The Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland
Serving the King and the community of Rutland
Today (23rd April) has been designated our Covid 19 Day of Reflection. What a year! My heart goes out to all who have lost loved ones, been ill or lost jobs. We have all been affected by the Covid 19 virus. But thanks to Great Britain’s vaccine programme we can look forward to more normal life!
We can’t get together yet so we’ve made the following short video to commemorate the event.
With many thanks to Nick Clarke, of Clarke PR & Media, for the production of this video.
Rutland’s COVID-19 testing centre has provided nearly 1,000 tests to residents who are unable to work from home. On March 17th I visited the centre to thank volunteers and take a test.
I met the team medics & volunteers rolling out the vaccine and giving people a really positive experience too. There’s a strong sense of community & country kindness here at Catmose. Congratulations to all, including the NHS and Rutland Council.
Book your twice weekly COVID tests here: http://bit.ly/3qWeFNl
I was delighted to join Youth Rutland ‘s project & help the environment by decreasing food waste. Globally one third of food is wasted & this contributes to climate change. If everyone in the UK wasted no food for a day it would have a huge impact on greenhouse gases. Thanks to Rutland Youth and Rutland Council.
Thanks to all in Rutland who helped through COVID19 – inspiring to see how Rutlanders have worked for the benefit of our community. Rutland’s High Sheriff Richard Cole and I are sending out certificates of appreciation following consultation with town & parish councils who have put names forward.
Rutland has been quite astonishing: making visors, scrubs & masks, collecting and distributing food, running Good Neighbour schemes, dog walking, shopping – you name it, there have been people helping.
The Covid restrictions have severely limited my ability to meet and thank people in person, but I recorded the following message in the hope that it will be seen by at least some of the many people it is intended for:
Thank you to all Rutland’s volunteers (video opens in a new YouTube window)
In Rutland we are proud of our military history & serving Army personnel. Remembrance 2020 has to be Covid-19 compliant. It may be different, but that does not stop us remembering with gratitude all who have served & serve our country. Our small sacrifices during the Covid pandemic pale into insignificance when compared to theirs.
Because of the Covid restrictions, to help everyone to remember in their own homes we have recorded an online Remembrance Day service for Rutland:
The Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet, Thomas Menzies:
I will be attending very small, Covid-compliant services in Oakham and in Uppingham today. Sadly that means I cannot attend the short open-air service that is planned at St Andrew’s Church in my own village of Whissendine. But my husband will be there, tolling a single bell before the service. Here’s an image of the church’s Gate of Remembrance:
And here’s the socially-distanced open air service:
Dying Matters in Rutland has been launched! Visit our website: https://www.dyingmattersinrutland.org/
Planning ahead makes sense for people of all ages. Just as taking out insurance does not mean you will have a fire or be burgled, setting out what you would like to happen at the end of your life does not bring your end nearer! But it does mean that when the worst happens it is better for all. View the short video on the homepage to find why I am involved.
October 23rd – What a great initiative this is. Thanks to all at HMP Stocken; let’s all join in and raise much needed funds for a great cause , the Royal British Legion. Proud of this effort by HMP Stocken.
October 19th – Delighted to hold a COVID19 compliant award ceremony at Oakham Castle for my Lord-Lieutenant Air Cadets. Cadet Sgt Alice Weaver handed over to Sgt Thomas Menzies. Thanks to Alice for her support – sad for her that the pandemic prevented so much. Welcome Thomas!
September 13th: Marking 80 years #BattleOfBritain80 at Rutland’s commemorative Spitfire ‘sculpture’ on the Oakham ring road, with committee members of Rutland’s branch of Rutland Armed Forces Association. All were socially distanced – this was necessarily a more muted occasion than had been planned, due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
September 10th: I was glad to welcome a few of Rutland’s young people to the Sustainable Land Trust Communities. See their Learn & Transform programme which will provide them with skills, experience & qualifications; and also promote well being, confidence and mental health by teaching about the environment while living in it.
