Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week
 Next week is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Week. MS is an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). Your immune system normally protects you by fighting off infection, but with MS the immune system turns on itself and attacks the nerve cells, which control lots of different parts of your body. Everyone’s MS is different. Find out more about the signs and symptoms of MS here.
Around 130,000 people in the UK or one in every 500 are affected by MS. It is commonly diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 40. There is currently no cure. Once diagnosed, MS stays with you for life, but treatments and specialists can help you to manage the condition and its symptoms.
Whether you have been diagnosed with MS yourself or are a carer for someone who has, information, advice and support is available.
Census 2021 is not over
 Even if you've missed Census Day there is still time to complete your census! Every household is required by law to complete the census and even though Census Day – 21 March 2021 – has been and gone, it is not too late to complete a questionnaire. We have had a great response to Census 2021 so far, but everyone needs to respond as soon as possible to avoid a fine.
Joy for book lovers in Hounslow as libraries reopen
The majority of libraries have reopened this week (from 12 April), allowing customers to browse and borrow books straight from the shelves. Residents are advised to check libraries are open before attending.
Libraries have been made COVID-19 safe with social distancing, frequent cleaning and a limited number of people in the building at any one time. Visitors will also be required to wear a face covering unless exempt.
Visitors should avoid touching books unless they intend to borrow them. All returned books will undergo a 72-hour quarantine before going back on the shelves. There’ll be less human interaction as customers returning books are asked to use the new self-service machines.
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Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub welcomes visitors
Gunnersbury Park’s brand-new sports hub is welcoming visitors through its doors this week (from Monday 12 April), in line with the government’s COVID-19 rules.
The new venue offers a variety of facilities and activities for all ages and abilities.
This includes a large station gym with more than 100 machines, two group exercise studios with automated virtual classes, a large-sized sports hall offering a variety of sports, including competition standard facilities for handball, futsal and volleyball, as well as many others.
The outdoor pitches are available for hire, offering eight tennis courts and two full size all-weather pitches as well as 10 grass pitches for football, rugby and cricket. There are a broad variety of indoor and outdoor sporting activities, fixtures plus lessons and courses available for booking.
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Lampton Leisure Centres welcome back residents
 This week, six leisure centres across the borough reopened their doors, under the new management of Lampton Leisure, the company that now operates the leisure services for Hounslow Council.
With restrictions starting to lift, the reopening of Leisure centres means that residents in Hounslow can once again access fitness facilities, including going to the gym and for a swim, as well as the return of our Swim School programme. Other activities and facilities will be phased in when it is safe and viable to do so and in line with the Government roadmap.
To thank all of our members for their patience while we have been closed we will be giving you the rest of April and May free! If you are not a member yet, head to the memberships page on the Lampton Leisure website and sign up today.
All sessions need to be booked online prior to arriving at your local leisure centre, these are now available for you to book through the Lampton Leisure app.
Thinking about fostering?
 Why not join one of our information sessions in April? Our friendly and experienced fostering team will be talking about all aspects of fostering from your journey to getting approved and the training and support you will receive. There will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions.
Online information sessions for unpaid carers
 Hounslow Council and NHS Hounslow Clinical Commissioning Group invite you to the next monthly carer online information session. Each session is an opportunity to meet other carers online and get information to help you in your caring role. The sessions are for anyone who helps a relative or friend, without payment.
The topic of the next session is One Hounslow Connect - a new digital platform enabling residents to access information around what support is available to them in various life situations.
It takes place on Thursday 22 April from 1.00pm to 2.30pm (90 mins).
Even more ways for you to access your free Rapid Tests
Last week, we updated you to let you know that everyone can now get a free Rapid Test twice a week. Did you know that in addition to our Community Mass Testing sites, you can also access free Rapid Tests from a variety of other locations? You can even order kits to be delivered to your home.
Approximately 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 have no symptoms and could be spreading the virus without realising. It’s important to get tested twice a week if you don’t have COVID-19 symptoms. It’s free, quick and easy to do on your way out, or on your way to and from work.
There are lots of ways you can now access your free rapid tests:
Drop-in at one of our Community Mass Testing sites where our staff are on hand to guide you through the process and to answer any questions you may have:
- Heston Library – New Heston Road, Hounslow TW5 0LW – Open 6.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, or 8.00am-4.00pm Sat/Sun
- Hounslow House – 7 Bath Road, Hounslow TW3 3EB – Open 8.00am-4.00pm, Mon-Sun
- Isleworth Library – Twickenham Road, Isleworth TW7 7EU – Open 8.00am-4.00pm, Mon-Sun
- Staines Rugby Club, Snakey Lane, Feltham TW13 7NB – Open 8.00am-4.00pm, Mon-Sun
To book online visit: www.hounslow.gov.uk/rapidtest or call to make an appointment: 0207 084 9697.
You can also:
If you do tests at home, you’ll need to report your results online here: Report your test result online or by calling 119.
Please note: Whilst libraries re-opened from 12 April, Heston Library and Isleworth Library will remain in use as rapid test sites only until further notice. Thank you for your understanding.
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What do I do if my Rapid Test is positive?
You may have seen some stories in the news today relating to positive results from Rapid Tests (also known as rapid Lateral Flow Tests).
If your Rapid Test is positive, you must:
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45 or older? If you're eligible, find out how to get your vaccine
 If you are aged 45 or over, are clinically vulnerable, a frontline worker or a carer, you can now book your COVID-19 vaccination through the NHS website even if you haven’t yet received a letter. Appointments are available at sites across the Borough and also Ealing, Wembley and Hammersmith.
We are aware of other scam messages circulating – please ignore them. The NHS will never ask you for money or your bank details for your vaccination – it is free.
You can book an appointment now if:
- you are aged 45 or over
- you are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
- you are an eligible frontline health or social care worker
- you have a condition that puts you at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
- you have a learning disability
- you are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus
You can book appointments at a larger vaccination centres or a pharmacy that provides COVID-19 vaccinations.
Please make sure you plan your journey responsibly to allow for as much social distancing as possible.
From 17 April, residents aged 45 and over can now be vaccinated against COVID-19 at walk-in services at two mass vaccination centres in Hounslow.
The Compass Centre at Heathrow Airport and Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre will be open from 9am-7pm to all residents eligible for their vaccine even if they don't have an appointment.
Please bring proof of age, your name and address and your NHS number if you have it.
Walk-in services will operate on a first come, first served basis and it is possible you will be asked to come back later should supplies run low.
You can still guarantee a vaccine slot by booking your appointment through the national booking system.
Other Northwest London vaccination centres providing this service can be found here.
More information can be found here.
And finally...
Closing soon! Not long left to register to vote
 Hounslow residents who haven’t registered to vote only have one week left to do so, as the deadline is Monday 19 April.
If you are not registered to vote, you can do so online here: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Every eligible Hounslow resident eligible to vote at the elections on 6 May 2021 should by now have received a poll card confirming the details of their polling station.
The last chance to register for postal votes is Tuesday 20 April!
If you haven’t received your poll card, please check that you’re registered to vote by contacting the council’s Electoral Services team by emailing elections@hounslow.gov.uk or calling 020 8583 2828.
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