Horsham fights back against coronavirus

From the lock down of our libraries to the suspension of services at Horsham’s Capitol ‘for the foreseeable future.’

Yet there is no eerie silence hanging over the towns and villages that comprise this jewel in the Sussex geography. Many shoppers are still out, and with stoic determination the Horsham market seeking to continue for as long as possible.

Despite a £350bn package of business loans and grants announced by the Chancellor, for so much of our community this creates unprecedented economic doubt too and for everyone employed, often on zero hours or casual contracts, in bars, cafes and restaurants a terrible sense of dread - not only worried if they will contract the virus but how they will afford their food and rent.

Your West Sussex County Times, itself utterly dependent on the advertising revenues from the very businesses who the government have told us to avoid, is in no way immune from the challenges ahead. Your fears are ours.

But newspapers - and today their websites - have always had a critical role to play at times like this. It has been said we are the mortar which binds local communities together. It is more important than ever that today we discharge that honoured responsibility to you all.

Unlike so much of the noise on social media, our mastheads have been on display for a hundred years or more. Our journalists are all trained to the highest professional standards through college study and apprenticeship. We are committed to one of the most rigorous sets of industry standards - respecting accuracy and privacy - on the planet. We are held to account by independent regulation.

Being honest, being trusted, have always been core parts of our DNA.

So we commit today not just to keep you updated 24/7 on line and weekly in our papers as to how the virus is impacting here. But more than that to act as a conduit to help this community to support those most isolated, those most lonely, those most scared, those most unable to support themselves.

To that end, we will be running a series of positive campaigns illustrating and highlighting the help that is available and focusing on all the terrifically good activities with which so many of you will be wholeheartedly engaged.

We take our inspiration from one of West Sussex’s - and indeed the whole nation’s - most treasured residents Dame Vera Lynn. This week she said: “In these uncertain times, I am taken back to my time during World War II, when we all pulled together and looked after each other. It is this spirit that we all need to find again to weather the storm of the coronavirus (COVID-19) It’s important to remain positive, keep calm and follow the sensible advice provided by the Government at this difficult time.”

We will be looking at the local heroes in our health services and highlighting the businesses that need your support more than ever, without of course seeking to undermine the Government’s messages.

And given there will be less sport to report on and fewer arts and entertainments activities, we will be using the freed space in our pages wisely to show how you can entertain yourselves at home - everything from hobbies to puzzles.

All this will be balanced with the broadest local news service, because we are acutely aware that readers will not want news of coronavirus dominating our pages every week.

So join us in this mission. Share stories of what you or organisations to which you subscribe are doing to help others; and keep it fun too so send us pictures and articles about how you are coping - everything from photos of your new ‘home working’ stations to ideas from which others might benefit.

There is so much good happening already both in the district and elsewhere in the county.

Community networks have been set up to help deliver medication, supplies, offer dog walking services, and talk to isolated elderly people on the phone.

One Alehouse is offering a beer delivery service and will pick up supplies for elderly residents while another bar in town gave free cocktails to NHS staff.

As a voluntary deputy lieutenant of West Sussex I am also aware of initiatives across the county.

Mrs Susan Pyper, HM Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, said today: “In the last few days following the Government’s announcement of new measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, local communities across West Sussex have been enthusiastic in coming together to do what they can to help those who will be most affected.

“Many are showing great imagination in thinking of ways to help: residents’ associations are setting up street support schemes, local pubs are offering food delivery services, social media support groups are sharing tips and advice and co-ordinating local efforts, to name just a few.

“I have a network of Deputy Lieutenants throughout West Sussex, and they will be in close touch with developments in their local communities, and will do all they to support this grassroots activity and to communicate it as much as possible.

“These are worrying and uncertain times for all of us. Thank you to all of you for what you are doing and for pulling together, and thank you to the local media for bringing these initiatives to the attention of the wider public. Finally – if you can help your local community, please do so. But do not put your own health, or that of other people, at any unnecessary risk.”

So tune into our own website regularly for updates and like our Facebook page. Please buy a copy of this newspaper every week and encourage others to do so - it is the key way we fund our journalism - and let us rise to the greater challenge. Simply put, when history records how this community coped with the dreadful and potentially tragic consequences of this illness let the first line not be about fights for toilet rolls in supermarkets but how we all came together to support one another and to grow stronger as a community.

Let it be that we took our lead from Dame Vera and that each one of us and collectively made a profound difference to help our neighbours.

Thank you.