Dear All,
WPCC's latest newsletter is below...
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In This Week's Issue...
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| BREAKING NEWS |
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| CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION |
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HAVE YOUR SAY
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ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
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EVENTS AND INFORMATION
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BREAKING NEWS
Proposals to Retain and Invest in Silverwood Chippenham and Trowbridge Special School Campuses
Proposals to retain and develop both the Chippenham and Trowbridge Silverwood campuses, with a substantial investment from Wiltshire Council to modernise and enhance the school campus sites, are to be discussed by Wiltshire Council leaders on Tuesday 13th December 2022 at the Cabinet meeting.
The proposals include removing some of the 'mobile' structures at Trowbridge, opening up and improving the outdoor learning space and upgrading many of the classrooms and facilities at a cost of around £3.6m. These proposals would secure Chippenham and Trowbridge's long term future as Silverwood Special School campuses for up to 75 pupils per site.
The remodelling of the campuses will require a reduction in classroom and pupil numbers at both Trowbridge and Chippenham to meet Department for Education space standards. One of the proposals to be discussed is that Chippenham and Trowbridge will provide primary age provision complemented by an all-through offer (reception to Sixth Form) at Silverwood Rowde. It is our understanding that there are no proposed changes to the existing provision based at Chippenham 6th Form (Poplar) College. If the proposals are agreed by Cabinet, there will then need to be a formal consultation on the proposed changes. If the proposals are agreed by Cabinet, it is anticipated that a formal consultation would begin in January 2023 and then go back to Cabinet by April 2023.
The Cabinet Meeting will take place at 10am on Tuesday 13th December 2022. For further information, click HERE. The proposals to retain and invest in Silverwood Chippenham and Trowbridge Special School campuses is Item 6 on the agenda.
Reminder: WPCC Christmas and New Year Hours 2022/23
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Date
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Monday
19th
December
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Tuesday
20th
December
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Wednesday
21st
December
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Thursday
22nd
December
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Friday
23rd
December
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Office
Hours
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10am – 5pm
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10am – 5pm
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10am – 5pm
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10am – 5pm
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CLOSED
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Date
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Monday
26th
December
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Tuesday
27th
December
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Wednesday
28th
December
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Thursday
29th
December
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Friday
30th
December
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Office
Hours
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CLOSED
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CLOSED
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CLOSED
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CLOSED
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CLOSED
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Date
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Monday
2nd
January
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Tuesday
3rd
January
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Wednesday
4th
January
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Thursday
5th
January
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Friday
6th
January
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Office
Hours
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CLOSED
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10am – 5pm
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10am – 5pm
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10am – 5pm
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10am - 5pm
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Normal office hours (10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday) will continue from Monday 9th January 2023.
Reminder: Wiltshire Council SEND Small Grants Scheme Open for Applications
Wiltshire Council is inviting individuals and organisations to apply for small grants to increase the number of opportunities and activities available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) in the Wiltshire area
Grants will be awarded for up to £10,000 each and can be used for a new provision or the expansion of existing schemes. They will be one-off capital grants and are specifically provided to buy or increase the things needed to start a club or activity, such as resources and materials.
Anyone can apply for these grants. You may be an individual, a voluntary or community parent led organisation, a charity, or a co-operative. The most important thing is to increase the availability of opportunities and activities for children and young people with SEND in the Wiltshire area in order to qualify for the grant.
Previous grants awarded last year contributed towards a new playground, and two new stay and play groups.
- Barford parent Emma Claydon said: “Having a facility within the village that enables children with additional needs to play alongside their mainstream peers provides a perfect forum for the children to integrate, socialise, learn new skills and have fun”.
- Rachael Harris of the Ludgershall group said: “The children love coming to the club to play and just be children with no one judging them and the adults enjoy a cuppa and a chat with other adults in the same situation”.
For the full article on the previous Small Grants Scheme, please visit: Small grants scheme makes a big impact for SEND families in Wiltshire - Local Offer
For more information about the scheme including how to apply please visit: Small Grants Scheme - Local Offer (wiltshire.gov.uk), or contact: CandF.Commissioning@wiltshire.gov.uk.
Applications must be received by Sunday 8th January 2023.
