Elton, Derbyshire

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By now everybody will have heard the national media campaign to stay at home over the next week.

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This campaign is supported by the County Council, District Council, Peak District National Park and Derbyshire Police.

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The forecast over the next 2 days is for warm and sunny weather. Everybody is being encouraged to enjoy it at home and not to go out unless absolutely necessary. You are also asked that any exercise you do take is within the locality your own home or within 1 Mile.

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This includes not visiting friends and family – even if they live nearby, not mixing with people of a different household and keeping 2 metres apart from anybody you see when out exercising or in your own garden.

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I have also been contacted by many residents in the past few weeks about the number of cyclists and hikers passing through our village on long treks. The first thing to say, as somebody who is currently working remotely (and very carefully) as a postman, the number of people on long walks has significantly reduced. The number passing my own home yesterday was nil.

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I want to make it clear, however, that neither the parish council nor I have any rights or powers to ask these people to leave and go home – as some have suggested. The police will not come out at request to impose fines.

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Residents and the parish council have put up official notices on noticeboards and footpath markers around the village encouraging people to think about their journey and ask them not to put the community at risk. This is as much as we can do. Hopefully, the vast majority have heard the national and local campaigns and will take notice and stay at home.

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We do ask all residents not to inflame the situation and not be confrontational with walkers, hikers and cyclist during these difficult times.

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One of the biggest risks to the spread of infection within our community is not from people passing through, but people leaving and returning. So, please stay at home, exercise within 1 mile from your own home, protect our NHS, reduce the pressure on our NHS staff and help keep everybody safe and well.

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Best wishes

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