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1 July 2020
Concerns of local lockdown unfounded
There have been media reports which identify Hounslow as one of many council areas at heightened risk of needing a local coronavirus lockdown. This is not the case.There are currently no serious concerns.
Cllr Candice Atterton, Cabinet Member for Adults, Social Care and Health, has issued this statement.
“Contrary to irresponsible reports in the media, there has been no significant spike in cases of coronavirus in Hounslow which warrants cause for serious concern or consideration of a local lockdown.
“As lockdown measures continue to be relaxed, and test and trace systems improve, it is very likely that many parts of the country will see increases in cases over the coming weeks. Small fluctuations day by day in different areas are to be expected. The overall levels of coronavirus in London remains low and steady.
“Like all London boroughs, we are working closely with Public Health England with access to the latest data to monitor new cases. We have a robust outbreak control plan in place and are able to quickly identify any need for immediate intervention.
“However, what the situation in Leicester demonstrates is that coronavirus is still out there and lives are still at risk. We cannot afford to get complacent. We must all continue to play our part, follow the rules, protect our vulnerable residents and control the spread.”
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Changes to lockdown rules from this Saturday
The Government recently set out further changes to lockdown measures in England to enable people to see more of their friends and family and allow more businesses to open.
From this Saturday (4 July):
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You can meet in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) in any location - public or private, indoors or outdoors. You do not always have to meet with the same household - you can meet with different households at different times. However, it remains the case - even inside someone’s home - that you should socially distance from anyone not in your household or bubble. This change also does not affect the support you receive from your carers.
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When you are outside you can continue to meet in groups of up to six people from different households, following social distancing guidelines.
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Additional businesses and venues, including restaurants, pubs, cinemas, visitor attractions, hotels, and campsites will be able to open - but certain premises where the risks of transmission may be higher will remain closed.
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Other public places, such as libraries, community centres, places of worship, outdoor playgrounds and outdoor gyms will be able to open.
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Stay overnight away from your home with your own household or support bubble, or with members of one other household.
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It will be against the law to gather in groups larger than 30 people, except for a limited set of circumstances to be set out in law and unless all members of the group are exclusively from two households.
For more information, read the Government’s updated Q&A document on what you can and cannot do. It also details the full list of premises which are allowed to open.
The Government’s overarching guidance remains the same. Everyone must:
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Stay at home as much as possible
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Work from home if you can
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Limit contact with other people
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Keep your distance if you go out (two metres apart where possible)
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Wash your hands regularly
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Wear a face covering on the public transport network and in hospitals
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Wear a face covering in enclosed or busy spaces, such as shops
Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms of a high temperature, or a new, continuous cough or a loss of, or change to your sense of smell or taste.
You can find further advice and information on hygiene precautions and social distancing on the NHS website.
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Guidance for vulnerable residents
Last month the Government advised that anyone ‘shielding’ could spend time outdoors. Following this, and alongside current scientific and medical advice, it is planning to further relax shielding guidance in stages.
From 6 July, the guidance will change so anyone shielding can meet in groups of up to six people from outside their household – outdoors with social distancing. If you live alone (or are a lone adult with dependent children under 18), you will be able to form a support bubble with another household.
From 1 August, there will no longer be a requirement to shield, and the advice will be that you can visit shops and places of worship, but you should continue maintaining rigorous social distancing.
The Government has written a letter, which will be sent out to all individuals on the Shielded Patient List with updated information on shielding advice and the ongoing support that will be available to them.
This letter has been translated into various languages and made to be more accessible. You can find out more here.
You can find out more about these changes and the support available on our website.
Read the full announcement on the Government’s website.
Hounslow's library reopening programme
Three libraries in the borough are set to reopen as part of Hounslow Council’s phased library reopening programme. Feltham and Heston libraries will reopen on Wednesday 8 July followed by Chiswick Library on Monday 13 July.
We have put a range of health and safety measures in place to minimise risk for staff and members of the public. These include social distancing, frequent cleaning and limiting the number of people in the building at one time.
The libraries will initially be operating with reduced hours, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm and visitors will be able to access a ‘browse, borrow and return’ service only.
Library computers will not be available for the public to access immediately. However, this service is under review and will be offered at a later date as part of the phased reopening programme.
While physical library buildings have been closed, Hounslow Libraries has continued to provide the Library at Home service; delivering books, DVDs and puzzles to vulnerable residents who are isolating in their own homes during the coronavirus pandemic.
The School Library Service has also continued, enabling all schools across the borough to have access to a wide range of library books.
You can visit our website for more information about library services and the reopening programme.
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Plans to reopen outdoor facilities
From 6 July the park playgrounds, public toilets and outdoor gyms in the borough will be able to reopen, provided they have the necessary coronavirus protection measures in place. There will be additional signs on social distancing and hygiene precautions to use these facilities safely and to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus.