Final Reminder: Amazing Accessible Experiences for Young People with SEND – WPCC Fundraising Update
We recently closed our fundraising mission to raise as much money as we could to offer amazing accessible experience prizes to some of young people with SEND in Wiltshire.
Our target was £1,000 and thanks to the very generous 57 people who donated, we reached 52% of our target and raised £525. Once JustGiving had taken their fees, this left us with £495.40. We also managed to raise a further £40.55 at our Preparing for Adulthood Event at the beginning of November, giving us a grand total of £535.95.
This gives us enough to offer three prizes. We have held the prize draw and will be contacting the three lucky winners. If you would like to see the draw, please click HERE.
Coronavirus Information
Are you Concerned that your Child Might be Experiencing Long COVID Symptoms?
The WPCC is beginning to receive enquiries from some parent carers concerned their children may be experiencing Long COVID. We recently became aware of this online resource called Long Covid Kids which might be helpful.
Long Covid Kids has been connecting and supporting families, children and young people living with Long Covid since October 2020. Families using their support services have reported that connecting with other families sharing a similar experience to them has been “a lifeline”. Long Covid Kids say they recognise the challenges that families are facing; their team are living them too.
In Spring 2022, they launched two new free members’ services for families and children; to help them adhere to their safeguarding policy, their online support services require pre-registration. Click HERE to register.
Support and services provided by Long Kids Covid include: -
- Facebook Group: providing peer to peer support for families of children & young people living with Long Covid.
- LCK Connected: Zoom Hangouts hosted by their team of volunteers for children and teenagers from 6 - 17 years, and the parents and caregivers who care for them.
- CHATBOX: an online forum that welcomes children and teenagers from age 8 - 17 years, and the parents and caregivers who care for them. Separate age-appropriate channels.
Visit the Long Covid Kids’ website to find out more.
Have Your Say
General Feedback (see attached form)
If you have any general feedback you would like to share, please telephone us on: 01225 764647 or send an email to: admin@wiltspcc.co.uk. Please be assured that when we share feedback with services, we never identify the person who gave the feedback, unless we have their consent to do so.
When sharing your feedback, it is often helpful to know:-
- Which part of Wiltshire you live in? (North, South etc.)
- How old your child/young person is?
- Consent to share your contact details? (optional) This is so we can work with service providers to address issues with you individually.
You may prefer to complete the attached feedback form, send us an email or call us to give your feedback.
Parent Carer Sessions to Review the Autism Assessment Process for Children and Young People
In partnership with HCRG Care Group, the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council (WPCC) is facilitating opportunities for parent carers to join us for a discussion to share ideas and comments about the autism assessment process for children and young people. Through these sessions, we will be asking: -
- what works
- what could be even better during the assessment process
These sessions are open to parent carers only, whose children are currently on the diagnostic pathway, waiting for an assessment, or have recently received a diagnosis.
All sessions will run from 10am to 12.30pm and take place on the following dates: -
- Devizes – 16th January 2023
- Amesbury – 26th January 2023
- Calne – 27th January
Refreshments will be provided and Wiltshire parent carers will be able to claim travel expenses and any childcare costs to enable them to attend.
Booking is essential, to attend one of these sessions, please click HERE to book your place. Please see attached flyer (Autism Initiatives Sessions – January 2023) for more information.
Research into the Usefulness of Online Support Groups
Parent carers of children and young people with long-term conditions are invited to participate in research which is being supervised by Dr Sophie Bennett, Clinical Psychologist, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Institute of Child Health and Dr Marc Tibber, Clinical Psychologist, UCL. The study is looking for parents and caregivers of children or young people with long-term conditions or disabilities to take part in a study looking at the usefulness of online peer support groups and forums for reducing loneliness.
If you choose to participate, you will be asked to complete some questionnaires online regarding your experiences of loneliness and of your social relationships. You will be contacted 3 and 6 months after signing up to complete the questionnaires again. All participants that sign up to the study will be entered into a prize draw to win one of 10 prizes of a choice of a £20 Amazon voucher or a £20 donation to a charity.
For more information, please see the attachment (Online Peer Support Advert – SEPT 2022).
