February News

Despite the lockdown and restrictions your High Sheriff has been very active through the month of February keeping in touch with many charities and voluntary groups and learning much about their valuable work. I am now in my eleventh month and I continue to be amazed by the number of people who give of their time to their local community to look after others. In these strange times we know the fears and difficulties of isolation and with modern technology you do not have to be alone – it is amazing what difference a phone call can make to someone who does not have family with them.

Also, the many charities who give so much time, effort and goods to the vulnerable to make them feel comfortable, warm and fed. We spent an afternoon packing bags of goodies with Small Acts of Kindness and another day with Watford & Three Rivers Refugee Partnership at St Mary’s Church, Watford. Both these groups are doing so much to support their communities and their bags will bring relief and delight to so many.

We have all experienced the wonderful links created by zoom, some may be feeling a little zoomed out but I particularly enjoy the events that happen in the evening when I can tune in to the interesting webinars hosted by so many charities in the county. We recognise Holocaust Memorial Day as a Country and quite rightly too, but the event staged by Watford Borough Council was particularly moving with speeches from members of our community speaking first hand about the horrors of World War II. On a slightly different vein Keech Hospice Care hosted an evening about their work in providing palliative care to children, which was equally moving, and One Vision at Watford with a well informed webinar about the vaccines with some eminent medical experts speaking – I was left in no doubt that every one of us should take up the opportunity to have the vaccine, the medical evidence is compelling in every way.

At the end of the month as the winter chill turned to a spring like warmth we made a trip down the banks of the River Ver with the Ver Valley Society, an organisation with only volunteers who maintain this beautiful chalk stream as it flows for 17 miles through Hertfordshire and provides a rich natural habitat for flora and fauna.

We now have a vision for the release from lockdown, please stay safe for these last few weeks, follow the safety guidance and, most of all, look out for your neighbours and colleagues – perhaps just give someone a call today.