Play areas in housing estates will also be open from 6 July, with additional measures in place for social distancing.
Further details will be on our website in due course.
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Sign up for NHS online services
In order to maintain social distancing and help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, you are still advised to stay at home as much as possible.
GP practices are now speaking with their patients by telephone, text message, video and email. You can also be seen face-to-face, if needed.
You can help your doctor to manage demand and make sure you do not have to visit the practice unnecessarily by signing up to access some services using the internet (known as online services).
If you have a smartphone you can download the NHS mobile application.
When you download and open the NHS mobile application, you will be told how to register. You will need documents like your passport to prove your identity. The NHS App provides a simple and secure way for people to access a range of NHS services on their smartphone or tablet. Download it on the App Store or Google Play.
Using your GP practice’s online services
You can also use a smartphone or your home computer to access your GP practice’s online services. You will find a web link to these services by going to your practice’s website.
To contact your GP, order repeat prescriptions and manage your wellbeing without leaving your home you can also visit the health at home section of the NHS website.
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Find the right NHS service for medical help
 If you need medical help NHS services are still available during the coronavirus pandemic. Find the right service to get the help you need quickly and safely. If you are unsure about who to contact and which service you need, visit the NHS 111 website or call 111.
Safe use of places of worship
In order to support the wider reopening of places of worship safely, from this Saturday, new guidance has been published this week.
The guidance is designed to assist places of worship in England to prepare to open for a broad range of worship activities, in accordance with the associated legislation which will come into effect on Saturday. The guidance sets out how this can be done in a manner that is coronavirus secure and in line with social distancing guidelines, in order to minimise the risk of exposure to infection.
You can read the guidance on the Government’s website.
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New guidance on small marriages and civil partnerships
The Government has published new guidance this week on small marriages and civil partnerships.
The guidance is designed to assist people planning to get married or form a civil partnership in England, and venues that host such ceremonies, to prepare for small ceremonies to be allowed to restart, in accordance with the associated legislation which will come into effect this Saturday.
You can read the guidance the Government’s website.
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Face coverings must be worn on the public transport network, in hospitals and busy enclosed spaces
Face coverings must be worn for the full duration of journeys on public transport. Operators will be able to refuse travel or issue penalty fines for those who fail to wear a face covering, in a similar way to the rules on having a ticket for travel.
Wherever possible, people should continue to avoid public transport and walk, cycle or drive to free up limited spaces available to those who have no alternative way to travel. You should also avoid busy stations and peak times (5.45-8.15am and 4-5.30pm).
Hospital visitors and staff must wear face coverings, and they should also be used by people in enclosed or busy spaces, such as shops.
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Have your say on the review of the licensing policy
We have launched a public consultation on a review of licensing policy in the borough and would like to hear from residents, licence holders, schools, stakeholders and other public authorities in Hounslow and neighbouring boroughs.
The Council is consulting not only because it is a legal requirement, but because the licensing policy potentially affects everyone who operates licensed premises, residents, other businesses and public authorities. Because of this we want to ensure that the widest number of people have been able to comment on it, so that changes can be made to the final document to make it more robust, more locally responsive and easier to understand.
Take part in the consultation
The consultation closes on 27 July 2020
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Online resources for parents to support home learning
A number of high quality and subject matter expert approved resources are still available for free for parents to keep the learning going at home whilst schools gradually reopen.
This list of subject-specific resources for:
These resources are approved by the Government and have been assessed with the support of subject experts to make sure they are:
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high quality
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appropriate for the students they are aimed at
The resources were also assessed to ensure they meet a number of technical requirements.
The resources may be useful for parents in considering how they could support their children’s education, but they should not be used in place of existing resources which schools may be using as part of their continued provision for pupils’ education at this time.
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Advice for businesses and venues reopening on Saturday
From Saturday hospitality businesses, such as pubs, restaurants and cafes, will be allowed to reopen, but must continue to follow strict social distancing and safety guidance to keep customers and staff safe.
All indoor hospitality businesses will be table service only, and contact between staff and customers should be limited. Customers will also have to give contact details when they enter a pub or restaurant, in the event that a local outbreak is detected.
Businesses will be expected to monitor crowd density in their premises, especially at bottleneck points - such as doorways.
A full list of businesses that can open from Saturday, provided they have the necessary coronavirus protection in place, and those that must remain closed, can be found here.
The Government has also issued updated guidance for businesses beginning the process of reopening from the coronavirus lockdown.
These guides for businesses cover the basic steps to reopening, with more specific guides focussing on different types of businesses.
Employers that want to reopen their business have a legal responsibility to protect their employees and other people on site. Use this guidance to help you carry out a risk assessment and make sensible adjustments to the site and workforce.
There is also a downloadable poster that can be displayed on your premises to inform staff and customers you are staying coronavirus secure.
You can find more information about the support available for businesses, self-employed and employees on our website.
