The Healthy Start programme helps families with young children get free food and vitamin vouchers. If you have children under 4 or are pregnant, and you or your family receive qualifying benefits you may be eligible. You can quickly find out here and apply online.

Vouchers can be spent on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins for children under 4 and vitamins if you are pregnant (folic acid, vitamins C and D). Because we’re indoors a lot of the time at the moment, we might not be getting enough vitamin D from sunshine so a supplement will help.

Once you're registered, food vouchers are posted to you every 4 weeks and vitamin coupons every 8 weeks. For more information, please ask your midwife or text your health visitor on 07520 631721.

If you are a working parent and have a 3 or 4-year-old child, you could be eligible for 30 hours of funded early learning and childcare per week in a nursery, preschool or with a childminder. 

The government has announced some temporary changes to the eligibility rules so that parents are not disadvantaged by changes to their income levels due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Parents are encouraged to apply for, and reconfirm their 30 hours and tax-free childcare entitlement, even if they have not been using them due to the closure of childcare settings during lockdown.

Find out more, including how to apply online here. 

The deadline for applications is 31 August. 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/You and your family may be out enjoying the Devon countryside more often now it's the school holidays but be aware, you could be exposed to ticks.

Ticks are small, spider-like creatures that feed on the blood of animals, including people. They mainly live in woodland, grassy areas, moors, heaths and even urban parks or gardens.

Always check your family for ticks when you've been in one of these area and if you find any, remove them safely using a tick removal tool or fine tipped tweezers as soon as possible because ticks can carry diseases like Lyme disease.

Contact your GP if you have been bitten by a tick and you get:

• flu-like symptoms – such as feeling hot and shivery, headaches, aching muscles or feeling sick, or
• a circular red rash like the one in the photo above.