Community Comes Together (18 April 2020)
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I want to give a double thumbs up to the Coffs community for doing the right thing over the Easter break and following the government advice on social distancing.
It seems that we may have to get used to this new way of doing things for a while yet, and I’m really impressed by the understanding and willingness of locals to take it on board and do the right thing. What a fantastic community spirit.
Exercising is vitally important for our physical and mental health, which is why the health authorities are trying to maintain opportunities for us all to take some exercise, while also doing what’s needed to reduce contact with others. Coffs has many parks and reserves open to do just that.
Council’s Lifeguards, who have been running a surveillance-only service on Park, Sawtell and Woolgoolga beaches, said that over Easter our residents were overwhelmingly sticking to the key advice to stay around two metres apart, only being with one other person, or in family groups.
The advice is to only go out for:
shopping for what you need – food and necessary supplies; medical or health care needs, including compassionate requirements; exercise in compliance with the public gathering requirements; work and study if you can’t work or learn remotely.Remember to hand-wash or sanitise regularly, please don’t spit and have a tissue handy to sneeze into and discard.
Local Business Stepping Up
Talking of doing the right thing, I’ve been blown away by the amazing efforts of local businesses to develop innovative ways of looking after their customers.
I was delighted to be invited to the opening of Synchronicity Farm’s new premises last week. After 12 years operating from a Nana Glen farm, they are now getting so many delivery orders for their produce – and that of lots of other local producers – that they’ve had to expand.
That’s fantastic to see during this unprecedented crisis.
And I know they are just one of many local businesses who are switching to an online service.
The loyal producers and customers of the Coffs Coast Growers Market are another example of how you can still get local, fresh and nutritious produce at the click of a mouse or touch of a screen. Please support them – and all our other local businesses – by looking to #buylocal.