COLYTON: Residents praised for 'extraordinary resolve' shown during pandemic

The chairman of Colyton Parish Council has praised the "extraordinary resolve" shown by residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 100 volunteers have been supporting those in self-isolation in Colyton and Colyford with bespoke support networks quickly set up by Anne West in Colyford and Sue Brown and Liz Berry in Colyton.

Local businesses provided valuable additional support, as did many other organisations and individuals. 

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From friendly phone calls to deliveries of food and prescriptions, the parish has mobilised to make local life work.

In the latest Colyton Parish Council newsletter, chairman Andrew Parr said: "On behalf of the Colyton Parish Council I would like to publicly acknowledge and praise the extraordinary resolve and collective response of everyone in Colyton and Colyford in the face of the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In particular, those in the frontline of the NHS, the care sector, essential workers and the army of local volunteers who have selflessly stepped in to provide support to the most vulnerable and isolated members of our community.

"Your innovation, stoicism and enduring resolve have been truly inspirational. So to each and every member of the parish who has held out a hand of support to their friends and neighbours, thank you."

The parish council has itself had to make adjustments to its normal ways of working in order to be COVID secure. This has included closing the council office to the public and holding meetings via video conferencing apps.

The council's annual general meeting has also been postponed and council officials will remain in post until April 1 2021 or until an election can be held, if earlier.

Colyton's businesses have also faced dramatic change through the pandemic and are now in need of community support as they emerge from lockdown.  

Parish councillor Crispin Denny has contacted a range of businesses to assess the impact. He says that ways of working have either changed remarkably or ceased, with staff working from home or furloughed, products and services diversified, with owners using government and supplier support where available.  

Some have used the time to renovate premises and others have enjoyed an improvement in turnover from an increase in buying locally.  

After lockdown, business will not necessarily return to 'normal', with some staff continuing to work for home, and potential redundancies needed to cover lockdown costs.  

For some, social distancing rules, unless changed, would make re-opening impractical.  

"Most hope to survive, though often in a more diversified and flexible way," said Cllr Denny.