Tamworth residents urged to complete their tests before pilot comes to an end

Residents in two Tamworth wards taking part in a Covid-19 testing pilot are being reminded they have just two days to drop their completed kits. 

Already, nearly 1,000 tests have been dropped off at collection points in the Stonydelph and Glascote areas of Tamworth.

With the pilot scheme coming to an end on Friday, residents of these areas are being encouraged to drop their tests off at one of seven local collection points as soon as they can.

NHS Test and Trace, in partnership with Staffordshire County Council, Tamworth Borough Council and the Royal Mail has targeted around 6,000 households in the Glascote and Stonydelph areas to help stop the spread of infection and learn more about how coronavirus is being transmitted in the area.

Added to this, the county council is also matching every kit returned to the Sacred Heart Collection point with £1 up to a maximum of £500 - with proceeds going to the Heart of Tamworth Community Food Shop.

Dr Richard Harling, Staffordshire County Council’s Director for Health and Care said: “We’ve seen a tremendous response from the people of Stonydelph and Glascote to this pilot so far, with nearly 900 tests returned already. With only two days of this pilot left, I would urge anyone who has completed a test to drop it off at a local collection point as soon as they can.”

The collection points are:

• St Peter’s Church, Hawksworth, Glascote Heath, B77 2HH. Opening times: 09.00 -15.30
• Glascote Children’s Centre, Hawksworth, Glascote Heath, B77 2ER. Opening times: 08.30 -16.00
• Magraths Pharmacy, 68 Caledonian, Tamworth. B77 2ED. Opening times: 09.00-16.00
• Pennymoor Community Centre, Pennymoor Road, Tamworth B77 4LG. Opening times: 09.00 -16.30 (closed Wednesday 14/04/21)
• Stoneydelph Pharmacy, 29 Ellerbeck, Wilnecote, Tamworth, B77 4JA. Opening times: 09.00 -17.30 (closed 13:00-14:00)
• Watsons GH Newsagents, Pennymoor Road, Wilnecote, Tamworth, B77 4LG. Opening times: 08.00 -19.00
• Sacred Heart Church, Silver Link Road, Glascote Heath, Tamworth, B77 2EA. Opening Times: 08.00 -19.00

Richard added: “All of the collection points are being used, but we would particularly like to see more people going to St Peter’s Church and Glascote Children’s Centre, as these are proving to be the quietest of the seven. The more tests we have, the more we can analyse the spread and help keep people safe.”

To find out more about the pilot testing, visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk/coronavirus