Helen Mulroy
BBC Look East

A Northamptonshire company has been making pop-up desks and work stations from recyclable materials for people now having to work from home.

Before the pandemic, Pallite, external of Wellingborough was making, pallets, crates, and warehouse racking from paper.

Chief executive, Iain Hulmes, said the desks, which can be recycled afterwards, have proved very popular.

"A lot of people are finding that with kids home from university or perhaps they live in an apartment or flat with their partner, that there just isn't enough room for them both to work on the dining room table," he said.

"So we've designed a range of desks that allows people to sit really comfortably and work at their laptop."

• A driver has stepped up to help deliver PPE after a company had its van stolen, the Bucks Free Press, external reports

• Herts Live, external has stories of life in lockdown told from the doorsteps of people in Hertfordshire
• A care home has temporarily reopened to provide a safe space for people leaving hospital who are not yet ready to go to their own homes, the Watford Observer, external says

"The emergency services are here for you and we are carrying on, business as usual, keeping our county safe."

This was the message from Roger Hirst, the police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex., external

In his latest video post, he reminded everyone to "stay alert to stay safe" and to "keep social distancing".

"This situation has affected us all. Our day to day lives have changed and we have lost or know someone who has lost someone," he added.

"This has not been an easy time."

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

A mobile coronavirus testing centre opened at Chiltern Pools Leisure Centre in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

It's for essential workers with symptoms who are self-isolating.

You can check to see if to are eligible on the government's website, external.

Alex Pope
BBC News Onine

A friendly dance-off has taken place between St John Ambulance, external cadets in the UK and New Zealand.

Featuring volunteers from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Suffolk, who created some moves to Footloose to make Kevin Bacon proud*, they said.

Luke Stevenson, who worked on the project, said: "We got to connect with St John Ambulance members from across the other side of the world.

"It really made us feel united".

* Did it involve six steps, external, though?

Formula 1 and Silverstone agree a deal for two grands prix to be held at the track behind closed doors this season.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Image source, Getty Images

Key workers in Milton Keynes could be given the freedom of the borough to honour their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

Conservatives, including both of the town's MPs and the council's Tory leader Alex Walker called on the local authority to consider bestowing the honour and think it could be granted to hospital workers first, and then to other groups like social workers, postal staff and supermarket employees.

Milton Keynes South MP, Iain Stewart, said so may people "have done an incredible job to help us cope with this challenge" and Milton Keynes North MP, Ben Everitt, added they were "all heroes".

Mr Walker said: "We should never forget the sacrifices that have been made, which is why we are calling on MK Council to confer onto our key workers the highest civic honour a borough can provide as a constant reminder of the immense work, dedication and courage shown."

It looks like the move could get support as Douglas McCall, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "We support recognising the key workers, who have gone above and beyond to help our city in such unprecedented times."

Image source, Paul Russell

The relaxation of lockdown rules could lead to "something unexpectedly going wrong" as more people travel to our coasts, a lifeboat station said.

The Cromer RNLI branch , externalsaid if they were called out, it would force crews to "take extra risk because they may not be able to maintain safe distancing".

Image source, Paul Russell

"We therefore want to take all possible steps to ensure the public are aware of the risks to themselves and to others and are also aware of the ways to keep safe around our shores," a statement said.

It is reminding everyone to remain vigilant, take care on cliffs and have a plans if visiting potentially dangerous tidal areas.

This year's Herts County Show, which usually takes places in Redbourn near St Albans on the Saturday and Sunday of the late May bank holiday weekend, is going online with a "virtual show".

Image source, Herts County Show

The Hertfordshire Agricultural Society's event launches on 23 May and on its website, external said it aimed to deliver "a fun and engaging alternative".

There will be educational videos, live debate, throwbacks to favourite attractions and the opportunity to engage with trade exhibitors and buy their products.

It is also hosting free livestock showing classes and you have until 20 May to register your animals for free in the various classes and upload photos and video.

The final stop of a tour by Dippy the Dinosaur, who used to grace the Hintze Hall at London's Natural History Museum, has been postponed.

