The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games may have been postponed, but BBC Cambridgeshire reporter John Devine has devised an 'alternative'.

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The 2020 Sandringham Flower Show is the latest event in the region to be cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

It had been scheduled to take place on 29 July, but organisers say it would be "impossible" to hold the event while protecting the welfare of visitors, exhibitors and staff.

"I would like to thank all those who support the Show and have enabled us to raise so much money for charity over the years," said David Reeve,, external chairman. "We very much hope to be back in 2021."

Image source, University of Northampton

The University of Northampton is to provide free rooms to house healthcare staff and patients to ease the pressure on local NHS services during the outbreak.

Three hundred vacant rooms at the Spencer Perceval halls in Boughton Green Road will be made available to hospital patients and those in social care who do not have the virus.

The university is also offering free parking at its Waterside Campus to Northampton General Hospital staff, with a similar arrangement with St Andrew’s Healthcare, due to start in two weeks.

Northamptonshire Telegraph

McDonald's has donated food to Cransley Hospice in Kettering after closing its restaurants.

The fast food chain announced on Sunday that it would be closing all its restaurants completely, including takeaway and drive-thru, by the end of Monday, 23 March., external

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The organisers of Cromer Carnival, external - which celebrated running for 50 consecutive years in 2019 - have confirmed this year's event in August has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chairman Tony Shipp said the event relies on financial support from local businesses and it could not expect those to be in a position to provide that this year.

"We have to try and safeguard our future and that means cutting our financial losses and cancelling now," he said in a statement.

"This will be the first time that anyone under 50 years old, living in Cromer has not had a carnival in August. Our main concern at the moment is making sure that you are all keeping safe and well and that we will be able to continue in 2021."

Image source, Cromer carnival

The mother from Essex is leaving her family home to protect loved ones.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Every rough sleeper in Cambridge will be offered accommodation during the coronavirus pandemic, the city council has said.

It has identified some of its own properties and is in discussions with housing associations, hoteliers, bed and breakfast providers and private landlords "to ensure that the council is in a position to respond to demand as it arises".

Image source, LDRS

"Organisations providing front-line homeless hostel and day centre services may have individual cases where self-isolation is extremely problematic," said the authority.

The government has provided £24,750 to help it support those on the streets throughout the pandemic, said the council, with the option to bid for more if needed.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

An English teacher from Leighton Buzzard has become an online hit by providing daily lessons live on Facebook.

Holly King-Mand had been trying to build up a local client base for tutoring following her maternity leave and said last week she had been “very proud” of her 74 followers.

After setting up English Live , externalon Monday, she is now nearing 18,000 and has had children tuning in from all over the world including Dubai, South Africa, Australia and across Europe.

"It’s quite overwhelming,” she said, "I feel really privileged to be able to help other people."

Holly, who is currently at home with her two daughters, aged two and eight months, hosts a 30 minute lesson every day covering subjects from synonyms and spellings to Shakespeare and provides task sheets for children to do after each session. By putting the sessions on Facebook Live her "students" can also interact with her and ask for shout-outs.

"It’s been wonderful, it’s nice to have something to focus on at the moment," she said.

"I’m just an exhausted mum who is terrified of what’s going on out there and it is blissful distraction to hear how much children are enjoying and benefiting from my lessons.

"But I'm not getting any washing done and my phone is melting!"

One of the big challenges for all of us in the coronavirus pandemic is remaining active, while gyms are closed and social distancing must be adhered to.

Cambridge fitness coach Joe Mitton says he's seen a positive response to his virtual gym classes.

Cromer food bank, external says it is able to help people in food crisis via its voucher system.

It has said that anyone who needs help should contact one of the agencies they work with by phone or email to get a voucher. These include Citizens Advice, district council departments, churches, schools and some local charities.

Pete Cooper
BBC News

The market in Northampton is still open despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The UK government said in its guidance that both indoor and outdoor markets, like Northampton's, are classed as an "essential" retailer, external which can stay open.

However, in line with government guidelines, Northampton Borough Council confirmed it is only the food stalls that are operating.

Children, pregnant women and patients receiving end-of-life care are the only exceptions.

How are the newspapers in Beds, Herts and Bucks reporting on the coronavirus pandemic?

• Homeless people are facing a night on the council's floor as hotels in Milton Keynes evict them so they can close down, the MK Citizen, external reports.
• The Bucks Herald, external says the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) has sent a message of thanks to its frontline workers, support staff and partners.
• The Harpenden-based Human Milk Foundation is calling for more help to protect babies amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Herts Advertiser, external reports.
• The Comet, external has a story about Hitchin woman, Tabitha Faria-Softly, who is unable to fly home from New Zealand.

Eastern Daily Press

The owner of one of Norfolk’s best-known fish and chip shops is giving away his stock to nearby care homes and customers, external after closing due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Grant Zelos, owner of Mary Janes in Cromer, has already handed out more than 1.5 tonnes of potatoes and fish, saying: "I just wanted to do my bit for the community."

Multi-storey car parks in Bedford, except Queen Street, will be closed until further notice.

Bedford Borough Council said it would allow it to "prioritise staff on essential duties at this extraordinary time".

Image source, Google

Lurke Street, River Street and Allhallows car parks will be shut, but Queen Street will remain open all the time for key workers who commute, need to park in town for work or anyone getting essential shopping.

Councillor Charles Royden said: "With increased pressure on council staff and resources this decision ensures that our reduced workforce can keep people safe."

Peterborough Telegraph

The Magpas Air Ambulance service is calling for help with funding and equipment so that it can keep running at its usual frequency.

The charity, which operates across the East of England, is estimating its income over the coming months will be £200,000 lower than previously expected - an amount it says would normally allow it to respond to more than 60 patients, external.

Image source, ROB HOLDING/MAGPAS AIR AMBULANCE

Northampton General Hospital says it is banning visitors with immediate effect, in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus.

However, there are small number of exceptions to this, including:

• On maternity wards, one birth partner will be allowed - provided they do not show symptoms of the disease.
• Children's wards are to be visited by one parent or guardian only, but no siblings.
• End-of-life care visits, at the discretion of a duty nurse.

A full thread on the restrictions can be found here., external

Meanwhile, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn has urged pregnant women to go on their own to antenatal and ultrasound appointments, reports the Eastern Daily Press., external

Thames Valley Police has praised residents for their social distancing while queuing at a pharmacy.

The force gave a "shout out" to people standing a good few metres apart in a line outside Boots on an Aylesbury estate.

They also warned parents that if they currently did not know where their teenagers were, "they may be returned to you".

These are some of the headlines from Cambridgeshire's newspapers, as the county continues to adapt to the coronavirus restrictions:

• The Cambridge Independent reports, external that the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust is launching a daily virtual tea break to help raise money for the city’s NHS heroes.
• Meanwhile, Cambridgeshire Live, external carries images of a "sombre" Cambridge city centre as a result of the new restrictions.
• And Peterborough Today, external has spoken to a local businessman who is suffering with coronavirus symptoms, and urging the public to take the pandemic seriously.

The increased number of cars parked in residential areas could pose a problem for emergency services, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has warned.

With many more people staying at home, the service has asked people to make sure they've parked considerately - so that 999 responders can get to those in need.