This week marked the anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdown. It’s been a year of change, of loss. We’ve seen more than 140,000 people die from the disease.1 That’s more than double the number of UK civilian deaths caused by WWII.2

More than double.

Experts say that going into an earlier lockdown in 2020 could have saved many lives.3 We remember with sadness the lives tragically lost.

But we’ve also seen communities pull together in the face of such a terrible disease, and these are the stories we’ve been seeking to tell since founding SRN in February this year. Look back over the SRN website archive to see what we mean. We’ve also made sure that the non-Covid stories don’t become another victim to the pandemic.

On Monday we’ll see the next slight easing of lockdown restrictions. You’ll be allowed to meet either six people or one other household outside from 29th March, as well as taking part in outdoor sports or outdoor swimming. But, with coronavirus cases rising in Rugby (see below) you’ll need to think carefully about how you decide to enjoy the new freedoms.

Before you head on to the rest of this review, I wanted to give you a quick update on our story about speeding in Dunchurch. We originally wrote that we’d contacted the police for a Freedom of Information request about the speeding figures, but that the information was slow in coming back. We’ve now had a response, which did confirm traffic enforcement activity was undertaken in Dunchurch during December 2020 and that the top speed recorded was 53mph.  

This week

“An extra lane won’t make any difference”... Dunchurch crossroads work scheduled for May, despite residents’ concerns

The plans were originally branded 'daft' by the Friends of Dunchurch Society, but the controversial work on Dunchurch crossroads is due to start later this spring. From 17th May to 20th August Warwickshire County Council will be carrying out work on the Dunchurch crossroads to widen the road and add a right-turn lane.

Read the full story

Cannabis: “It’s easy to think this is something happening somewhere else”

Suspicious signs include strong, pungent smells coming from a property, powerful lights left on throughout the night and blacked-out windows.

South Rugby residents are warned to look out for signs of people growing or supplying cannabis.

Is there more to this story? Yes. Subscribe to read the whole article.

Three new members co-opted onto Cawston parish council

Murali Natarajan, Barbara Winterburn and Kevin Smith join Cawston Parish Council by unanimous agreement.

Find out more

Beware caravan theft, says PCSO

“As a largely rural county, sadly we do suffer from rural crime and alongside other counties, we have seen an increase over recent years - especially in relation to livestock and caravan thefts.” That’s what Inspector Alison Wiggin said last year. And now Rugby Rural South PCSO David Banks has warned caravan owners to be extra vigilant. 

Find out more about caravan theft in our area (for paying subscribers)

Major change across the border in Northamptonshire

From 1st April 2020 if you drive down the M45, A45 or A428 from South Rugby you’ll enter land controlled not by Northamptonshire County Council but by West Northamptonshire Council. 

Existing borough, district and county councils in Northamptonshire are being replaced by two unitary authorities. Why is this relevant? Well, last year the debate began as to whether the same should happen in Warwickshire too.

Read the full story (for paying subscribers)

Could glamping come to Dunchurch?

Another planning application has been submitted to RBC for new holiday accommodation on our doorstep. What do you think? 

Find out more (for paying subscribers)

Deserted village seeks new occupant

We’re not the only newspaper to have noticed that one of the few cottages in the old abandoned village of Wolfhampcote is for sale. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t want to investigate more. We went out in search of the story behind what’s probably the emptiest village in Warwickshire.

Read what we found out from visiting the village, speaking with the estate agent and researching the past. (And also, find out what ‘champing’ is).

Churches open up for Easter

In accordance with Government guidelines, many of our churches are opening their doors to the public at Easter for the first time in many months.

Find out about their activities and services planned for next weekend.

We really believe that detailed local journalism is so vitally important for a healthy community, but to do this we need your financial support. If you’re currently on a free sign-up and you’ve liked what you’ve seen so far, please do take out a full subscription with us. It costs £5/month or £55/year, and you’ll get full access to the South Rugby News website and every story we write as soon as it’s published.

With a free subscription you’ll get news stories published each Monday, as well as this summary of the week every Friday. You’ll also get access to some older stories on the website.

And, if you’ve got a story, opinion, event, letter or photo to share, please get in touch with us by emailing editor@southrugbynews.co.uk

Covid-19 figures for Rugby

For the week up to 24th March:

• 122 people had a confirmed positive test result. This shows an increase of 47% compared with the previous seven days.

