Nic Rigby
BBC News

Sixty soldiers from a Norfolk-based regiment are supporting the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) during the coronavirus pandemic.

The soldiers from the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards are driving ambulances transferring critically ill patients between hospitals, releasing ambulance to continue their frontline duties.

Image source, EEAS

The patrol vehicle drivers have completed a three-day EEAS training course at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk.

The troops are providing patient transport services across the East of England. Patients will be accompanied at all times by a critical care team, including a doctor and nurse.

Marcus Bailey, chief operating officer at EEAS, said: "Covid-19 represents an unprecedented challenge for all of us and we truly appreciate the fantastic support we have received."

Trooper Jake Tredgett, 21, who grew up in Norwich, said: "I did feel a bit overwhelmed initially, but that passed once I was fully briefed and knew what was expected of me. I'm just keen to get on, get out there and do my bit."

The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the BBC East region is now 8,569, according to the latest figures from Public Health England, external.

The actual number of cases is estimated to be much higher. though - as it is mostly those in hospital and some NHS and care home staff who are currently being tested.

The total number of people to have died with coronavirus in the region is now 1,642 according to NHS England, external.

How many confirmed cases are there in your area?

Working from home? Missing your colleagues? Well, fear not - maybe you could rustle up some company?

Kate, who works for Blue Sky Assessing and Consultancy, external based at Earl Soham, Suffolk, had the idea of creating her own work buddies after she and her team were forced to work in isolation.

Image source, Blue Sky

"It is a difficult time for people working on their own and when Kate suggested building a buddy, I jumped at the opportunity," said Jane Bloomfield, director of Blue Sky.

"The team have been really creative with buddies being made from items such as loo rolls, plastic bottles and sugar paste.”

They include Talulah, a showgirl and trapeze artist, and Forky, a drink bottle with forks for hands.

"Kate’s parents even got involved building a full-sized buddy, which they admitted did cause some alarm when they entered the room having forgotten the buddy was there," Jane said.

Capt Tom Moore called the Duke of Cambridge his "super prince" after his fundraising was praised.

The British Science Festival, external, due to take place in Chelmsford from 8-12 September, has been postponed until 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The festival 2021, hosted by Anglia Ruskin University, external, will now take place from 7-11 September 2021 and the full programme will be launched in June next year.

Image source, British Science Association

Katherine Mathieson, chief executive of the British Science Association, said:“We are disappointed to have to postpone... at a time when the topic of science in society has rarely been higher up the public and media agenda.

"However, the safety of everyone in our community is paramount."

A governor at Chalkwell Hall Junior School , externalat Leigh-on-Sea in Essex has inspired staff and parents to 3D print protective face shields for hospitals and care workers.

"Our deputy head, Mr Hanshaw, tried a method and was successful, so we set about seeing if we could get parents and friends of the school to donate to materials so that we could print as many as possible," Louise Ford said.

Image source, Southend Hospital

"We had an amazing response and sold out our wish list within an hour so decided to see if we could fund-raise to buy a new 3D printer to up our production.

"Since then we have raised nearly £6,000, bought two new printers for the school as well as upgraded the equipment and got the word out to other local individuals and companies who are helping by printing masks that we then distribute to NHS staff and other key workers."

Hundreds of masks have been delivered to Southend and other hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, care homes, homeless shelters and more.

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

A picture paints a thousand words, and in this one firefighter Matt Brace and his daughters Molly and Ellie, just beam with pride.

Matt has worked for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue for 33 years and his children both work for the East of England Ambulance Service.

About 70 members of library staff have been redeployed to call vulnerable people to check they are safe and well.

Northamptonshire County Council said staff would be supporting the Community Resilience hub, which has a list of about 16,500 people with pre-existing health conditions in the county.

They will be checking if they need food, prescription medicine deliveries or just someone to talk to.

Lizzy Bowen, deputy leader of the council, said: "These are courtesy calls to ensure that people are supported and safe, and we are extremely proud of all the volunteers already helping vulnerable members in our community, as well as all of our staff members who are taking on new roles to help provide support during this difficult time.”

Image source, Northamptonshire County Council

Nic Rigby
BBC News

The retirement of a long-serving director at one of the region's hospitals lasted little more than 24 hours, after she returned to work to support the team through the coronavirus pandemic.

Julia Hunt, director of nursing at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk, had been due to step down after 32 years' service at the hospital.

Image source, James Paget Hospital

But after the start of the coronavirus pandemic she decided to return.

She has taken on the role of director of infection control while also providing support for her successor Paul Morris.

She told BBC Radio Norfolk: "I was very much looking forward to retirement but I just could not walk away from all of my colleagues and friends through this pandemic, hence the 24-hour retirement.

"Infection control always played a key part of my work as director of nursing but with the enormity of this pandemic this enables me to have much more of a focus on it."

Fees paid to providers of adult social care in Cambridgeshire are being increased by 10%.

Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council said the money would support care providers and recognise the financial pressure they are facing.

An extra £450,000 a month is going into the care sector in Peterborough, while the rest of Cambridgeshire will get a £1.4m increase.

Some of this spending will be met by each council's share of the government's emergency fund for supporting the additional costs of coronavirus.

