Bonny lasses assemble for the North East support thread 2!

[PennyDreadfuI]

Shiny new thread for all your north east needs.

Hello 👋

Slow news day, so here's some pictures

In pictures: Hundreds of students isolating as 864 test positive for coronavirus

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/gallery/pictures-hundreds-students-isolating-after-19043284#ICID=Android_ChronicleNewsApp_AppShare

Didn't know whether to :o or at the comments.

Well we went swimming was totally fine campus from what I saw was empty straight in and out of very well organised pool where I had to wear a mask all the time so couldn't drink my coffee. Town was pretty quiet too but not convinced everyone was in household groups... Lots of groups of 3-5 teens.

I went to IKEA Gateshead yesterday, most people were wearing masks (some below their nose) but zero social distancing in store. No distancing in the queue to get in either and not everyone had masks on then. It doesn't bother me as I work in an environment where we can't distance or wear PPE (other thank hand sanitizer) so I'm used to it but other people might have been worried by it! If you are then definitely don't go there!

There has been a death at Ricky Road student accommodation Not Covid-related but I hope it isn't a lockdown mental-health issue. Tragic.

here

@truthlemon according to The Chronicle an 18yo man has been arrested in connection with her death.

That was my first thought, too, @truthlemon. Whatever has happened, it's truly awful.

I'm not in the area, but sadly here we have had two student suicides in recent weeks.

Oh, it's just so sad. Maybe drugs then, if there's been an arrest. Either way, just awful.

I really feel for all of the students right now.

Does anyone know of anywhere that might be looking for hampers for families for Christmas? I usually put one together through a charity however Covid has caused the charity to struggle this year and they're not doing a Christmas appeal as a result. I saw on the Christmas Bargains thread that someone NE-based was putting one together for a family that visits the local food bank but not sure how I would find out if ours are doing anything along these lines (also not sure where the food bank in Durham would be).

We went to Mainsgill Farm Shop just off the A66 today - I'd recommend it for anyone with younger kids as there are quite a few animals to see (donkeys, camels, llamas etc) and a good play area. Didn't get to try the cafe but will be going back pre-Christmas for the grandparents hampers from DS.

Evening all. Been feeling well ropy today - I had a really strange dizzy spell this morning while I was sitting still, reading. It was really disorientating - I felt a sort of headrush, then felt really light headed and dizzy for about 20 seconds, then it subsided. I've been feeling a bit woozy ever since and now I feel a bit congested too. I'm thinking the dizziness may be either the meds I take (amitriptyline, for trigeminal neuralgia) or something to do with menopause (I'm 48, so...). The feeling congested and a bit meh is hopefully no more than a bit of a cold. But of course at the back of my mind I'm worried this is The Dreaded Lurgy and sudden dizzy spells are an as yet undiscovered symptom. Lousy health anxiety.

That poor girl at Ricky Road. Imagine waving your DD off for uni (especially with everything that's going on) and then a couple of weeks later getting that call. Just unthinkable. The comments on any story involving students on the Chronicle are vile but the ones on that story beggared belief. What the fuck is wrong with people?!

Been to Kingston Park today, very little in the way of pasta at Tesco (whyyyyy?!?!) and v busy everywhere. Very happy to see lots of Christmas food! A little bird tells me that they're opening a huge Home Bargains over there, where that Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop was briefly. I am so happy. I have a serious HB habit but because of restrictions have only managed to make two HB trips since March - Gateshead, and the king of HBs in Morpeth. This one is going to be about the same size. 2020, you have (very, very slightly) redeemed yourself.

Ooh PennyDreadful is it on the Edinburgh Woollen Mill site? I heard it was going to be in the old Sports Direct shop which would be much bigger than the Morpeth one. I am embarrassed to say that my friend and I were getting very excited about this the other day.

We both agreed that we have very rock n roll lifestyles at the moment .

Last time we went to Home Bargains in Morpeth DD and I came out with a sparkly unicorn rucksack, catfood and takeaway cups. All of life's necessities!

