make the effort to come along to the Lyon Hall on Friday 11th March at 7pm to find out more about the Compassionate Communities schemes facilitated by Severn Hospice, and the valuable community transport work done by the North Salop Wheelers.
The phrase “Anyone for CoCo?” expresses well the thinking behind Compassionate Communities, because it is a scheme that can be and has been replicated in different areas, enabled by the Severn Hospice but realised by local volunteers and tailored to the needs of their own community.
“Co-Co’s” aim to tackle loneliness and social isolation. The scheme involves towns and villages setting up their own volunteer befriending service to help frail or vulnerable people to stay in touch. Mr Cronin has surprising evidence about the reduction in uptake of other services, just because people feel “in touch” again and have someone to talk to.
The backbone of “Co-Co’s” are volunteers who undertake to support someone in their own community for just a few hours each week. It doesn’t involve providing personal care, but rather companionship and a willingness to help the person to live their lives more fully in practical ways. Volunteers are given initial training and on-going support by Severn Hospice.
For more info, see this page on the Severn Hospice website.
Noth Salop Wheelers LogoNorth Salop Wheelers help to keep people in touch with their local community by getting them out and about. They provide affordable transport in North Shropshire to people unable to access other means of public transport by reason of age, disability, isolation or poverty, for instance a community bus service to Market Drayton, Wem and Whitchurch on market days.
But just as Co-Co’s cannot function without their volunteers, NSW can only keep people connected if they have sufficient drivers. “We urgently need volunteer drivers, so if you can spare a few hours now and then, please help us to provide this vital service.”
For more info, see their website.
If you would like to help motivate people to come along to this meeting, you can download a PDF version of the poster by clicking on the image of it above. It would be greatly appreciated if you could display it in a prominent place such as a noticeboard or shop window.
Jigsaw Piece

Hodnet & District Garden Club

Hodnet & District Garden ClubThe next meeting of the Garden Club will be on Tuesday 15th March, 7.30 pm at the Lyon Hall, Hodnet.
Our speaker will be Anne Watson, and her topic is “Making Flowers Last”. We look forward to hearing some useful tips.
Refreshments will be served after the talk, and we hope to see you there. Membership and guest fees are being waived for this year.

Peplow Community Walk – March 2016

Boy & Girl WalkingSunday 13th March
Meet at the Village Hall, Stanton at 2:15 for 2:30pm
A circular walk around the Stanton area. The route is that of Walk 2 from the “Stanton Walking Guide” available on this page, though we will walking in the opposite direction (i.e. anticlockwise) to that shown. The walk is just over four miles long and is expected to take around two hours.
Children welcome, also dogs on leads.
Afterwards in the Stanton Arms
In case of bad weather please call Randall on 01952 540970 after 1:00pm on the day.
 

Book Clubs Flourishing

BookClubIconThe parish has 3 flourishing book clubs, one in Hodnet, another in Marchamley, and the third in Peplow. Maureen Howell chatted with the coordinators for each of the clubs and provides the following update:
Hodnet Book Club is a well established group which has been running for about 5 years and has members from Hodnet and Wollerton. There are usually 5-8 members in attendance at each meeting. Members meet in each other’s homes on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings from 7:30 pm to about 9:30 pm. The format usually entails a brief chat about the book followed by plenty of social chat. The host for the evening supplies tea, coffee and a cake or biscuits. No-one is under pressure to host a meeting, with some members happy to host in lieu of others. The public library selects the books for the group each month and the group pays £36 per annum for the privilege of loaning books. The reading material has included poetry, autobiographies, modern and classic literature. Group members have attended a film version of books they have read and are discussing a trip away inspired by their reading of Tracy Chevaliers historical novel, Girl with a Pearl Earring. For further information contact Sally Underwood 01630-685286 or email The Peplow Book Club was formed in April 2015 and consists of 7-8 members who gather together on the fourth Wednesday of every month. The group has membership of the public library service and chooses books from a list supplied to them. The book club meets in member’s own homes and any of the members can offer hospitality. The format includes a discussion of the chosen book for perhaps 45 mins. followed by a social chat. Over recent months members have read a range of novels, some historical and others more contemporary such as A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Secret Life of Bees. The group is very informal and friendly and welcomes new members. They have discussed a cinema trip to see a film version of a book club book. Enquiries to Sally Wilson 07722-589440 or email Marchamley Book Club is also a recently formed group. The group meets at 7:30 pm on the second Thursday of the month at Marchamley Club. Meetings attract 6-12 members and continue till around 9:30pm. Members buy or loan books and these are sometimes shared between readers. Amongst the books read by members are The Book Thief, Sycamore Row, Gone Girl, and Room. Members discuss the books for up to 45 mins. followed by a social chat over a drink from the bar. Members are discussing organising a visit to see a film version of Room. For further information contact Karen Powell on 01630-685325, Karen Marley 01630-685235 or email All three book clubs are listed on our Monthly Events page.

Antiques Valuation Day – March 2016

From 10.00am – 4.00 pm, Thursday 10 March, at The Bear, Hodnet.
Free valuations of collectables, jewellery, ceramics and other antiques.
Hansons and The Bear both support the Midlands Air Ambulance Service and donations can be made on the day.
Items can be accepted into forthcoming Hansons Auctions.
For more information please telephone 01630-685214 or email

Thank You – From Gina and Kath

Gina & Kath with some of the gifts they have received
Following the closure of the Station Road Post Office after just over 55 years of service to the community, Gina Sargeant and Kath Brown have asked us to pass on their thanks to the many friends who have shown their appreciation in recent weeks. They are pictured above with some of the many gifts they have received.

We would like to thank everyone for the gifts, plants, flowers, cards, letters and kind words bestowed on us at the Post Office closure.
Both of us were so surprised at your kindness and generosity.
We know that we will miss you all, and thank you for so many happy memories.
Our good wishes go to Alex, Jackie and their staff. We hope their working experience will be as much fun as ours has been.
Thank you once again.
Love
Gina and Kath

Gina Sargeant & Kath Brown, with Derek HodgeAmongst the many visitors was Derek Hodge, Chairman of the Parish Council who presented both Gina and Kath with flowers. He also presented Gina with a framed Letter of Commendation and Thanks on behalf of the Parish. (See picture right.)
In the letter the Parish Council expressed their gratitude for all the work that Gina has done to supply this vital service to the parishioners of Hodnet for over thirty years. It went on to say that the Station Road Post Office has always been an essential hub for the community with a warm, efficient and welcoming atmosphere created by both Gina and Kath.

Closure of Ellerdine Surgery

Hodnet Medical CentreThis week Hodnet Medical Centre announced on its website that it has formally applied to close the Ellerdine Branch Surgery, which used to be located in the village hall. The Ellerdine surgery has not actually functioned since March 2008. The application is to close it from 1 April this year. The announcement adds:

To date, we have not been in a position to resume our previous service, but have continued to maintain a weekly drug delivery and repeat medication slip collection service.
Since the branch surgery closed in March 2008, the pressures of general practice have increased, and our resources are now stretched to a point where we feel unable to safely resume the previous level of service.
We can offer our patients better capacity at Hodnet, with a larger physical presence, more consulting rooms and good clinical supervision, support and facilities.
Delivery of repeat medication, and collection of repeat request slips will continue on Thursday mornings as at present.