It is the first week of June and the environment within which we do our work has become very different indeed from the one in which we started out. It is a new kind of normal but definitely closer to a recognisable normality than has been the case for several months. Traffic on the roads and visible activity in the local area is very reminiscent of pre-March levels and though many people are observing social distancing rules, there has been a noticeable shift in the levels of adherence and tolerance.

Springfield Mill updates - our work at Novotel has come to an end and the last of the residents have finally made their way out of the confines of the hotel complex into their new home. We are more than pleased to see them make a new albeit temporary start elsewhere and we wish them well for the future! We are proud to have helped and we are proud to be friends with all of the residents. We hope to see them back in Sandiacre in happier times.

Book Drop and Swap - the book drop and swap scheme now boasts a library of almost 400 books and seems to be a venture which might outlive the current circumstances. Founded on donations from the community (both local and beyond) and by a generous donation from Tesco Extra, Beeston via Community Champion Michelle Bakewell, the library has a diverse range of items from which users can select a book or books they wish to read. We simply ask for the same number of books to be swapped and we drop their choice(s) to them, all contact free and socially distanced. The swaps are then quarantined and added to the library when done, to make them available to others. Hopefully, this self-sustaining aspect will keep the library fresh and keep up the interest in it.

We continue to work hard - with other groups and partners - attending to the needs as expressed by the community we live in. Sometimes those needs appear to be trifling, but it is sometimes in the little things that we can express bigger feelings and show that there are people "out there" who care and who are listening.

There are undoubtedly worries to be addressed in terms of those who have been shielding for the best part of three months, but who now see the outside world changing before their eyes and who have on the face of it now been given permission to participate in that world. There are challenges to be met in terms of confidence and familiarity for many who may be considering "re-entering" the world they've been sheltered from in that time. We're committed to helping those people who are worried or who are not relishing the idea of simply going for a walk, spending time in public areas or shopping. We will be there. We are all still in a pandemic.