Final Reminder: Opportunity to get involved with a Home Education Project
Get involved with the brand new Careers Hub Project: ‘Developing careers education resources for Home Educated families’, delivered by Project Lead: Tam Blaikie. This is funded by the Careers and Enterprise Company.
This project will work with families across Swindon and Wiltshire and aims to ensure that home educated young people have access to high quality careers information to help them take their next best step. This will include taster days with businesses, access to apprenticeships, quality work experience, events and incentives. Please scan the QR code on the attached flyer (home education flyer Careers Hub 2) and take the survey so they can hear your ideas and work together to build next best step careers for your home educated young person and others.
Final Reminder: Research on Council Social Care Support for People with Lifelong Disabilities
Alma Economics has been commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) to conduct research on council social care support for people with lifelong disabilities. The purpose of this research is to identify ways in which the support offered from local authority social care services to people with lifelong disabilities and their families can be improved. They also want to understand what barriers there are to delivering and accessing such services. An area of particular interest is the transition of disabled people from children to adults’ services.
As part of this research, to include the voices of carer parents, Alma Economics are doing a series of short interviews with parents of children and young people with lifelong disabilities. The length of each interview is 30 minutes. The primary interview format is MS Teams, but they are happy to accommodate alternative interview formats, such as phone calls and instant messaging. Interviews are being conducted between November and December 2022.
Please note participation in this research is voluntary, anonymous and confidential. This means that no one will be able to understand from reading the research findings who has participated in this project or be able to relate the experiences discussed to individuals or their families. Only the research team from Alma Economics will have access to such information.
If you are interested in contributing to this research or you would just like to ask further questions, please send an email to hanna.jeppsson@almaeconomics.com and copy in the Project Manager, Dr Eleni Kotsira at eleni.kotsira@almaeconomics.com
Check out their website for more info and previous projects
Activities for Children and Young People
What’s On Children/Young People’s Calendar December 2022
For a full list of activities for December for children and young people with disabilities, including music, social, sport, drama, trampolining clubs and much more, please go to our What’s On Calendar for more details: What's On Calendar
The Gateway Ice Rink Cirencester – Special Events
Experience the Magic of Ice Skating! Open 18th November – 3rd January
Sensory friendly sessions:
The Gateway Ice Rink offers Sensory Friendly sessions every Monday midday from 12 pm - 1 pm. The Ice Rink will be capped at 50% capacity, have low lighting and no loud music. Perfect for individuals with Sensory related disabilities.
Book Sensory sessions HERE
Disney Party sessions:
A whimsical experience skating to Disney themed music and decoration. The Gateway Ice Rink Disney Party is perfect for Children of all ages - you might even get to meet Elsa the Snow Queen as well!
*Disney sessions are NOT specifically SEND targeted
Book Disney sessions HERE
For more information, visit the website HERE
Reminder: Lords Taverners Super 1s Cricket Programme
Super 1s is a cricket-based programme run throughout Wiltshire, giving young people with disabilities the opportunity to play cricket regularly (aged 12-25) and all disabilities welcome! The aim of the programme is to use cricket as a tool for participant’s personal development, equipping them with a variety of personal, social and transferable skills that can be taken into a variety of different situations.
Super 1s sessions are run on a weekly/bi-weekly basis, for around 1 hour in the evenings.
Tuesdays - 5PM - 6PM at Leighton Recreation Centre, Wellhead Lane, Westbury BA13 3PT
Tuesdays - 5PM - 6PM at Five Rivers Leisure Centre, Hulse Road, Salisbury SP1 3NR
Thursdays - 5PM - 6PM at Swindon Academy, Beech Avenue, Swindon SN2 1JR
Mondays - 5PM - 6PM at Olympiad Leisure Centre, Sadlers Mead, Chippenham SN15 3PA
During these sessions participants get the opportunity to try new activities, meet new people and explore new environments. Super 1s gives those with impairments an opportunity to get involved in an inclusive sporting environment, with a range of benefits
For more information please contact Harry Mattingley: harry.mattingley@wiltshirecricket.co.uk or 07923 236489 or visit www.lordstaverners.org
Final Reminder: Head2Head Sensory Theatre – Dick Whittington Online Pantomime
Head2Head Sensory Theatre are offering an interactive online, multi-sensory pantomime video for families of children with SEND. You will need to have access to the internet with Zoom including a camera, microphone and speakers to join in the fun.