The 26-metre (85ft) dinosaur, was due at Norwich Cathedral from 11 July until 31 October, but The Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure exhibition, external has now been delayed until a later date.

Image source, Trustees of the Natural History Museum

The Dean of Norwich, the Very Reverend Jane Hedges, said: "The cathedral is still very much looking forward to hosting the final stop on Dippy’s tour and is working closely with both the Natural History Museum and Rochdale’s Number One Riverside – where Dippy is currently located – to decide the best and safest way for Dippy to continue his tour."

Alex Burch, from the Natural History Museum, said: "To date Dippy has encouraged many thousands of visitors to engage with natural history and we very much want Dippy to complete his full tour and inspire even more people of all ages."

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

We're all having to make do with what we've already got in at the moment - and it seems emergency workers are just the same as Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service got creative for its tribute to the NHS this week.

It used its ladders, poles, hoses, helmets and high-vis jackets to spell out the acronym.

It a tweet it thanked health service workers for their "continued efforts" and said "we are always behind you".

• Birds have been found nesting in unused car park ticketing machines, external, reports the Ipswich Star
• Suffolk opera star provides free concerts to combat lockdown boredom, features in the East Anglian Daily Times, external
• The Bury Free Press, external says St Benedict's Catholic School has put together positive videos set to music to connect with pupils who are at home

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

It's the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain, so St Albans Cathedral has metaphorically "seen" more than its fair share of national crises in the past 1,000 years or so.

Every Thursday evening, the West Front is lit up blue to say thank you to all NHS and key workers providing help and support during the pandemic.

Image source, Aaron Jones

Health care assistant Jun Terre was described as having "a smile that would light up a room".

Although the rules regarding lockdown have changed this week, as the government altered the message from "stay at home" to "stay alert", it seems many people are still choosing to remain indoors.

Images released by Ipswich's Street Rangers show a very empty and deserted town centre.

As some sports get under way again as lockdown restrictions are relaxed, some golfers are questioning the need for courses to have been closed in the first place.

Playing at Frinton Golf Club, external on the Essex coast, Steve Mitchell, 63, said: "We’ve felt all along that golf could have continued and coming back has proved it could have been done because social distancing is easy."

He lives with Karen Wright, 59, who said: "No flags is a bit more difficult - if you’re 50 yards from the hole you have no idea where it is.

"We’ve been walking the dog and cycling, but it’s great to get back to golf. It’s important for people’s mental well-being as well.”

Angela Vaughan, 60, said: "I think we could have carried on playing, but it’s easier for us because we’re from the same household.

Her daughter Claire, 19, said: "It’s not a sport where you have to be close to anyone anyway. You don’t use the same ball."

At the time of the lockdown announcement in March, England Golf said in a statement, external: "Keeping golf courses open is simply no longer compatible with the updated policy of government which is designed to save lives in a time of national emergency."

• More on golf as people enjoy the easing of lockdown in England
• BBC Sport: Golf

Surgery was cancelled owing to bed shortages and the risk he faced from the virus, his family said.

• Police have made a plea to take it easy as the county gets ready to get behind the wheel again, the Northamptonshire Telegraph, external reports.
• The Northampton Chronicle and Echo, external says confusion reigns over what is "essential rubbish" as waste tips get ready to reopen

The way everyone deals with the coronavirus pandemic is different, but if you need help and do not have friends or family to support you, West Suffolk Council is reminding you that you can call a volunteer to have a chat, get supplies or medicines.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

As people can now enjoy unlimited exercise, destination parks – like Fairlands Valley in Stevenage – are expected to be increasingly popular and the town's Borough Council is considering how social distancing can be ensured.

Image source, Geograph/Nigel Cox

At a council meeting this week, it emerged a one-way system was one option which would mean walkers and joggers would be directed to travel around the lake in the same direction.

But after the meeting, the council’s executive member John Gardner said that option was "low probability", because the number of entrances around the park would make one-way signage difficult and it would be to difficult to instruct visitors to walk in a particular direction, when it would not be enforceable.

He said that where people did approach each other around the lake there was already room to move aside.

Councillor Gardner said he expects there may be new signs advising visitors to observe social distancing.