 We want to wish our all our residents celebrating a Happy Chinese New Year, we wish you good health, happiness, and prosperity.
Due to national lockdown restrictions, Chinese New Year must be celebrated very differently this year.
There are many ways to mark important occasions in alternative ways. Acting safely and responsibly at all times is the only way to keep our loved ones, older relatives and communities safe.
The London Chinatown Chinese Association will be holding an online programme of events on 14 February, featuring “an online review of Chinese New Year and its past, alongside new Chinese artists.
 Valentine’s Day takes place on Sunday (14 February) and national lockdown restrictions means we must all celebrate in a different way this year, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t mark the occasion and make it special while staying at home.
The Council is urging residents to share what they love about the borough by using #LoveHounslow on social media - whether it’s your local park, your street or your neighbours we want you to share it with us.
We know that this time of year and lockdown can feel lonely, so we have a range of mental health and wellbeing support available to help keep all residents well.
Families that normally receive free school meals will get a voucher worth £15 through the post to spend on lunches during the holiday.
The vouchers will be posted out to families over the next week and will include children living outside the borough that attend Hounslow's schools.
The extra meals are being funded by the COVID Winter Grant Scheme.
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 The Council and local organisations, like Hounslow Promise and Richmond Rugby club, are continuing to help to supply extra laptops for digitally excluded pupils in our borough.
Can you donate a laptop and help a pupil make a success of learning from home?
Protection for rough sleepers
In response to extreme weather conditions Hounslow Council is working hard to ensure that people sleeping rough are vaccinated against COVID-19.
The freezing temperatures mean the risks faced by rough sleepers are even greater and even deadly for some as they spend the night outside.
The Council is working closely with homeless charity, St Mungo’s and the pan-London Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) to ensure sufficient support and facilities are available, including providing a warm, safe place to sleep.
Outreach teams are working jointly with the North West London (NWL) NHS team to ensure rough sleepers have access to COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Council is working hard to ensure that the whole borough is well-prepared and would like to remind all residents that it is important to take special care of themselves, their friends, family and neighbours, so that they can remain safe and well throughout the cold snap.
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As part of LGBTQ+ History Month, we’re hosting special virtual events with residents.
It’s all part of the national LGBT+ history month, an annual campaign to tackle prejudice in the community, with Hounslow’s events just some of the many taking part across the country throughout February.
Queer stories from Hounslow - Thursday 25 February, 6pm – 7.15pm via Zoom.
The Council and Gunnersbury Park Museum are hosting a special event to mark LGBTQ+ History Month, celebrating the lives of local Hounslow LGBTQ+ icons, including Queen singer Freddie Mercury and television presenter Clare Balding.
Hosting the evening will be curator Amy Dobson and queer historian Dan Vo, joined by the Mayor of the London Borough of Hounslow, Cllr Tony Louki and Cllrs Katherine Dunne and Richard Eason, as well as friends from local cultural organisations.
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Children born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 will be eligible to start in the nursery class of a Hounslow school in September 2021. You can apply to more than one school.
Applications will close on 7 May 2021 and forms are available on our website. The form must be sent directly to your chosen school.
Due to COVID-19, we are not encouraging parent or carers to attend schools to collect the application form, so please download your application form from our website.
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 In partnership with NHS Hounslow CCG we are running a series of online information sessions for carers to support them during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next session will be led by Public Health with a focus on hospital care, admissions and discharges.
 As part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) re-opening the High Streets Safely Funding, the Council is providing a new programme of business support to help town centre businesses trade safely and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The next specialist event takes place on Wednesday 17 February 10-11am. It will give participants the chance to hear from marketing experts, get a private speed mentoring session and network with local business owners.
 During the current national lockdown, All-Ability sessions can continue to take place in line with Government guidance.
All-Ability One-to-One sessions are an inclusive cycling session that is open to residents with learning and physical disabilities, from ages 10 years+. It is a fantastic way for everyone to have fun, gain more independence and enjoy a sense of freedom.
We have a diverse range of adapted bikes to suit all abilities ranging from side-by-side bikes, hand cycles, recumbent cycles and trikes, to name a few. Our experienced instructors will be on-hand to help. Helmets, high-visibility tabards and support straps will be provided to ensure cycling is comfortable for all.
Sessions will strongly adhere to COVID-19 social distancing rules and bikes will be sterilised between riders.
Sessions take place every Saturday 10.30am to 3.30pm at Inwood Park, Hounslow, TW3 1XG and are open to residents to pre-book. Upcoming dates this month include 13, 20 and 27 February.
 London Youth Games (LYG) are putting young disabled Londoners at the heart of competition, empowering them to set and complete challenges as part of the LYG Virtual Inclusive Games.
The competition will run for the next eight weeks and will give youngsters of all abilities the chance to get involved in up to three sport-related challenges each week, kicking off with a basketball competition. Each challenge will include suggested adaptations to ensure as many young people as possible can get involved.
So how does it work?
- Look out for the challenges on social media every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 9am
- Once you complete the challenge submit scores to: the London Youth Games website by 12pm the following Monday.
- Points will be based on the challenge completed, how many people in the borough took part and a leader board will show who is in the lead each week until the winner is finally announced after 4 April.
Athlete ambassadors will be on hand to help and inspire young people through the challenges, and individual prizes will also be up for grabs.
 NHS staff are urging Londoners who speak different languages to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
NHS doctors, nurses and other frontline staff have come forward to reassure communities that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and have been independently tested to the highest standards. The clinicians have recorded messages in some of the most commonly spoken community languages in the capital to make sure all parts of London know the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
The videos explain how the vaccine is given and give clear evidence that the vaccines work and are safe. It would be very helpful if you could share these videos among friends, families, faith and community groups via WhatsApp, text message and on social media.
 The government guidelines state that everyone should be working from home where possible. We understand that for many people this has not been something their employers have supported.
If you are feeling anxious, unsafe or inadequately protected from the risk of COVID-19 at your workplace then please raise any concerns via the email below.
All emails will be treated with strict confidentiality and the team will use any concerns raised to explore improving unsafe work environments in Hounslow.
The email address is HealthandSafety@hounslow.gov.uk
 We’re planning to make some changes to the opening hours at one of our testing sites from next week to help more key workers, carers, tradespeople and essential retail workers access rapid tests.
Please keep an eye on our Twitter page for more details and we’ll also provide an update in our next edition.
Rapid testing is available for anyone over the age of 18 who does not have COVID-19 symptoms.
Our test sites are located at:
- Hounslow House – 7 Bath Road, Hounslow TW3 3EB
- Heston Library – New Heston Road, Hounslow TW5 0LW
- Isleworth Library – Twickenham Road, Isleworth TW7 7EU
- Staines Rugby Club - The Reeves, Snakey Lane, Feltham TW13 7NB
Book online www.hounslow.gov.uk/rapidtest or call 0207 084 9697.
 It is vital to get tested if you think you have COVID-19 symptoms. Remember, you must self-isolate until you get a negative result.
A range of COVID-19 tests are available - you can:
- Order a home test kit
- Go to a local walk-through test centre in Feltham and Heston, or
- Visit a Mobile Testing Site
You can't access a test without booking in advance online or by calling 119.
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