I WRITE to tell you of my experience with our NHS workers in Winchester RHCH. We couldn’t enter the hospital to visit, in order to support the increase in their safety measures, due to the viruses. To provide items needed for my father, I was advised to go to the reception desk, following the precautions of masking and hand gels. Simply entering the front door though showed how many staff a hospital employs. Along corridors, elevators, reception, shop and much more on wards (unseen), in theatres and no doubt essential offices. So, yes if a virus homes in zooming like a bumble bee seeking nectar and pollen, the petals can bloom too.
Scrooge tax unfair Despite the pandemic, most families are looking forward to Christmas and the New Year. Meanwhile, our local council bean counters are busy assessing the taxes that we should be paying in the next financial year. One tax that only Andover residents pay is a Scrooge Tax which is imposed on us by Conservative Test Valley. The Scrooge Tax was set up when Andover was an unparished area, and Andover had to pay for parish level services. Fair enough you could argue. Once the town council came into being, the tax should have gone as the town council was raising its own taxes to cover parish level expenses. The Conservatives however continued with this double taxation sleight of hand. On your tax bill you will see it as the Andover Special Expenses Levy, and you will note two things. It is higher than the Andover Town tax, and it is very special to Andover as we are the only people who get ripped off by it.