Dear Volunteer,
Please find forwarded message which we hope you will find both
interesting and useful.
Take care and kind regards,
*Coordinating Team*
*Milton Covid-19 Community Support Group*
Mobile: 07933 550989
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Communities Duty <Duty.Communities(a)scambs.gov.uk>
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2021 at 18:22
Subject: Covid-19 community update - 15 January 2021
To:
Covid-19 update – 15 January 2021
Dear members, volunteer coordinators and parish councillors
Many thanks to everyone who joined us for our latest community briefing
yesterday evening. Liz Watts, our CEO, gave a presentation on vaccination
information; Val Thomas, Deputy Director for Public Health at the County
Council, gave an update on the current Coronavirus numbers in our area; and
our Head of Environmental Services, Trevor Nicoll, updated on the work we
are doing to support the Department for Transport to safely isolate lorry
drivers who have tested positive for Coronavirus. If you were not able to
attend, please feel free to view the recording
<https://scambs-gov-uk.zoom.us/j/86521507717?pwd=a3MzdkwzQ0VQV3lNd3JkdC9oa3p…>.
You will need to use passcode 365092.
We have included some slides from last night but watching the recording
will really help with understanding these in context.
As a reminder, you can also access all the public data about Coronavirus
rates for your area on the Government’s data website
<https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/>. There is a huge amount of information
there.
National lockdown – reminders
Most people are hopefully aware of the main message during this lockdown:
to stay at home as much as possible. The emphasis is on not going out, even
for the permitted reasons, if you can possibly avoid doing so. For
instance, shopping is allowed, but if you can order online for home
delivery; that would help. Exercise outdoors is allowed – including with
another person – but if you don’t need to go somewhere busy and you don’t
need to meet with someone from another household for exercise, all the
better.
Please help us to share these reminders in your community by sharing our
Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/SouthCambridgeshireDistrictCouncil/photos/a.155464…>
and Twitter <https://twitter.com/SouthCambs/status/1350098554849812480?s=20>
posts.
How to avoid spreading the virus within the home
There may be an underlying assumption in some households that if one person
has the virus, then the rest of the household will inevitably catch it.
This isn’t necessarily the case, however, and there are measures people can
take to prevent spreading the virus to loved ones
<https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treat…>.
If you have symptoms, you should stay away from other people you live with
as much as possible. Try to:
- stay on your own in one room as much as possible and keep the door
closed
- avoid using shared spaces at the same time as other people – eat your
meals alone in your room
- use the bathroom after everyone else has used it, and clean it
afterwards, for example, by using a sanitising product on the surfaces
you've touched
- wash your hands often, or use hand sanitiser
- clean objects and surfaces you touch often (such as door handles,
kettles and phones) using your regular cleaning products
- consider wearing a face covering when in shared spaces
- keep windows open as much as possible, especially in the room you're
staying in and shared spaces
Please help us to share these reminders in your community by sharing our
Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/SouthCambridgeshireDistrictCouncil/photos/a.155464…>
and Twitter <https://twitter.com/SouthCambs/status/1349794337496981504?s=20>
posts.
Vaccination programme
If you are in touch with anyone who has been invited to have the
vaccination, please remind them that the NHS is asking them not to arrive
early for their appointment. This is both to avoid people having to wait
outside in the cold and wet for any longer than is necessary, and to help
to avoid long queues and the risk of mixing. Please also remind people to
be vigilant against scams and remember that the NHS will never ask them to
pay, or to use any financial details as ID. If they receive any suspicious
phone calls or text messages, these can be reported
<https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/beware-of-coronavir…>.
The presentation from last night’s meeting provides more information.
Please help to amplify these reminders in your community by sharing our
posts about vaccine scams on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/SouthCambridgeshireDistrictCouncil/photos/a.155464…>
and Twitter <https://twitter.com/SouthCambs/status/1349740556285431811?s=20>
.
St John’s Ambulance volunteer vaccinators
St John’s Ambulance is recruiting volunteers to help administer vaccines in
the community. For further information and eligibility criteria visit the St
John’s Ambulance website
<https://vaccinationvolunteers.sja.org.uk/roles/volunteer-vaccinator.html>.
Self-isolation support
We are aware of some people who should be self-isolating (having tested
positive or been in contact with someone who has tested positive) who are
continuing to leave the house to run errands such as collecting
prescriptions from the pharmacy. Could you share the message in your
communities that volunteers could help people in this position so that they
do not have to do this and put others at risk?
Please help us to share these reminders in your community by sharing our
Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/SouthCambridgeshireDistrictCouncil/photos/a.155464…>
and Twitter <https://twitter.com/SouthCambs/status/1348639712928477184?s=20>
posts.