@Someaddedsugar look up Feeding Families on Facebook. They do matched hampers. It is open now for people to register who need help and then in November they will open for donors and aim to match you up so you are buying for a specific family. The aim is to provide store cupboard essentials as well as Christmas food plus gifts.

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea thank you!

I love feeding families, but it’s only food no gifts.

Ours is a trussel trust one, @Someaddedsugar - just called Durham food bank. I don't think they organise anything above and beyond for Christmas, though their website, while an improvement on 6 months ago, is still atrocious.

Thanks @PickAChew - I'll see if I can find out if they do anything

I had a lot of involvement with Feeding Families last year. It’s a great charity. Donors provide food hampers and are matched with recipients. The charity also accepts food donations to make up additional hampers. Home Bargains have agreed to collect food donations this year. Have a look on the charity site on Facebook. Additional support is always appreciated

Evening all hope you all have as good a weekend as possible, just been shit tbf reading about the latest Boris cock up over the latest figures being incorrect, received my notification from your Covid Messenger this morning telling me about it, seriously you could not make this incompetency up?

@GalaxyCookieCrumble

Evening all hope you all have as good a weekend as possible, just been shit tbf reading about the latest Boris cock up over the latest figures being incorrect, received my notification from your Covid Messenger this morning telling me about it, seriously you could not make this incompetency up?

Yeah, county Durham has gone from 51 new cases on Fridays listing to about 450, today, with all the backdated ones. That means the figures have been even worse than we thought.

Evening @PickAChew
Exactly, it's shocking, Darlo has been increasing all week yet still not in the lockdowns that the surrounding areas have, DMH cancelled all planned operations last week, the wards as always are full and always are all year round, even before we get to the winter bed pressures, I'm sure Durham will the same, and JCUH have a lot of Covid patients admitted and can 25/30 UTU admissions if need be. As for the students I think the University is complicit in the disaster that's unfolding, they knew months ago all lectures were going to be online, so to bring thousands of youngsters into halls of residence just so they money from accommodation will roll in is quite frankly disgusting.

My middle son is at York and normally travels in daily, but is at home for the foreseeable, his friend however had to pay upfront for their accommodation when York knew there lectures had been moved to online, so they these lads have paid to sit in their rooms all day, it's disgusting it really is.

*Can accommodate 25/30 ITU Covid admissions, as stated by James Cooks Chief in the Northern Echo this week.

The local lockdown seems so piecemeal in Teesside - my in-laws in Middlesbrough are under restrictions but not DH friend in Yarm - but they work in the same area every day. I know there have to be boundaries drawn somewhere but it does seem like there is a lot of politics coming into play in the decisions about where does or doesn’t have extra restrictions.

I see the data cockup has pushed most of the NE and NW into even worse figures .

Absolutly, Bike, its absolute madness. Macdonalds in Teesside Park is in Stockton. Burger King in Tesside Park is in Middlesbrough. So they are subject to different rules.

Much as I'm happy not to be subject to restrictions, and am hoping to remain so for another week so I can see my parents, all the Teesside councils should be included. It's crazy to divide it up into such small parcels of lockdown.

Morning everyone. The shite weather continues then. I feel like I just want the bloody half term here now. Not knowing if we will be adding on a week or two is pissing me off. I'm a planner. I like to he in control. I've managed the last 6 months but now I just feel like as I've no idea what to expect this winter, and as our numbers are so shocking, should I just Home Ed. As I feel this would be less disruptive. But then I feel it's important for DD to mix with her peers. All I can do is plan nice / permissable things for Halloween her birthday in November and the run up to Christmas.

That poor girl in Richardson Halls. How sad. I've had to turn the TV off mind because my brain simply cannot compute the Narcissistic Circus currently going on with Trump over the pond.

Anyone fancy hibernating?

Looking at the local figures it feels like a much harder lockdown might be coming for us (County Durham) any minute now.

I'm drinking tea then going to do that charity shop sort in case they shut all essential shops again.