When: Sunday 11th December 2022. Session will be at 10:30am, 11:30am, 2:00pm and 3:00pm
Cost: £15 per session
For more information, please click HERE.
If you need help or have a query, please email: admin@h2hsensorytheatre.com or call: 01372 278021 / 07519 747290
Events and Information
What’s On Parent Carer Calendar December 2022
For a full list of training/events/support groups for December for parent carers, please see our What’s On Calendar for more details: What's On Calendar
Parent Carer Christmas Support Group,
They will be offering a Christmas buffet, and a quiz with prizes! (Top prize John Lewis Voucher, second prize, some Waitrose pamper goods)
Wednesday 14th December, 10:30am-12:00pm, The Bear Hotel, Devizes
Changes to the WPCC Outreach Team
After just over four and a half years with the WPCC, Gill Gray is sadly leaving the WPCC. Gill was the first outreach worker the WPCC appointed when we launched our Outreach service in 2018. Gill has been instrumental in helping us to establish this new element of our service from scratch, which has become a much valued and needed element of the wider WPCC offer. Gill’s last day with the WPCC will be 19th December 2022 and we wish her the very best for whatever the future brings next.
We are delighted to announce that Debi Fernandez will be joining Claire Townsend on our Outreach team in January. Debi is a parent carer of two children with SEND and she is looking forward to this opportunity to support other families.
New Starfish Hydrotherapy Pool In Trowbridge
Neptune Aquatics are excited to announce that they will soon be operating another hydrotherapy pool here in Wiltshire. Seahorse Hydrotherapy Pool is a small, warm-water pool on the site of the Silverwood School Trowbridge Campus. The pool will begin operating in January 2023 and will be opening to the public following an open day – provisionally on Sunday 8th January but TBC.
The pool is ideal for families where children have additional needs as they will be offering Family and Friends sessions where the pool will be available for exclusive use a single family.
Neptune are currently gathering details from customers who might be interested in the pool so they can keep them up to date with news and opening dates etc...
If you would like to sign up to receive updates, please click HERE
See attachment “Seahorse Pool” for more info
Reminder: SEN Parent and Toddler Group
WildCatz run a parent and toddler group for children with SEN aged 0 to 8 in Amesbury. The group meets on Tuesdays from 12pm to 2.30pm at the Nicolson Community Centre, Amesbury (What3Words: calibrate.enhances.chains).
Visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BoscombedownWildcatz/
Reminder: Carer Support Wiltshire – Virtual Parent Carer Group
Carer Support Wiltshire invite you to join their Christmas Parent Carer Virtual Evening Group on Wednesday 7th December 7.30 – 8.30pm
They will be holding a festive quiz, with the top prize of two tickets to the pantomime Aladdin in Bath, on the evening of Thursday the 8th December at 7pm.
Christmas head gear is optional!
Please email: JoannaHC@carersupportwiltshire.co.uk to obtain the meeting link.
Reminder: Brook’s Small Grants Programme
“Supporting charities who specialise in improving the wellbeing of neurodivergent young people”
We know that adolescence can be a difficult time for any young person, but can be particularly challenging for those who are neurodivergent.
The Brook’s Small Grants Programme will be distributing £50,000 to local and community-based projects that improve the wellbeing of neurodivergent people.
Aims of the programme:
- Reduced risk of isolation amongst neurodivergent young people through access to a range of positive activities and support
- Increased access to support, such as individual or group work that address issues experienced by neurodivergent young people such as social expectations and sensory sensitivities
- Increased opportunities for neurodivergent young people to participate in projects that improve their protective factors supporting positive wellbeing
- Increased access to resources that promote inclusive education and good autism practice in the areas of relationships and sex education
- Improvements in the confidence and knowledge of professionals and parents/carers to recognise neurodivergence in young people and know how and where to access additional support
- Increased opportunities for neurodivergent young people to develop and improve their employability, including support to participate in work experience opportunities
You can find more information and apply on the website HERE
You can also contact via email smallgrantsprogramme@brook.org.uk
The deadline is midday on 23rd December 2022
Reminder: Community Connecting November 2022 Newsletter
Community Connecting assist customers to find out more about their local community, supporting people to access clubs, meet friends, travel training, voluntary work and much more.