A reminder of support available
If anyone in your community needs practical support (such as shopping or
dealing with prescriptions) or help to cover their costs, there are a
couple of options available:
- The small upfront grants of £100 to £400 we provided can be used for
any one-off support for an individual or family that you come across
- Residents can call the Countywide Covid hub directly on 03450 455 219,
or you can call them of behalf of a resident, for help on things like food
deliveries or regular phone calls to support residents’ mental wellbeing
- Priority slots for supermarket deliveries for people who are shielding
– individuals can register
<https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-shielding-support>
- Payments of £500
<https://www.scambs.gov.uk/coronavirus/self-isolation-payment/> are
available to support a loss of income during self-isolation, under a number
of schemes with different eligibility requirements – please don’t assume
people won’t be eligible
- Anyone whose income has reduced should check the government website to
see what benefits they may be entitled to
<http://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits>, and then also contact us to apply
for Council Tax Support and to find out about other help we may be able to
offer, such as through a Hardship fund
- Two hot food schemes are currently running, covering many villages in
the district – please let us know of any residents who you think would
particularly benefit from receiving a weekly meal and we can discuss
whether any volunteer support would be needed to deliver these in your
village
- A reminder of some answers to Frequently Asked Questions
<https://www.scambs.gov.uk/coronavirus/advice-for-communities/frequently-ask…>
from previous lockdowns – covering topics such as collecting prescriptions
for vulnerable people, signposting to resources to help people with their
mental wellbeing, and other practical information.
Reminder: Local Connections Fund opened on 5 January
The Local Connections Fund
<https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/local-connections-fu…>
is a £4m fund looking to support charities and organisations which seek to
reduce loneliness in their local communities.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and The National
Lottery Community Fund are investing £2 million each. This will be used to
fund hundreds of ‘microgrants’ between £300 and £2,500, so small, local
organisations (with an annual income of £50,000 or less) can bring people
and communities together.
The first round opened for applications on 5 January 2021 and will close on
26 January 2021, and successful applicants must have spent the money and
finished their project by 31 March 2021.
Safely re-opening community centres, village halls and other community
facilities
The guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities
<https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-u…>
has been updated to reflect 4 January announcement of national lockdown for
all England.
COVID information pathways
Our Sustainable Communities team is compiling a master document of the
various countywide referral pathways we have shared with you over the last
few months. Our aim is to help make it as simple as possible for community
groups to source the information they need. This document will be with you
shortly.
Bar Hill
In the Community briefing there was an update regarding and HGV isolation
centre at a hotel in Bar Hill. For further details please see our press
release
<https://www.scambs.gov.uk/local-councils-support-dft-s-scheme-to-help-lorry…>
which
includes a frequently asked questions document.
Feedback at the community briefing and extra information
Thank you for the questions at the community briefing. We have included a
document covering a summary of the questions asked and the answers from
last night. Below are a few more updates to help answer queries raised.
Support for community buildings and more
Community centres and village halls forced to close as part of recent tier
or national lockdown restrictions may be eligible for either the Local
Restrictions Support Grant or the Additional Restrictions Grant – a
discretionary scheme available to businesses and organisations who do not
pay business rates. Current guidance and application detail, including how
to apply, are on the local restrictions page
<https://www.scambs.gov.uk/business/coronavirus-information-for-businesses/f…>
of the Council’s website.
The Council’s Business Support Team can help at any time. They would urge
anyone involved in a community building to check back regularly for updates
on how to apply and the latest round of grants available.
We were also asked last night about organisations that provide childcare
before and after school that have been impacted. If they are a commercial
business, then they may also be eligible and are encouraged to contact the
Business Team.
For any eligibility queries, please contact BusinessGrants(a)scambs.gov.uk
Mental Health training reminder – it's not too late
We have commissioned mental health training from MIND for councillors,
parish councils and community groups. The training is free of charge and is
in two parts. Please share this training link <https://youtu.be/N6N0mBy6Zas>
for the first part with everyone in your community group. It is a webinar
they can view in their own time.
The second phase of training will allow up to two people from each parish
to extend their knowledge of mental health by attending an online workshop
with a coach from MIND. To book onto a future date simply email MIND and
let them know you are getting in touch about the SCDC mental health
training. They will contact you as soon as there are enough people to run
another date.
Email: training(a)cpslmind.org.uk
Help to access home schooling tech
The Council has provided funding to Cambridge Online, to help provide
devices and data to children who are particularly affected during the
pandemic and need support to access online education. For more information,
visit Cambridge Online <http://www.cambridgeonline.org.uk/>, email
help(a)cambridgeonline.org.uk or call the Cambridge Online helpline on 01223
300407, quoting ‘South Cambs Winter Support Grant’. The Cambs Youth Panel
<https://cambsyouthpanel.co.uk/computers-for-students> is also working to
help provide students with technology.
Best wishes
Bill Handley
Lead Cabinet Member for Community Resilience, Health & Wellbeing
South Cambridgeshire District Council
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Dear All
Thank you to all of you who have offered to volunteer your help, with the
local roll out of the Covid Vaccinations.
There has been a great deal of work by the surgery staff to try and work
with ever changing processes to move this forward. Although they are
getting closer, they still do not have a delivery date. I will come back to
you as soon as they do.
One issue has been finding a suitable venue for an operation of this size
over such a long period of time.
If a possible venue in Histon became the solution we need to ask whether
you would still be willing and able to volunteer.
PLEASE ONLY EMAIL ME *IF YOU WOULD NOT *BE ABLE TO HELP IN HISTON.
Thank you for your support at this difficult time.
Kind regards
Linda Henderso
Milton Covid19 support group
