CORONAVIRUS
Covid-19
TENDRING NOW IN TIER 5 LOCKDOWN
Tendring district has moved up to tier 5 of local Covid-19 restrictions, the Secretary of State for Health has confirmed.
Tier 5 restrictions include staying at home and only travelling for work, to get essential supplies such as food and medicine, while all non-essential retail shops must close.
Restrictions also mean Tendring District Council’s leisure centres will have to close. More details on changes will be released as soon as possible, with residents recommended to check the website for details at www.tendringdc.gov.uk/coronavirus
The tier will still be reviewed on an ongoing basis as part of the national assessment of the situation.
“I encourage everyone to follow the restrictions set out by the Government, and look after one another so we can get through this pandemic and get Tendring safely open once again.
“I would also call on the Government to set out its longer-term response to Covid-19, including the new strain, as the repeated lockdowns and tier restrictions are not a viable long-term solution.”
Information about Tier 5 restrictions can be found on the TDC website at www.tendringdc.gov.uk/coronavirus.
This will be updated with additional guidance as it is received.
COVID-19 community testing available
From today (Monday 11th January 2021), Covid-19 community testing is available targeted at people without coronavirus symptoms who cannot work from home, and their families, provided they live or work in Tendring district.
This will help prevent and reduce transmission in the community through increasing the testing capacity and giving people who are asymptomatic (someone who doesn’t have symptoms) an opportunity to be tested.
Around 1 in 3 people have coronavirus without symptoms so could be spreading the virus without knowing, so this testing is designed to identify these people and make sure they self-isolate.
Community testing means anyone can get a free test and play their part in keeping others safe. Even though we are targeting those who cannot work from home and their families, we won’t prevent others who live or work in Tendring from collecting tests.
The more people we can test, the better we can fight the virus in our local area.
We would ask you to share this information with your local residents.
Find out more: www.tendringdc.gov.uk/communitytesting
Currently, the council offices remain closed to the public and tours of the Guildhall are suspended. If you need to liaise with a member the team, please contact them either via telephone or email. Any business which must be conducted in person, is done so on an appointment only basis with certain Covid-secure measures in place.
Contractors and delivery drivers are asked to call the office upon arrival on 01255 507211.
Council meetings continue to be conducted remotely using the ‘Zoom’ platform and members of the public are able to attend by contacting the Clerk to the Council for joining instructions. Agendas and minutes still continue to be posted on the council’s website.
Until further notice, the Council will not be taking bookings for the hire of the chamber or facilitating gatherings inside the Guildhall of any number.
Take a virtual tour of the Guildhall which can be found below.
Contact telephone: 01255 507211
Contact email:
lucy@harwichtowncouncil.co.uk
michelle@harwichtowncouncil.co.uk
andy@harwichtowncouncil.co.uk
The Putting Green facility remains closed.
The Youth Shelter and Skate park remain closed.
Are you affected by the coronavirus?
Do you need practical help?
Do you need someone to talk to?
Call us to find out how we can help!
Harwich Helps is the official helpline to ask for support during this period of time. The churches of the Harwich Peninsula, Harwich Town Council,
Tendring District Council, Harwich Connexions, Harwich Homestart, Harwich Foodbank, Councillor Ivan Henderson, Les Nicoll and many other community groups are here to support you during this current situation.
Please contact us if you:
- Are foodless due to your financial situation
- Are struggling to access food essentials due to self-isolation
- Need someone to talk to or need pastoral support
- Require help and support for any family related issues
- Require transport to the shops or appointments
- Require other forms of practical assistance, call us and ask the question!
Our support hotline phone numbers are:
07708 124661
07716 866927
(Lines open between 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week)
or 01255 554115
(Line open Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm)
Churches:
Dovercourt Central Mark Tubby 07446 817625
Kingsway Community John Maxwell 01255 551722
Catholic Church Father Frank Jackson 01255 503383
The Salvation Army Lt. Shawn & Vic Moye 01255 502502
Essex County Council
Councillor Ivan Henderson
Support for Families/Teens: |
07889 367822 |
Harwich Homestart | 01255 556230 |
Teen Talk | 01255 556886 |
Community Transport
(Bus Pass Holders free / Others £4 per single journey)
Harwich Connexions
Councils |
01255 552010 |
Harwich Town Council | 01255 507211 |
Tendring District Council
Community Support for all residents |
01255 686868 |
Dovercourt & Harwich Community Hub | 01255 554115 |
Park Pavilion | 01255 507770 |
United in Kind Coach – Suzanne Howe | 07458 300898 |
We need your help to fund this!
If you would like to donate in order to support others please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/harwichhelps or send a cheque payable to The Salvation Army to: The Salvation Army, George Street, Harwich, Essex, CO12 3ND.
All money that is donated during this time will only be used to support local people, please give in confidence!
If you or someone you know is vulnerable and has been a victim of fraud, please call Essex Police on 101.
Report fraud or attempted fraud by contacting Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. Essex Fraud Alert
Bank fraud help https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/courier-fraud
Social Media and Website Fraud https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/164-instagram-users-report-losing-over-350000-to-investment-scams
For further information on volunteering, guidance and fundraising please see the links below –
- NHS England National Volunteer Initiative
- British Red Cross Volunteer Schemes
- Essex County Council Community Shield
- Charity Excellence COVID19
- EALC Health & Wellbeing & Safety Update
- Anglian Water Information
Welcome to Harwich Town Council
Harwich is a pleasant, coastal town, the gem of the Sunshine Coast, full of history and character with a strong sense of community. Harwich Town Council is working hard to ensure that Harwich and Dovercourt continues to thrive and regeneration remains a top priority.
Following the Royal Charter of 1604 (King James Ι) the town has seen a continuous line of Mayors, elected by the Council for a yearly term of office.

