• Funding will provide immediate financial support to DMOs who are at severe risk of closure due to the pandemic

Destination Management Organisations at risk of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic will receive financial support thanks to a new £1.3 million scheme launched by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) today.

The funding, which is available to any at-risk DMO in England which usually receives at least 50% of its income from commercial sources, will be used to cover operating costs and the cost of employees that cannot be furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme because they provide crucial business support services.

Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said:

At the moment it is of utmost importance that everyone plays their part and stays at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

However, we also need to act now to help the tourism sector be as strong as possible when we get through this pandemic. Destination Management Organisations will play a vital role in this recovery and this fund will support their essential work.

DMOs provide expert advice and guidance to local businesses and are a crucial part of developing and promoting English tourism. As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, a number of DMOs are currently facing cash flow issues and loss of commercial income. This funding will ensure that DMOs can continue to provide critical business support and start to prepare for recovery.

Under the scheme, DMOs will be able to receive up to £2,500 per month for two members of non-furloughed staff who provide crucial business support services and up to £5,000 to cover operating costs.

VisitEngland Acting CEO Patricia Yates said:

Tourism has been one of the earliest and hardest hit of all economic sectors and this fund will help to ensure DMOs can continue to provide crucial support and expert guidance to the hundreds of thousands of small-to-medium sized businesses that make-up England’s tourism sector. Our intention is to get the funds out quickly to DMOs with a light touch application process as we work with them in recovery planning, to ensure that tourism rebounds and once again becomes one of the most successful and vibrant sectors of the economy.

Notes to editors:

The funding will last until 30th June 2020 and is repurposed from the Discover England Fund. DMOs play a vital role in the development and promotion of English tourism. There are an estimated 150 in England, each running marketing campaigns, providing advice to local tourism businesses and conducting research on behalf of their members. Many also manage central Government grant schemes like the Discover England Fund.

• Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
• If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times
• Wash your hands as soon as you get home

Do not meet others, even friends or family.

You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed many people’s lives. As well as changes to their working lives, parents like Rebecca Ballantyne are also having to entertain and educate their children who are now at home during the working day.

For a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) advocate like Rebecca Ballantyne, this is something to embrace. It’s also an opportunity for her to share her skills with others who are trying to find creative, educational activities for their children.

Rebecca has been part of Sellafield Ltd’s STEM programme for some time. She regularly visits schools, nurseries and even universities to share her passion and knowledge with an interested audience. She’s now sharing these skills and ideas with a wider audience.

She said:

I am in awe of the workers on the frontline who are putting themselves at risk each and every day to help us. While I am not in the same position, I did want to do something to try and help people.

This is a strange time. We’re all adapting to new ways of working. This is daunting for many people, but especially for parents who have children at home with minds to be occupied and a thirst for learning to be quenched.

I have spent a number of years trying to get young people passionate about STEM and I have developed some creative ways of doing with – with even the hardest to impress young people.

I know I am very lucky to be able to work from home, while some of my colleague are still at work. So, I’ve used some of my spare time to try and make a difference to young people in the area.

Working with her mum, who is a qualified teacher and creative, mixed media artist; Rebecca has launched a new Facebook page. ‘Kreative Kidz Cumbria’ will share a creative, educational activity for children each day.

The activities are all designed to be practical and easy to complete at home, using everyday items. Each activity lasts around 30 minutes and aims to encourage the creative in children.

Rebecca added:

Schools are providing work, but we all know that it’s impossible to timetable a full day’s work, so we aim to fil the gap with something short.

One of this week’s activities will be to use items we have in the home, such as our recycling, to create musical instruments that can be used in this week’s clap for carers on Thursday evening.

We have lots of other activities that I know from my own daughter are fun but are still educational. What’s brilliant is that even though the site is new, we’re gaining followers quickly and people are also sharing their own ideas.

