ON behalf of everyone at Stroud District Council I wish you all the best for this festive season.

It has been a challenging year but I’ve felt proud to be part of the team of councillors, council officers and all our partners out in the community as we’ve done our bit to keep our local communities safe, and support people and businesses with advice, support and funding to help get them through these difficult days.

What has really marked this year for me is the kindness so many people in our district have shown, helping neighbours, signing up to volunteer, donating to local causes like the foodbank that sadly have seen demand going right up and will be needed more than ever these holidays.

At least there is now some hope ahead, as the first Covid vaccinations were given to our over 80s at the Vale Hospital in Dursley.

Well over a hundred volunteers have come forward to support our NHS staff make the operations run smoothly, and I’ve signed up for some shifts myself.

I felt quite emotional as people arrived for their appointments so positively, to think that our elders will soon be protected against this awful virus.

Most council services will be closed between Christmas Eve and January 4 but some key services will be maintained – see our website for emergency contact numbers as well as information on any changes to your usual waste and recycling collections.

Let us hope kindness can get us through these winter days, as we all look forward with some hope to the year to come.

I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.