News, comment and features

The Covid Symptom Study suggests that cases have been increasing since 8th May across the country, though they are still a fraction of the peak estimate on 2nd April. The most recent estimate for Enfield is 1.1 per cent of the population - nearly twice the estimate at the beginning of the month. The Covid-19 Symptom Study is running out of funding and has launched an appeal for donations.

LYDS Coronavirus Help are looking for additional volunteers to deliver food parcels.

Enfield Council's draft climate action plan is much too limited in scope, is taking far too long to be developed and put into action, is neglecting to engage citizens properly, and fails to identify opportunities for the borough's businesses. These are the conclusions of an analysis presented at the April meeting of the Enfield Climate Action Forum (EnCAF).

Healthwatch Enfield would like to find out what impact Coronavirus is having on people in the borough in order to find out what information and support local people need in future. Please complete their 5-minute survey online or over the phone.

This week's playlist was compiled by David Sinclair: singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader of the David Sinclair Four (DS4) and a sometime music journalist. He says: 'I was looking forward to bringing the DS4 to St Harmonica's on Friday May 22. We have had to put the gig on hold, but we'll be there as soon as we can. Meanwhile, here are some of my favourite performances by great musicians I've met over the years.'

Enfield Council's cabinet member for children's services has written to the education secretary asking him to reconsider the Government's decision to press ahead with the directive to partially reopen schools on 1 June 2020.

When the Covid-19 lockdown began, among the items that quickly disappeared off the supermarket shelves - toilet rolls, pasta, flour etc - were sanitary pads. These are among the essentials that North Enfield Food Bank distributes to its users. At the council's request, Palmers Green resident Anne Nicholls came to the rescue. After putting out a call for help on Facebook, Anne was able to assemble a team of women from around the borough to help produce handmade reusable pads.

The Place Alliance and its partner organisations carry out research into and campaign for improvements to the built environment. They are currently carrying out a survey of how the quality of people's homes and neighbourhoods supports - or fails to support - their lives during lockdown. This short online survey runs until 24th May.

2020 is turning out to be the year when everything goes virtual/online. The latest to join the trend are the Friends of Broomfield Park. While you can still visit the actual, real, physical park (taking social distancing precautions, of course), the Friends this week launched their Virtual Flower Show, which you can take part in and enjoy without leaving home.

Enfield Dispatch will be among the news providers to benefit from grants from the European Journalism Covid-19 Support Fund, which is being provided jointly by the European Journalism Centre (EJC) and Facebook Journalism Project. In contrast, the UK government has neglected the plight of the country's independent news outlets.

Four people from Palmers Green have been charged with forced labour offences following an investigation by the Met's Modern Slavery and Child Exploitation unit.

The planning application for construction of 162 flats on the Arnos Grove station car parks has now been submitted. The application has been made on behalf of Connected Living London, which is a partnership between Transport for London (TfL) and Grainger plc, the UK's largest listed provider of private rental homes. The intention is to provide quality homes for Londoners, whilst also generating revenue, which TfL will invest in the capital's transport network