Rebecca is a chemist at Sellafield Ltd, working in the company’s analytical labs. She visits schools and nurseries as part of the Sellafield Ltd STEM ambassador programme. This sees employees visiting educational establishments to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with young learners. It is through this that Rebecca has honed her storytelling skills.

Sellafield Ltd has confirmed this week that any employee who isn’t a key worker can volunteer to support their local community during work time. For further details, see the employee area of our website.

Please do not call us unless you are a key worker directly involved in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key workers can contact us here.

All other customers please use our online services, which are all currently available.

Work is continuing on the £40M Radcliffe and Redvales Flood Alleviation Scheme which, once completed, will better protect over 870 properties from the effects of flooding, the Environment Agency has said.

The organisation has, however, confirmed due to COVID-19 and Government advice it is postponing public meetings, including the regular drop-in sessions held in Radcliffe, until it is safe to hold them again.

Currently, work on Phase 1 of the flood defences, focused on Close Park and Morris Street will continue in line with Public Health England advice. The temporary defences that were constructed during the February 2020 floods have been reconstructed to provide the same level of protection to properties.

Once completed, this phase of the scheme, will see a permanent 2.5m flood wall built at the rear of properties in Parkside Close, and a 3m-high earth embankment on the far side of the park with football pitches acting as a natural floodplain. Work in Close Park will also include the creation of new wildlife habitat and increased amenity areas for the public including a £150,000 extension to the junior football club building which is coming out of the £2m contribution to the scheme from Bury Council.

Peter Costello, Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager said: “We are doing all we can to ensure work continues as much as is safe to do so and that delays caused by the knock-on effects of this pandemic are kept to an absolute minimum. Our contractors on site, BMM JV have continued to construct Phase 1 of the Radcliffe and Redvales scheme. The team is working in line with Public Health England advice, and have had to reassess the work they can do safely without putting their workforce at any increased risk of Covid-19.

“As government advice changes daily, the construction process must alter to allow for safe practice, the pace may slow and the number of workforce on the site may be reduced and as such, the effects on the programme are continuously changing. Our priority in these difficult times is the health, safety and wellbeing of residents, staff and construction workers. Unfortunately, due to the number of unknown factors we are unable to provide a revised end date to Phase 1 at this time and we hope residents will understand and appreciate that we are continuing to do what we can in these unusual circumstances.

“The effect which the Coronavirus situation will have on the scheme is still unclear and will depend on developments over the next days and weeks. If our plans change significantly due to the situation we will keep the community informed. As an organisation we are doing everything we can to support our community, our government and the NHS by abiding by these measures.”

In light of the Coronavirus situation, the project team are reviewing the planned start of construction works for Phase 2 of the scheme. Work was due to start on site this month. The Environment Agency is working together with the scheme contractors to understand what operations can safely be progressed in light of the current Government restrictions. If it is deemed a safety risk to be starting new construction works, then affected works will be postponed.

Mr Costello said the project team are moving ahead with other tasks that will ensure a swift site setup when the time comes to restart construction. Including working to discharge planning application conditions, agreeing entry arrangements with landowners, tree removal and reviewing and approving detailed designs. The dates for when construction will begin are being reviewed as the situation with regards COVID-19 changes.

He also confirmed that while the project team are currently going through a period of readjustment to widespread home working, systems are being put in place to support this. Residents can still contact FloodResilienceGMMC@environment-agency.gov.uk with any questions they may have around the scheme’s progress.

Bury Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Alan Quinn said “We were hoping to see the start of Phase 2 of the scheme start especially in light of the floods that affected Redvales in February, however I’m sure local residents will understand that construction cannot continue as normal due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Residents can be assured though that we will be doing all we can, working in conjunction with the Environment Agency and residents to get the flood defences finished.”

The Environment Agency encourage people to ensure they are prepared prior to flooding taking place. People can sign up sign up the Agency’s free flood warning service  www.flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

Regular updates can also been found by following the Environment Agency’s local Twitter page @EnvAgencyNW