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Employment and benefits support
If you are affected by coronavirus or its effect on the economy, there is a wide range of support available.
This new Government website provides information about the changes the Government has brought in to support people who are already claiming benefits, need to claim benefits, or are at risk of losing their job as a result of coronavirus.
You can find out more about the benefits you may be entitled to on the new website.
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Football Development Programme at Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub
Brentford FC Community Sports Trust is looking for talented young footballers to join their Football Development programme. With expert football coaching spanning more than 18 years, players will attend weekly training sessions at our brand-new sports hubs at Gunnersbury Park and Uxbridge High School. Goalkeepers are catered for with specialist coaching staff. The football development programme offers young people of any ability, and those with potential, the opportunity to receive a high-quality football education experience - enabling them to improve in a player-centred environment.
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Football and education for school leavers at Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub
The Trust is also looking for talented young footballers to join its post-16 education programme. You can be involved in the sort of activity the players have taken part in. The post-16 football education programme combines studying for A-Levels or a BTEC Level 3 sports diploma while enhancing football skills with experienced coaches. Students will take part in a rigorous training programme at Gunnersbury Park’s state-of-the-art sports facilities and compete in the prestigious Community Education Football Alliance League with the EFL. For more information visit their website.
Collecting coronavirus memories
In April, the Museum of London announced that it was seeking to collect both objects and first-hand experiences to reflect Londoners’ lives during the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, as part of the museum's ongoing Collecting Covid project, they can share details of one of the earliest initiatives of the project developed aiming to reflect how the Muslim community experienced Ramadan during lockdown.
Ramadan this year was from the 23 April to 23 May, at the height of lockdown. With restrictions in place such as social distancing and the closure of mosques, communities were unable to celebrate the festival in their usual way.
Londoners therefore adapted and found unique ways to celebrate the festival. The Museum of London has captured examples of this to ensure future generations of Londoners will be able to learn about and understand this extraordinary period.
You can find out more on their website here.
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Domestic abuse - safe spaces scheme is still open for victims in Boots and Morrisons stores
The coronavirus pandemic is presenting very challenging circumstances for people living through domestic abuse and we want victims of domestic abuse to know they are not alone.
Remember our message to anyone facing domestic abuse is really simple:
We are still here and we are still able to help you.
If you are not safe at home, isolation rules do not apply and you can leave you home to escape abuse.
Our specialist domestic and sexual violence service for Hounslow is still open (they can be contacted on 07810 031780 (Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) and we have developed new ways of working to support anyone experiencing domestic abuse during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Anyone in immediate risk of danger call 999. If it is not safe to speak then you should use the silent solutions service by dialling 999 and pressing 55 and the police will know this is related to a domestic incident and will be able to help you.
Safe spaces in Boots and Morrison Pharmacies
Boots and Morrison pharmacies now offer safe places where anyone suffering domestic abuse can use the pharmacy consultation rooms to contact specialist abuse services for support and advice. The access to support services in Boots and Morrison Pharmacies include:
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24-hour National domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247
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Men’s advice line: 0808 801 032
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Signposting to download free mobile app Bright Sky, which provides support and information to anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know.
How to access safe spaces in Boots and Morrison pharmacies Simply go into any Boots store or Morrisons store and ask at the healthcare counter to use their consultation room. Once inside, all the specialist domestic abuse support information will be available to make any calls in a safe and confidential environment.
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Thank you for your poems to celebrate National Writing Day
Thank you for your poetry contributions to celebrate National Writing Day 2020. We've received some wonderful poems that are very creative, moving and inspirational.
We've picked these entries to share with you and hope they inspire others to get creative with their writing and explore poetry.
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Online resources for health, education and wellbeing
New for adults, young people, children and families;
BBC Sounds Need some music to accompany your morning run or home workout? Try out these new pace setter mixes. From dance hits to upbeat pop these tunes will keep you motivated.
Autism Hounslow every Tuesday and Thursday there is an opportunity to learn Shintaido - a Japanese Martial Art - through online sessions designed specifically for autistic people.
Osterley National Trust Park and Garden The garden and car park at Osterley have reopened, you’ll need to book your tickets by 3pm the day before your visit. Members can book for free, while non-members will need to pay when booking. Tickets are released every Friday.
Active at Home for older adults the new booklet from Public Health England provides practical guidance to older adults on activities they can undertake at home in order to maintain their strength and balance.
LYG Virtual Games is open to all children and young people from Hounslow until 4th July. There is still time to get involved- check out the leader board with the latest Borough standings which is updated every week. #ThisIsLYG.
Hounslow Cycling sessions in conjunction with Bikeworks, is for anyone who lives, works or studies in the borough. Free ‘Dr Bike’ bike servicing also available, click here for the schedule.
NHS Fitness Studio has some great new workout routines that you can do anytime, anywhere including, aerobics, belly dancing, pilates and yoga.
Visit oneyouhounslow.org for more support and information.
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