Image source, Getty Images

Anna Bailey, chairwoman of Cambridgeshire County Council’s adult services committee, said: "We will get this additional money to them from the beginning of next week – and it will continue until at least the end of June."

Thames Valley Air Ambulance has thanked members of the public for the generous donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) to its staff.

The organisation, which serves Buckinghamshire, said: "Your continued support is helping to keep us at the frontline of savings lives in the fight against Covid-19."

An opera singer who was due to make her debut with English National Opera has become a hospital porter.

Milly Forrest was set to perform in the Marriage of Figaro until the theatres were closed down.

Three weeks ago she applied for a new job and became an NHS worker at Watford General, saying she was "not good at sitting at home not doing anything."

Image source, Milly Forrest

"I heard they were in desperate need of porters," she said.

"I'm on the minimum wage and with long hours, but I am absolutely loving it."

Image source, Amy Astor-Lewis

A food bank has seen a 300% increase in demand and says it is busier than ever.

Colchester Foodbank, external said March was the busiest "month ever", and it had trained more volunteers to cope.

Mike Beckett, its chief officer, said: "Last month over 46% of those who needed our help were children.

"One client, over 70, had been living on cereal until it had almost run out.

"A young mum found herself with nothing to feed her children, all home from school: not only did we supply emergency food but Easter eggs for her little ones, too."

He said donations were still needed, especially the following items: tins of custard, rice pudding, potatoes, tomatoes and fish; small packets of rice; packets of 80 teabags, long-life fruit juice and milk; pasta and pasta sauce, biscuits, toiletries and nappies.

Image source, Colchester Foodbank

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

Last week, we told you how the Roller Boys - ex-Starlight Express cast members who perform as a 1950s-style rock'n'roll group on roller skates - were looking to help charities with deliveries and give customers meals on wheels with a difference.

This week, founder member Michael Quinn and Cyrus Brandon have been out, external in Milton Keynes with the Henry Allen Trust, external, which helps children and families affected by childhood cancer.

Image source, YouTube

They delivered Easter treats to those who really can’t get out of the house at the moment and put on a little roller skating show outside their front doors.

Mr Quinn said: “It was very emotional but amazing to bring a smile to their faces.

“It was so rewarding and they loved it… it’s just us doing our little bit.”

Image source, YouTube

Greater Anglia, external is to close 34 ticket offices from Sunday "in response to the current coronavirus outbreak", the train operator has announced.

It has seen passenger numbers drop by over 90% so is temporarily shutting offices consistently selling fewer than 20 tickets a day.

Rail travellers are advised to check with Greater Anglia before setting out.

Image source, Greater Anglia

Ticket offices at key stations near big hospitals will remain open but seven others will see reduced opening hours.

All stations will remain open and Greater Anglia will continue to run a reduced timetable to make sure essential key workers can still travel to work and back.

Customers requiring tickets would be able to buy them either at ticket machines, online or by using the Greater Anglia app, the operator said.

• The Lowestoft Journal reports that great-grandmother Florence Fisher , externaldied with suspected Covid-19 at Britten Court care home in the town five days before her 100th birthday
• The coronavirus death toll in Suffolk could be up to 20% higher , externalthan reported due to deaths at care homes, a leading care official has told the East Anglian Daily Times
• Shopping centres may be empty of customers due to the coronavirus lockdown but at the Arc in Bury St Edmunds, a deer has been spotted, the Bury Free Press, external reports

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

The latest figures released by the government, external on Thursday showed that there were a further 112 deaths in the East of England, bringing the total to 1,537.

Here is the breakdown from each NHS Trust in the area.

• Anglian Community Enterprise CIC Fryatt Hospital: 2
• Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Trust: 12
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust: 5
• Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 7
• East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust: 3
• East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust: 6
• Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust: 1
• James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 2
• Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 1
• Luton and Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 13
• Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust: 7
• Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 2
• Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 3
• North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust: 2
• Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust: 13
• Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 1
• Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 2
• The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust: 9
• The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust: 10
• West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust: 10
• West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust: 1

It brings the total number of Covid-19 associated UK deaths in hospitals to 13,729.

Dotty McLeod
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

The grounds team at Cambridge United's Abbey Stadium have painted a thank-you message to NHS workers on the pitch.

The design includes a rainbow and a heart.

Ian Darler, stadium manager, said during his time at the club, he had been fortunate to work with doctors, ambulance officers, paramedics, police and firefighters who all pulled together when an emergency situation occurred.

Image source, Cambridge United FC

With lockdown set to continue for at least three more weeks, Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, external is highlighting its attractions over social media.

It may be closed to visitors, but is remaining open to receive injured, traumatised and orphaned wild owls and other birds of prey.

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

A hospital doctor said positive notes left on a mirror at work had left her "uplifted" at the end of an "exhausting" night shift.

Sam Harmer, who works in A&E at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, said she saw the notes in a toilet as she finished work.

"Right now I am exhausted after a night shift. When I saw this I felt uplifted, proud, emotional and had a strong desire to pay this random act of kindness forward," she said.

"Whoever did this for everyone is such an awesome person."

Image source, Sam Harmer