Well here we are 4 months on from the first blog of the new website era.
I am pleased to say that the transition from the old to the new site was quite uneventful – phewwwwwwwwwww says she. A few minor hiccups but soon sorted by Richard Cresswell who continues to update the technicalities of the new site at the drop of the proverbial hat.
Since July many of us have faced Covid Restrictions and have been unable to work unless from home (thankfully my office was allowed back provided strict rules were followed and I am happy to be back for my full 17 hours per week.) Also some of us may have had loved ones or someone we know well who had contracted the virus. I know of three people 2 of whom have recovered fully and one remains really poorly sadly this person is a family member and has underlying health issues. The hardest part is not being able to visit her. Others of us may have lost someone we know – The OPC Team send out their deepest sympathy to you all. This pandemic is not going to go away soon. Although I am back at work am not working in my own office and we have been told we will not be permitted back in until at least March but more likely June 2021. By that time are purpose built office should be ready for occupation.
John Pope has manged to visit Wiltshire a couple of times since our planned but cancelled meet up in Swindon in May. He is still adding photographs of his trips to the website. Fingers crossed the meet up scheduled for May 2021 in Swindon will go ahead. We must all do our part to remain safe ourselves and keep others safe too.
The website itself is still growing and developing with lots of new items added or in the pipeline to be added. Plus I still have my never ending and ever increasingly growing to do list to get through. If we could get more volunteers to do the daily tasks I currently do then I could concentrate more on the publishing side of things. As it stands I have a rota system and since lockdown have managed to work from Mid 2017 submission to almost the end of 2018 submissions in between the transcribing tasks I have on the go.
The soldiers memorials is taking up a fair amount of time and the list is being added to constantly we now have over 2680 men recorded many of which have been mapped onto Google Maps where their memorial may be situated. This is ongoing and a task others could possibly assist with – any volunteers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Many of you from the past will know how much I love Christmas – its November so I can mention it. Its going to be a very strange one this year – one for the family history diaries for our future generations. Not even during the two major 20th Century wars were families unable to celebrate together even if their fathers. husbands, bothers, uncles and cousins were away serving their countries. Thank goodness that technology will allow us to see each other via Zoom, Teams etc. There won’t be much disruption to our celebrations as we normally spend the holidays just the three of us plus the lodger and now our very own mad brained monster mutt. Last year she was a 6 month old pup and was able to be crated whilst we decorated the living room. This year she has decided to help and carries ornaments around the room proudly as if she was carrying a puppy (that in reality is never going to happen believe me) our only issue is she won’t let us have them back until she wants to drop them. Saving Grace is that she seems to be very gently with them and this is a dog that can chew through a serrano ham bone in less than 24 hours.
Our next blog will be around February time so in the meantime – Have a wonderful Christmas but please all stay safe I want everyone to be able to read he next instalment
