Author: Sarah

Are you eligible for a COVID-19 spring booster vaccination?

The COVID-19 spring booster vaccination campaign is ongoing, and eligible Shropshire residents have been invited to boost their immunity.

The vaccine is available to:

  • People aged 75 or over
  • Anybody who lives in a residential care home for older people
  • Those aged 5 or over, who have a weakened immune system.

Those living in care homes have been prioritised, and local care homes have been receiving visits from roving NHS teams since the programme launched in April 2023.

COVID-19 vaccination clinics offering bookable and walk-in appointments are being organised and delivered by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust.  The latest dates and venues are available to view on the website here.

You can also sign up to Shropshire Council’s coronavirus updates mailing list for a weekly timetable of upcoming clinics across the county.  Join the mailing list here.

The last date for eligible people to receive a COVID-19 spring booster vaccination is Friday 30 June 2023.

Local roadworks in May …

The following roads are to be treated in May as part of Shropshire Council’s surface dressing programme.

  • A442 – FROM TELFORD & WREKIN BOUNDARY TO REDMOOR CROSSROADS
  • LITTLE SOUDLEY ROAD, MARKET DRAYTON
  • WISTANSWICK – RED LION TO A41 JUNCTION
  • ROOKERY LANE TO WOOD LANE, MARCHAMLEY
  • MARCHAMLEY WOOD TO FAULS
  • SHREWSBURY ROAD PREES – LOWER HEATH TO A41 JUNCTION
  • WESTON UNDER REDCASTLE, FROM A442 JUNCTION TO B5065 JUNCTION

A full list of roads to be surface dressed this year can be found here.

I will do my best to provide advance information!

Thousands of bikers to take to the roads in Bike4Life charity ride

Road users are being warned to expect some disruption in and around Shrewsbury on Sunday morning (23 April 2023), as the annual Bike4Life Midlands Air Ambulance charity motorbike ride heads out from the Meole Brace Park & Ride site to RAF Cosford, via the A5 and M54.

The Ride Out will leave the Park & Ride site at 11am, with the anticipated 3,500 riders due to arrive from 8am for registration.

Due to this event the Park & Ride site will be closed to all other vehicles. Some disruption is also expected on the A5 and M54.

Government’s Emergency Alerts test to mobiles on Sunday 23 April 3pm

This Sunday (23 April 2023) at 3pm the Government will be testing their new Emergency Alert system.

The alert will say:-

“This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK Government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.

In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.

Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.

This is a test. You do not need to take any action.”

The Emergency Alert sounds like a loud siren and will come directly from your phone. As this is a national test, it will affect everyone with a compatible phone regardless of location. The alert will also still sound if your phone is on silent.

We are all free to make a choice about whether or not we want to receive these emergency alerts, but there is concern over potential safety risks to people who may be keeping their phones hidden from an abuser, as the alert is a loud, siren-like sound with a screen message and vibration.

The charity Refuge have created a video guiding you through the ways you can disable alerts. That can be watched on their YouTube channel.

People can opt out from receiving emergency alerts to avoid their device from being detected.

How to opt out of Emergency Alerts

You can opt out of Emergency Alerts, but you should keep them switched on for your own safety. To opt out:-

  1. Search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’.
  2. Turn off ‘severe alerts’ and ‘extreme alerts’.

If you still get alerts, contact your device manufacturer for help.

Emergency Alerts will be sent to compatible mobile phones within an area of risk.

Emergency alerts work on:-

  • iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later
  • Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later.

The alerts may still be received on earlier versions of Android. If you have an earlier version of Android, you may still be able to receive alerts. To check, search your device settings for ‘emergency alerts’.

Reasons you will not get an alert

You will not receive alerts if your device is:-

  • turned off, or in airplane mode
  • connected to a 2G or 3G network
  • wifi only
  • not compatible.

To find out more about Emergency Alerts, visit the Government website.

Changes to Waste Collection days over Easter

Don’t forget about changes to the day of the week that waste and recycling is collected over Easter.

Changes start on Monday 10 April and end on Saturday 15 April.

Collections will be one day later than normal – and will return to normal from Monday 17 April 2023.

The usual and revised collection days are:

Usual collection day / revised collection day

Friday 7 April (Good Friday) / No change
Monday 10 April (Easter Monday) / Tuesday 11 April
Tuesday 11 April /Wednesday 12 April
Wednesday 12 April / Thursday 13 April
Thursday 13 April / Friday 14 April
Friday 14 April / Saturday 15 April

Householders are asked to put their waste containers out by 7am on their revised collection day.