If you had asked me a year ago what ‘Zoom’ was I would have said that it’s a three coloured ice lolly shaped like a rocket. And then if I was in a particularly good mood I would have said ‘Zoooooooom’ and drawn an arch in the sky. That was then. These are covid19 times and computer platforms like Zoom are providing a great substitute way to work and meet together. It’s a huge help for those of us working from home, but the social side has proved very useful too. When it was Mum’s 81st birthday I set up a zoom call for her and during the day various family members and friends ‘popped in’ for virtual coffees or cocktails. Are you are reading this and thinking that you are like I was a year ago, clueless about zoom? If so please consider whether, with winter approaching and the virus still very much among us this might be the time to learn. With a cheeky smile you could surprise the family with instead of saying ‘I don’t need anything for Christmas’ putting the word ‘tablet (and I don’t mean the sweetie)’ at the top of your list.
There are people who can help you press the right buttons – including now, yours truly. Get in contact if you’d like to become a ‘zoomer’ but don’t know where to start.
Another way we have been kept cheered through the last 7 months is through great initiatives from people like Gill Macgregor who encouraged us to grow ‘Lockdown Sunshine’ in the form of sunflowers. I hope you enjoy some of the great results featured on the front cover. Also, many thanks to the ‘In Bloomers’ who have done a sterling job keeping the pots and beds looking great over the summer. They have certainly kept me very cheered. Would anyone like to set up a winter bulb challenge or something similar? If you let me know in the by Friday 13th November, I can publish your idea in the Christmas Bridge.
Yes, I did mention the ‘C’ word. And what an unusual one it will be without Santa on his sleigh – the first time in 30 years he hasn’t been able to visit. It is so kind of him to have taken the time to write to us though and offer us his thoughts and suggestions for how we can make the best of it.
Thanks to all our local councillors and community councillors who have migrated to Zoom and continued to meet over the past months to help keep the show on the road – or maybe off the road. I hope you find it interesting to catch up on all matters ‘roads’ in the article written by Community Councillor Andy Cave.
And finally to repeat Councillor Anne Jarvis’s new slogan which I rather like ‘Think Local. Buy Local, Stay Local.’ A great idea – except for the tablet which Santa will need to bring. Stay Safe everyone.

Sally Robertson