COVID-19 Update: 30^thJune

Here is the latest COVID-19 update from Cardiff Council, covering: Cardiff's Community spirit to the fore at Wellfield Road; providing our teachers, children and young people with digital support; and get a taste of Cardiff Food and Drink Festival delivered to your door.

Cardiff's Community spirit to the fore at Wellfield Road

On Sunday evening, after Cardiff's, Wellfield Road was closed for the day to install 14 Birch trees and new traffic barriers, residents and retailers were woken up by police sirens just before midnight to find four of the trees had been snapped or severely damaged.

The trees and the barriers were put in place to enable businesses to trade safely, with wider pavements for customers, allowing people to socially distance from others.

The news that the trees had been damaged was a step too far for local resident Jordan Lee Wilson who is studying a Master's Degree in Urban Design at Cardiff University.

Jordan, 23, from Stafford in the West Midlands, took it upon himself to buy an Acer tree from a local retailer when he went for a walk and planted the tree in one of the now empty planters, with a plaque reading ‘We Love Our New Trees XX.'

A picture of the tree and plaque was posted on social media quickly gathering likes and shares and the public saluted Jordan's gesture.

Cllr Caro Wild, Cardiff Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport said: "After the upset and shock caused by the damage done to the new trees on Wellfield Rd, it was really heart-warming to see Jordan's goodwill gesture today and to see the positive reaction it was getting on social media. It's helped to create a real sense of community spirit towards the ongoing efforts to make improvements on Wellfield Road. I want to thank him for the gesture."

Other residents have also messaged the council via social media, offering to donate money towards the replacement trees which have already been ordered.

The Council has been in contact with Jordan too, to thank him for his contribution and his message. Jordan's new Acer tree will stay on Wellfield Road in the current planter until the new Birch trees arrive, and in consultation with Jordan, the Acer tree will then be re-planted in a local park later in the year.

Digital support for Cardiff's teachers, children and young people

Cardiff Council is providing every teacher in Cardiff with up-to-date digital equipment, to assist them in the delivery of online and blended learning.

Joint funding from the Council and Welsh Government, has meant that 1,300 laptops have been delivered to teachers so far with a further 1,700 devices to be delivered over the next few weeks.

Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "This scheme will ensure that every teacher in the city is equipped with up-to-date digital equipment so that they can deliver online learning efficiently.

"We now know that education will need to be delivered through blended learning, combining online educational materials with traditional classroom methods. This further strengthens the importance that our workforce need good digital access going forward, even when schools reopen."

In addition to digital provision for teachers,Cardiff Council has distributedjust under 6500 digital devices including Chromebooks and iPads to children and young people in Cardiff who have been identified as digitally deprived. This is in addition to 2000 4G mobile broadband devices.

Since the Welsh Government guidance around the streaming of live lessons (synchronous learning) has recently changed and schools have now been provided with guidelines, the delivery of new Council owned devices, will also allow teachers to deliver live lessons, safely and proficiently. It will also provide them with the opportunity to enhance the use of technology in their lessons, create content and communicate with pupils and colleagues.

Cllr Merry added: "Since school closures, Cardiff Council has provided significant training to support schools to deliver online and distanced learning, including virtual teacher training in partnership with The open University. This training will continue to support teachers in delivering both synchronous and blended learning."

Get a taste of Cardiff Food and Drink Festival delivered to your door

Every year, more than 100 artisan producers, independent food traders and street food vendors pitch up in Cardiff Bay on the first weekend in July for the Cardiff Food and Drink Festival - but this year the food (and a taste of the festival experience) will be delivered straight to your door.

A  new festival website will host recipes, music, and an online market place where visitors can order a range of premium quality local and international food and drink - things like delicious cakes, marinades, flavoured oils, preserves, speciality gins and cider, and more - directly from the people who make them.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Peter Bradbury said: "Cardiff Food and Drink Festival has been one of the highlights in Cardiff's summer events calendar for more than 20 years, bringing crowds of food lovers into the city to sample some amazing produce and enjoy the buzz of the festival.

"Things are going to be a bit different this year, but we know that for many people a visit to this event marks the start of summer in Cardiff - and for the vendors at the festival it's a fantastic opportunity for them to connect directly with customers.

"This virtual festival should be a great way to give people a flavour of what the Food and Drink Festival is all about, support the small businesses who rely at least in part, on the opportunities it offers, and help keep the festival spirit alive until next year."

The Cardiff Food and Drink Festival website will launch this Friday at midday and run throughout July.

Full details of the festival and all the traders will be added to  www.cardifffoodanddrinkfestival.com where you can also sign up to the festival mailing list for updates.