In this issue...

• Festive message from East Devon District Council Leader
• Christmas hours and emergency contacts
• Festive recycling and waste collection information
• Stay safe and well as temperatures drop this winter
• Greendale vaccination centre opening times over Christmas

News and updates: 

Christmas message from East Devon District Council Leader

Once again, this Christmas and New Year is likely to be a challenge to us all, both to the residents of East Devon and to the officers and councillors who work for them. I would like to thank all of them for their kindness and patience this year. 

Our Waste & Recycling Service has had to deal with unprecedented challenges, from labour shortages to huge increases in volumes of cardboard recycling, but with the front line workers' hard graft and the kind understanding of the public, we've kept the show on the road. Thank you. Similarly our operatives maintaining and cleaning the loos in a pandemic with a huge and welcome increase in tourist numbers have shown great dedication. Behind desks, our officers have had to take on mountains of extra work from the government disbursing funding to keep our businesses afloat, or to distribute hardship amounts to those who have been thrown into even greater need. The key theme of all of this is concern for the welfare of others and a justifiable sense of pride in the amazing area where we live. Now it's the season where we can seek to find the warmth and comfort of celebration, and to look back on another historic year. May I please wish the people of East Devon a Happy Christmas from us all at East Devon District Council, and hope for a better year to come. Councillor Paul Arnott, East Devon District Council Leader

Christmas opening hours

East Devon District Council’s main phone lines will be closed for Christmas from 12pm on Friday 24 December and will re-open in the New Year at 8.30am on Tuesday 4 January 2022.

Please see our website for information about the council and your refuse and recycling or clinical collections during this period. You can also find this information on your East Devon App and by asking your Alexa device.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Update from LED

LED Community Leisure would like to wish a Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of our teams, customers and the wider communities who have supported us this year.

From exciting career opportunities in management, catering and lifeguarding to the completion of on-going projects such as the refurbishment of Honiton Swimming Pool changing rooms there is plenty to look forward to in 2022. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age, ability or fitness level and we will always do our utmost to help you on your fitness journey. 

In the meantime, we feel it is important that our team members get enough time off during the festive season to rest and relax with their families and friends before what will be a busy New Year period.

Please click on the link to view LED opening times this Christmas.

Recycling news 

Not sure what you should and shouldn’t be recycling this Christmas?

Have a look at our website for a handy list of ideas and information to help you over the festive season.

Every household in the district should have received a bin hanger, with all the information you need over Christmas and New Year.

The information can also be found by visiting www.eastdevon.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste.

You can also ask your Alexa when your bins will be collected. Visit www.eastdevon.gov.uk/alexa to add this Alexa skill or by downloading the East Devon App.

Read more

Christmas tree recycling

You can recycle your real Christmas tree in your green waste bin (no branches thicker than 100mm) or you can take them here:

Get your booster over the festive week at the Greendale Vaccination Centre

Find out more information about walk-in vaccination sites across the county by clicking on the NHS website and entering your postcode.

Stay safe and well as temperatures drop this winter

With wintry weather on the way, the NHS and local authorities in Devon are reminding people of the importance of ensuring people who are more vulnerable to cold are able to stay safe and warm. 

• Heating your home to at least 18C, including overnight, is particularly important if you have reduced mobility, are 65 and over, or have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease.
• If you can’t heat all the rooms you use, heat the living room during the day and your bedroom just before you go to sleep.
• If you don’t use mains gas or electricity make sure you have sufficient fuel .
• Wear a few layers of thin clothing rather than one thick layer; this will trap the heat better.
• People who are mobile should continue to exercise and keep moving during the day. It is best not to sit for more than an hour if possible.
• Have sufficient medication, including repeat prescriptions and food at home in case very cold or icy weather sets in.

Read more

StreetLink helps rough sleepers

Members of the public concerned about someone sleeping rough can download the StreetLink mobile phone app or use the StreetLink website which enables members of the public in England and Wales to send an alert.

StreetLink alerts are referred onto the relevant council or outreach team who use the information to find the person and connect them to local support services that can help to end their homelessness.

Read more

Next edition

We plan to send out our next bulletin on Friday, 7 January 2022.

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