Reminder: South Wilts Mencap – Volunteers Needed
Do you, or someone you know, have some spare time to help South Wilts Mencap with their clubs, events and outings? As little as a few hours can be an enormous help!
Whether you can volunteer regularly or on an ad-hoc basis, South Wilts Mencap would love to hear from you.
For more information, please contact the South Wilts Mencap Service Coordinator, Sarah Meech on 07395 155607 or email: Sarah@southwiltsmencap.org.uk.
Final Reminder: Early Help Contact as Part of an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) Request
Contact's Brighter Beginnings Workshops - FREE
Contact is offering a number of free online/virtual workshops for parent carers of children and young people aged 0-16 with additional needs. The workshops, called Brighter Beginnings Workshops, are available thanks to funding from a range of funding sources. The workshops are free virtual one-off sessions and it is hoped that Contact may be able to offer in-person workshops again in the future, once it is appropriate to do so.
‘Regional workshops’ are for families who live in those areas only, due to funding arrangements.
Click on the workshop links on the website to book onto your chosen workshop/s.Not all workshops have dates yet, but new dates are continually being added, so if there is not a workshop available suitable for you, please revisit the website.
The workshops are very popular so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Contact’s Free Parent Carer Listening Ear Service
You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and who can point you in the right direction to get the support you need for your family.
To help, Contact offer 1-1 telephone appointments with a family support adviser for parent carers looking for a listening ear, reassurance and practical and emotional support (see attached flyer).
Contact have released a video and podcast that explains the listening Ear Service in more detail.
Making an appointment for the listening ear service is simple: choose the day (morning, afternoon or evening), and when you register choose the time slot you want. Appointments are regularly updated and are subject to availability.
The service aims to provide approximately 3 calls to Parent Carers before they are able to signpost you elsewhere for further support. If you are dealing with a specific issue that requires continuity and consistency, Contact will take this into consideration. Please get in touch for more information.
Family and Community Learning (FaCL) 2022-2023 Academic Year and the Family and Community Learning Prospectus
Please see attachment of the "hot off the press" FaCL Course Prospectus 2022-2023.
There are details about face to face and online courses for the academic year ahead. Please note the induction dates; these are important as a potential learner can’t access a course until they have attended an induction session.
If you have already completed an induction during 21-22 you do not need to repeat.
FaCL are really pleased that they can offer partners a variety of courses (online and face to face) to share with communities:
- ESOL
- English and Literacy
- Employability Skills
- Wellbeing
- Family Skills
- Independent Living
FaCL aim to be part of the learning journey and will ensure they offer suitable signposting to enable progression towards employment, community integration and independence.
Watch out for the refreshed FaCL website too – it’s all go!
FaCL Courses are funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Courses are FREE if you are 19+, have been a resident in UK/EU for 3+years, have less than 5 GCSEs grades A-C, in receipt of benefits, a service family or you may have other issues that joining a course could help you. You might be stuck in a rut or going through a difficult time? FaCL want to hear from people who are unsure about if they can join and they are always happy to talk things through.
The FaCL team can be contacted by calling: 01225 770478 or email: familyandcommunitylearning@wiltshire.gov.uk
South Wilts Mencap Newsletter
South Wilts Mencap supports people with learning disabilities in South Wiltshire; inspring them to achieve their full potential and enabling them and their families to lead fuller lives. They support families in the South and Salisbury region of Wiltshire. They support with clubs, activities, fun days, short breaks and more.
CLICK HERE to have a look at their recent newsletter.
Contacting the WPCC
WPCC Phone Line 2022.
Our phone lines continue to be open as normal (10.00am – 5.00pm) and the number to access the WPCC SENDIS team remains as: 01225 764647.
When you call, it is likely that your call will be answered by one of our telephone triage workers who will take basic details of your enquiry and pass it on to a member of the team. If you cannot get through, please leave a message with your name and contact number, or email and we will call you back as soon as possible; please be mindful there are times when our phone lines can be extremely busy.
If you cannot get through on the phone, you can email us: admin@wiltspcc.co.uk
You can find previous WPCC newsletters here: Previous Newsletters
Keep safe and well,
The WPCC Team
