New Bus Service Between Cherry Willingham and Nettleham

Villagers in Cherry Willingham, Fiskerton, Nettleham and Reepham are welcoming moves by PC Coaches of Lincoln to introduce a new bus service between the villages, providing a direct link between the Doctors' Surgeries.

PC Coaches has agreed to operate the '4b Nettleham to Cherry Willingham' route from Monday, 12th December 2011 following consultation during the summer by the company, which called on people to tell them where they wanted new services.

Cherry Willingham Parish Council made representations to the firm for a service connecting residents to Nettleham, where the main doctors' surgery for residents is located.

An agreement has been reached and the route will see buses leave North Greetwell from 9.15am and run via Cherry Willingham, Fiskerton and Reepham.

PC Coaches' Operations Manager, Mr. Phil Shirley, said:

"Currently there is no direct service. This is something the council came to us with to see if we would look at it. It's viable so we have done it for them. There's a use it or lose it element. 

"There's no set period but it will be reviewed after three months and we will keep monitoring its progress and work with the parish council. 

"We thought if people told us what they wanted then we are halfway there to providing a service as there are people that want it."

Mr. Shirley added that discussions were continuing with a couple more parish and town councils about establishing new services.

Cherry Willingham resident Mr. Dave Holmes said: 

"I think this will be a welcome service. 

"Opening hours for the Cherry Willingham surgery are limited at best and extending that would have been better. 

"But people have to rely on the Nettleham branch and as many residents are elderly, the distance is a pain. 

"This bus service should help greatly."

New Swine Flu Advice

From tomorrow (Thursday, 11th February 2010) people who think they have Swine Flu are being urged to contact their doctor by phone.

The advice follows the continuing reduction in the number of swine flu cases in the United Kingdom and around the world which means the National Pandemic Flu Service will also stand down on Thursday and the 24-hour hotline and website will close.

After the telephone contact doctors will issue a voucher for anti virals (tamiflu) to be collected by the patient's flu friend - someone who does not have the virus.

West Lindsey's Public Protection Services Manager, Mr. Chris Allen said:

"We are fortunate that swine flu has not affected as many people as the health experts first thought and we have in place business continuity plans to ensure we can maintain essential services to the community throughout any future epidemic.

"I would like to thank all residents who acted as flu friends for family, friends and neighbours showing the strength of our community in West Lindsey."

The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, described the current levels of pandemic flu as 'very low' and the second wave of swine flu that began in Autumn was 'virtually over.'

Swine flu has claimed four hdrd and eleven lives in the United Kingdom and more than fifteen thousand around the world - much lower numbers of cases than was original feared. Some one hundred and twenty-four people remain in hospital in the United Kingdon and twenty-four of them are described as critical. However, the five thousand reported cases a week in the United Kingdom is well below the seasonal average for flu-like symptoms.

Health bosses have advised that residents in the following at-risk groups should still be immunised:

• Children over six months but under five years
• Pregnant women
• People who live with immuno-compromised individuals.