LOCAL NEWS 8 Outdoor Gyms <strong>in</strong> Burntwood Parks Work is now complete on outdoor gyms at Redwood Park <strong>and</strong> Chase Terrace Park <strong>in</strong> Burntwood follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Lichfield</strong> District Council’s <strong>in</strong>stallation of new exercise stations. The outdoor gym at Redwood Park features magnetic bells, a cross tra<strong>in</strong>er <strong>and</strong> a bench. While Chase Terrace Park boasts an outdoor gym with magnetic bells, a sports bike <strong>and</strong> a bench. Although complete, the fenc<strong>in</strong>g around both exercise stations will rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> place until social distanc<strong>in</strong>g measures have been eased <strong>and</strong> the council can open the facilities to the public. Once open, the council’s sports development team will hold activity sessions to show the local community how the equipment works <strong>and</strong> how to get the best use out of it. To f<strong>in</strong>d out more visit www.activelichfield.co.uk/outdoorgyms ....................................................................................... Darw<strong>in</strong> Museum Volunteers Receive Award Erasmus Darw<strong>in</strong> Museum volunteers <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lichfield</strong> have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive <strong>in</strong> the UK. Erasmus Darw<strong>in</strong> House was once the home of Erasmus Darw<strong>in</strong>, gr<strong>and</strong>father of Charles Darw<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong> a respected resident of <strong>Lichfield</strong> for more than 20 years. Restored <strong>and</strong> opened to the public as a museum <strong>and</strong> education centre <strong>in</strong> 1999, the house is run by the Erasmus Darw<strong>in</strong> Foundation, an <strong>in</strong>dependent Charitable Trust with the aim of promot<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>ternational awareness of the life <strong>and</strong> achievements of Erasmus Darw<strong>in</strong>. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created <strong>in</strong> 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Representatives of Erasmus Darw<strong>in</strong> Foundation will receive the award from Ian Dudson CBE, Knight of the Order of St John, Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire later this year. Furthermore, two volunteers from the foundation will attend a garden party at Buck<strong>in</strong>gham Palace <strong>in</strong> May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award. ....................................................................................... Cast<strong>in</strong>g Call for Local Retailers Retailers <strong>and</strong> associated bus<strong>in</strong>esses across <strong>Lichfield</strong> <strong>and</strong> Burntwood have an opportunity to see their company <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> a special video project to entice shoppers back to the high street. A montage of ‘selfie’ style clips will be edited <strong>in</strong>to a one-off showcase, demonstrat<strong>in</strong>g how people across the district can #ShopSafelyInStaffs. The project is part of a drive by Stoke-on-Trent <strong>and</strong> Staffordshire Growth Hub, work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> partnership with <strong>Lichfield</strong> District Council, to support residents return<strong>in</strong>g to town centres as the Government lockdown eases. The #ShopSafelyInStaffs video will help <strong>in</strong>form shoppers how they can stay safe <strong>and</strong> support the bus<strong>in</strong>esses that trade on their doorstep. A simple guide to creat<strong>in</strong>g a ‘selfie’ video clip for <strong>in</strong>clusion <strong>in</strong> the showcase is available at https://stokestaffsgrowthhub.co.uk/news/cast<strong>in</strong>g -call-for-shopsafely<strong>in</strong>staffs. Those tak<strong>in</strong>g part can submit their selfie video clip, which should be no more than 30 seconds long, via MailBigFile or WeTransfer to Becky Parker, Stoke-On-Trent <strong>and</strong> Staffordshire Growth Hub: bus<strong>in</strong>essenquiries@stokestaffslep.org.uk. ....................................................................................... Keyworker Competition W<strong>in</strong>ner In April, Allen Brown Jewellery, located at Heart of the Country Shopp<strong>in</strong>g Village, started a competition where an NHS hero or keyworker could be nom<strong>in</strong>ated to w<strong>in</strong> an 18ct white gold sapphire pendant, set with 1.44ct of red, orange, yellow, green <strong>and</strong> blue sapphires. There were around 100 entries <strong>in</strong> total, all with wonderful reasons as to why a specific person had been nom<strong>in</strong>ated. At the start of June, Allen Brown drew the w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g nom<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>and</strong> Ela<strong>in</strong>e Hutch<strong>in</strong>gs was picked at r<strong>and</strong>om. She had been nom<strong>in</strong>ated by Mark Johnson. The gallery then discovered all the amaz<strong>in</strong>g work Ela<strong>in</strong>e <strong>and</strong> her team of volunteers have been do<strong>in</strong>g dur<strong>in</strong>g lockdown. Ela<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>itially started the group “Help<strong>in</strong>g Each Other - <strong>Lichfield</strong> <strong>and</strong> Surround<strong>in</strong>g Areas” as a platform to share <strong>in</strong>formation dur<strong>in</strong>g the crisis. But it soon became clear to Ela<strong>in</strong>e that there was an urgent need <strong>in</strong> the community. S<strong>in</strong>ce March, Ela<strong>in</strong>e <strong>and</strong> her team of 25 volunteers have provided <strong>in</strong> excess of 2,000 food parcels at a cost of £84,000 <strong>and</strong> delivered on average 300 prescriptions on a weekly basis, six days a week. The team at Allen Brown Jewellery were delighted to present Ela<strong>in</strong>e with her ra<strong>in</strong>bow pendant <strong>and</strong> the words from Allen below echo what a worthy w<strong>in</strong>ner she is. “Fate was obviously at h<strong>and</strong> when Ela<strong>in</strong>e was chosen r<strong>and</strong>omly <strong>in</strong> the draw. I am delighted if <strong>in</strong> some small way this helps to show the appreciation <strong>and</strong> admiration that I <strong>and</strong> many <strong>in</strong> the community feel for her selfless hard work <strong>and</strong> that of ‘Help<strong>in</strong>g each other’ thank you.” On w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g the pendant Ela<strong>in</strong>e said: “This ra<strong>in</strong>bow pendant will always be a rem<strong>in</strong>der to me of how people came together dur<strong>in</strong>g such a difficult time.” Ela<strong>in</strong>e has also decided to keep the group go<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>def<strong>in</strong>itely to suit the needs of the community. For more <strong>in</strong>formation you can follow Help<strong>in</strong>g Each Other <strong>Lichfield</strong> <strong>and</strong> Surround<strong>in</strong>g Areas on Facebook.
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