• 1 death within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. This shows no change compared with the previous seven days.

• The estimated R number for the Midlands is 0.6 to 0.9. That’s a change of  -7% to -3% as of 19th March 2021.

Source: coronavirus.data.gov.uk

What’s on this weekend

If you’ve got an event you’d like us to include, please get in touch with us at editor@southrugbynews.co.uk. With coronavirus restrictions in place still, the majority of the events we have to share are online or outside.

Please remember to only make essential trips out, wear a face mask, wash your hands and maintain social distancing.

Birmingham Royal Ballet online fundraising gala

Saturday 27th March

Tickets start at £100 for Birmingham Royal Ballet’s first online fundraising event, raising money for their learning, engagement, access and participation work.

There’ll be a competition featuring the company’s male dancers and an auction of prizes including a dance lesson with Carlos Acosta. Guests for the evening get the chance to vote on whether they want to see Alessandra Ferri coaching César Morales and Yaoqian Shang rehearsing the Balcony Scene from Romeo and Juliet, or Marianela Núñez leading a masterclass with Momoko Hirata and Mathias Dingman who dance the Wedding pas de deux from Don Quixote.

Find out more

Saturdads

Saturday 27th March

All Dads, Grandads, male carers and their children are invited to a Zoom coffee morning at 10am. It’s hosted by two of Barnardo’s volunteers, Gavin and Dylan, and is designed to give Dads, Grandads and male carers the chance to chat, seek advice and share the highs and lows of parenting.

There are further Saturdads sessions on 10th and 24th April.

 Email rugbychildren&familycentre@barnardos.org.uk for the link.

Church services: Saturday 27th March

• St Mark’s Church, Bilton, 11:30am quiet time via Zoom (you need a meeting code to join): a short reflective service which includes readings, prayers and music

• Sacred Heart Church, Bilton, 5pm mass: public worship and on YouTube. No booking necessary to attend the service, but please wear a face mask, wash your hands and observe social distancing. 

Palm Sunday Church services: Sunday 28th March

• Sacred Heart Church, Bilton, 9:30am mass: public worship and on YouTube. No booking necessary to attend the service, but please wear a face mask, wash your hands and observe social distancing. 

• St Mark’s Church, Bilton, 10am Holy Communion: via Facebook and also now on their YouTube channel

• Dunchurch Baptist Church, 10:30am, online service: Rev. Dave Woods and Francis Thomas – Words from Calvary: It is Finished.  

• St Peter’s Church, Dunchurch, 10:30am, Palm Sunday service in the church.

• Bilton Evangelical Church, 10am, online service

• Bilton Methodist Church, 11am: Join the live-streamed services from the Wesleyan Chapel and Leysian Mission

• St Mark’s Church, Bilton, 8pm, Compline online (a zoom code is required to join), part of a series of night prayer on Sunday evenings during lent. 

Coming up next week

If you’re interested in how decisions get made at our parish, district and county councils, here’s the list of meetings coming up. A benefit of the pandemic is that they’re mostly livestreamed and therefore more accessible for us all.

Monday 29th March

• Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder Decisions/Leader Decisions, 12 pm

• Rugby Borough Council cabinet meeting, 5:30pm. The agenda includes an item on the local lettings plan relating to Midland Heart (Houlton) and a report on litter in Rugby.

Tuesday 30th March

• Rugby Borough Council Audit and Ethics Committee meeting, 5:30pm

• Rugby Borough Council, Managing Council Tax Arrears Task Group meeting

Wednesday 31st March

• Rugby Borough Council planning committee meeting, 5:30pm. The agenda includes recommendations to approve both the Tritax Symmetry warehouse development near Thurlaston, and the 210 houses to be built on land at the junction between Coventry Road and Cawston Lane (and north of Cawston Spinney).

Foodbank

This week the foodbank urgently needs UHT milk, sugar and shampoo. They’re running low on hot chocolate and liquid soap.

There are donation locations throughout South Rugby. See the full list of drop-off points.

Rugby Farmers’ Mart prices at a glance

Top prices per head this week were:

• Prime steer: £1547 

• Prime heifer: £1573 

• Prime bull:  £1346 

• OTM cow: £1369

• Prime hogg SQQ: £140

• Prime hogg over 45.5g: £155

• Ewe: £158

• Calf: £395

Rugby Farmers’ Mart