Print kindly supplied by Essex Records Office
The next Mayor making ceremony will be on Thursday 21st May 2020. The church service, at 12 noon to which all are welcome, is followed by the rare custom of kitchel throwing from the upper Guildhall windows. It is a lot of fun for the members of our community who scramble to catch the freshly-baked treats. The entire ceremony is unique to Harwich and has been a local tradition for centuries.

The Guildhall
Set in the heart of the historic old sea port, Harwich’s Guildhall is the town’s only Grade 1 listed building, dating back to the seventeenth century and is currently home to Harwich Town Council. The wealth of history and heritage that it contains, along with its remarkable architecture, make the Guildhall in Harwich a fascinating place to visit. Entry to the Guildhall is free, so please call 01255 507211 where staff will be happy to arrange a guided tour.

Guildhall Chamber
The Chamber is a beautiful oak panelled room, its walls adorned with large portraits and its windows including a stained glass depiction of the town crest. The Chamber also houses the regalia show case containing the seventeenth century mace and the Mayor’s chain of office. The Chamber is available to hire for meetings, so please contact the office for details and availability. Amongst the treasures in the Mayor’s Parlour are the town’s Imperial Brass Yard and a portrait of Charles II painted in the year 1675. A unique feature of the Guildhall is the Carvings/Graffiti room, or Gaol, once used to hold prisoners waiting to be tried or sentenced. Etched into the bare wooden walls are elaborate carvings of ships, gallows and symbols designed to ward off evil spirits, some of which date from the end of the eighteenth century.
Our honorary Archivists manage the Council’s archives and amongst the hidden delights there is the Royal Charter of 1604, which incorporated the village of Dovercourt and the Borough of Harwich and allowed the appointment of a Mayor and Council, comprising ‘honest and discreet burgesses’ who served for life, and the election of two members of Parliament. Council minutes date back to this time, maps are held from the 16th century and material dating back to Richard II in the 14th century. A large photographic collection is held covering a wide range of local events and interests over the years. Many of these documents are displayed at the two exhibitions held annually, during the Harwich Festival and Heritage Weekends. Talks on the history of the town and assistance with personal research can be arranged by appointment with the Archivists.
The revitalised Friday market situated in the High Street continues to thrive and the first phase of ‘Dovercourt Rediscovered’ is underway following the installation of heritage lamp posts and community tourist maps. This project will continue to evolve in consultation with the District and County Council.
Harwich Town Council grant funding supports many local groups and organisations working within the community. The town is extremely fortunate to have a large network of volunteers and we wish to thank them for the time and invaluable support they give to help enrich our community. These people are a fine example of the community spirit previously referred to and their efforts, along with that of the town and District Councils, will, we are sure, mean that Harwich & Dovercourt continues to move forward in the coming years.
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