Basildon Council service update

Basildon Council sent this bulletin at 09-04-2020 04:15 PM BST

Council news and information

9 April 2020

Basildon Council is making decisions each day in order to maintain essential services and support those in need, while following public health guidance to protect the public and staff.

The first point of call for all residents worried about coronavirus should be Basildon Council’s coronavirus page www.basildon.gov.uk/coronavirus where we have a range of information and advice.

Noble gesture to support Basildon's community food and medicine distribution

West Ham United captain Mark Noble has again stepped in to support Basildon borough by funding the community effort to ensure food and medicines get through to some of the most isolated and vulnerable people in the community.

Mr Noble last month pledged his support to Basildon Council's plan to establish a Youth Zone in the borough. This week he has sent a message of support and a generous donation of £35,000 to help fund the community effort to get food and medicines to those most in need in the Basildon borough.

"I am so impressed by the way the community in Basildon is pulling together," Mr Noble said. "It is so important at this time we all do what we can to look out for one another.

"I have spoken before about how excited I am by what I see happening in Basildon and the potential for the future and I felt it was important to send a token of support at this time of need."

Since launching the Basildon Community Hub, the council has made hundreds of befriending calls to our activity centre members and residents suffering from isolation, as well as ongoing contact with our 2000 sheltered housing tenants.

We are also working closely with Motivated Minds to match our 387 volunteers to those residents in need of a more tailored service, such as special dietary needs, pet supplies and so on. Volunteers are being provided with materials and guidance to help those living around them.

How to make a referral:

Please contact us by email on: coronavirusresidents@basildon.gov.uk or by phone: 01268 533333 and choose option 1.

Please continue to stay home and save lives

With the Easter weekend here, please remember to continue to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.

Thank you to everyone who has continued to follow government guidance to keep us safe.

Watch our short video here, which captures some of those empty spaces, play areas and places in Basildon.

Easter weekend refuse collection changes

Please note that Good Friday collections will be one day later. All collections after Easter Monday will be a day later for the whole week.

Normal Collection Day	Revised Collection Day
Friday 10 April (Good Friday)	Saturday 11 April
Monday 13 April (Easter Monday)	Tuesday 14 April
Tuesday 14 April	Wednesday 15 April
Wednesday 15 April	Thursday 16 April
Thursday 16 April	Friday 17 April
Friday 17 April	Saturday 18 April

Will you be clapping for the NHS tonight?

If you're clapping in appreciation of the NHS and key workers at 8pm tonight, please send us your videos for us to share on:

Facebook @basildonboroughcouncil and Twitter @BasildonCouncil

We would love to see (and hear!) from as many of you as possible.

Call for 1,000 extra people from East of England Ambulance Service

The East of England Ambulance Service urgently needs 1,000 extra people for a wide range of paid and unpaid volunteer roles across the region.

Apply now at eastamb.nhs.uk/covid19 and help save lives.

Basildon radio station introduces special coronavirus coverage

Basildon radio station introduces special coronavirus coverage

Local radio station: Gateway 97.8 is remaining on air during the coronavirus outbreak, with a special 6pm Coronavirus Update every evening and additional coverage throughout the day. All shows are still on air as usual. The Radio Club youth group has become digital, with children still on air every Saturday morning via a conference call link.

The station has also set up a digital coursework scheme, to make sure Radio Club members can continue their Level 1 and Level 2 NCFE courses in Radio Production.

The station has established a Coronavirus page on the website, to bring listeners the most up to date local news.

Gateway 97.8 can be heard on 97.8fm in Basildon and East Thurrock, on the Gateway 97.8 app or online at: www.gateway978.com