Toft 2020

The total rainfall for February was 68.7mm, which was almost twice the February average for the previous 27 years of 38.9mm. The daily amounts are shown in the attachment.
We had the first snowfall of the winter on 26th/27th which settled to give a thin covering, but not for long.
The UK was hit by two ‘named’ storms, Ciara and Dennis, on 9th/10th and 14th/15th respectively, although Toft escaped lightly with little wind damage or flooding. Large parts of the north and west of the country suffered very severe and prolonged flooding.

February
Toft had three named storms. Storm Ciara, on 9th Feb, left some damage with a tree down on Hardwick Road and one down in Church Road taking out the telephone line. (No internet for the church!!)
It also lifted of the top of the garages in Beldams Close and blew down a fence or two.

Ciara was followed by Storm Denis on 15th Feb. This storm was less severe in Toft but added to a month of strong winds and wet weather with extensive flooding on the Severn and Wye Rivers.
Storm Jorge hit on 29th Feb but again Toft was not badly affected. It was said to be the wettest Feb since records began!

Coronavirus hit the headlines this month. It began in China at the end of 2019 and is now in in 40 countries with 80,000 people affected. In the UK at the end of Feb there are 23 cases (but rising). Let's hope this isn't a relevant story for Toft 2020.

The second of the Saturday Coffee mornings, organised by Liz Tomes, was very successful with around 40 attendees.
The Toft Junior session had an event with 6 young musicians attending.

Toft Social Club held its AGM tonight - the meeting was slightly unusual in that the Secretary forgot to turn up, so our Chairman, Richard, had to wing it slightly. The committee was re-elected other than Katrina who had stepped down, and we are pleased to be welcoming Liz onto committee.

The accounts showed that a Deed of Covenant in excess of 5,000 pounds had been paid over to the People's Hall.

The AGM was followed by a TSC Committee Meeting, where forthcoming events, new members and finances were discussed.

10 of us met to make cushions and tote bags for the Breast Cancer Clinic at Addenbrookes. It was a hive of industry with one member ironing the fabric for the bags and two sewing machines being used at full pace sewing cushions and bags. Four ladies were stuffing the cushions and two who were very expert with the needle sewed the openings in the cushions. Around 15 sets of cushions and bags were made. Again much discussion on the VE weekend project. The group also decided in future to meet on the second Wednesday of each month.

Last Monday we held our second session of 2020 – the group meet on the first and third Mondays of each month (excepting bank holidays).
It’s hard to explain to younger generations how difficult it is for some of us who didn’t benefit from a formal technological education to deal with the quirks and rapid changes that technology has brought over the last few decades. Our way of learning is different from theirs, and must be taken at a slower pace.
Our principal aim, functioning as a self-help group, is to offer support and guidance to people – generally older people – who currently feel excluded from today’s technological world, or lack the confidence to explore all that the internet can offer. We exchange useful (and sometimes useless) information, solve problems, print out documents … we all learn something new at each session. Some arrive with no computer experience at all – and within a few months are ordering everything and anything online!
All are welcome to join us – with or without a tablet or laptop, we’re always happy to see you.