community shop

Pitton community shop – share target met, building starts in the new year.

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The following update has been provided by PCSL.

The community share scheme closed on Sunday and we are absolutely delighted to report that we reached £202,450 in share purchases.  This means that with the grant from the Wiltshire Shared Prosperity Fund we have secured enough funding to cover the vast majority of the project. Given the overwhelming support from the community we are confident of securing a small grant for the finishing touches – such as new signage for the shop and village hall, and crockery for the cafe.  

The contract with the builder has been signed and the build will start on 5th January.  In advance of the build, local volunteers will remove the tree (we are very grateful for this help which saves some money).

Pitton Village Hall Committee has also recognised the need for improved access at the rear of the hall.  The committee will work with the community shop team to widen the rear steps, add a handrail and improve the lighting.  Detailed guidance for hall users accessing the hall and parking during the build will be circulated in mid-December.  

Over the past few weeks we have also had discussions with Broad Chalke Community Shop and Winchester Farm Shop.  These have been very helpful in a number of areas including shop layout, operating processes and how they organise staff and volunteers.  

This month we aim to issue paperwork to all of our investors, update our plans and web site and start a detailed design of the shop interior.

Once again, thank you so much for your support!  Have a great Christmas.

Best wishes

Lorna Taylor

On behalf of Pitton Community Shop

transformer

Power cuts – what to do and how to get help

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Firsdown typically experiences a couple of unplanned power outages a year, many are less than an hour but some have been several hours long. If these occur at night and during winter, the impact will be much greater. In the event of your power going off, follow these 3 steps.

  1. Check to see if your neighbours have power.
  2. If they do, then check you trip switches/fuse box to see if any have tripped or blown.
  3. If still no power, report it by dialling 105.

The distribution supplier for Firsdown is SSEN, regardless of who you pay your bill with.

There is a power cut tracker available online. Zoom in on the map to Firsdown/Salisbury.

If your household contains any of the following:

  • Deaf or hard of hearing
  • Have a disability
  • Live with children under five
  • Are blind or partially sighted
  • Have a chronic illness
  • Use medical equipment/aids reliant on electricity
  • Are over 60
  • Temporarily need extra support

You may wish to register with SSEN Priority Services or phone 0800 294 3259. Priority services will provide additional help, reassurance and updates during a power outage. In the event of a prolonged power outage, additional assistance will be provided such as gas heaters or generators to power medical equipment.

If you can provide assistance to elderly neighbours and residents during a power outage, then please do so. A simple knock on their door to check they are OK and to reassure them, or the loan of a high powered LED torch can reduce their anxiety and make them feel safer.