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Wednesday 16 September 2020
 Last week I warned that if COVID-19 infection rates continue to go up in our borough, Havering is likely to reach the levels of infection that have led to local lockdowns in the north of England and the Midlands. This isn’t looking a long way into the future. These are increases that are happening now.
More cases means more transmission. More transmission means more vulnerable people getting infected.
We must act now to stop all that happening because it will mean going back to major restrictions on how we go about our lives. More importantly, we are already seeing growing numbers of people being admitted to our hospitals with serious illness. I fear that unless we can get the infection under control then we will inevitably start to see admissions to hospitals soar, as well as increasing numbers of deaths.
A great deal of the transmission we are seeing is happening in households; younger adults socialising and mixing, passing on the infection to household members, and then those household members mixing with other households.
This is in our control by acting together. I need everyone to keep to the rule of six and follow hand hygiene, wear face coverings, and social distance. If you have symptoms, get a test and isolate until results are known.
It is not easy, but we do have it within our power to hold back the tide of infection if we all do our bit. In particular I know that getting a test is far more difficult in practice than in words. This is a national problem that is being worked on but please keep trying.
We currently have one walk-through testing centre in Rainham, and a mobile unit paying regular visits to Romford (details later in this bulletin). We want to make sure that there is another centre within easy reach for residents in of the north of our borough because one of the principles of local testing is that walk-through sites need to be within easy reach on foot from where people live. Please book an appointment before visiting a testing centre.
You might think that COVID-19 won’t have significant impacts on you personally, but your actions can either save lives or put them at risk. COVID-19 can be much more serious than catching the flu. COVID-19 symptoms can sometimes persist for months. The virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain, which increases the risk of long-term health problems.
Do the right thing, don't run the risk of a £100 fine and make sure you’re #DoingMyBit to protect those around you who may be more vulnerable.
See our website for more information on how you can be a part of our #DoingMyBit campaign to help keep us all safe.
Mark Ansell
Director of Public Health, Havering Council
Coronavirus testing is available in Romford and Rainham.
The Rainham test centre is at the Cherry Tree Lane car park off Rainham Road in South Hornchurch.
It is a ‘walk-through’ not "walk-in" testing site so you should still book an appointment before attending.
It is open seven days a week between 8am and 8pm. It will remain open for as long as it is needed.
This new testing centre is in addition to the regular testing centre in the car park at the rear of the Town Hall in Romford. (The testing is in the car park so please do NOT go into the Town Hall or Central Library buildings).
Testing will be available in Romford between 10.30am and 3.30pm tomorrow (Thursday 17 September) and also on these dates this month: Friday 18, Sunday 20, Monday 21, Sunday 27 and Wednesday 30 September.
Vehicles and pedestrians should enter via Park End Road, Romford RM1 4AU, where a one-way drive and walk through system will be in place. Do not try to enter from Main Road.
Before you attend either test centre please make an appointment. You may find that a home test kit delivered in the post is more convenient than a visit to a testing centre.
If you do chose to visit a testing centre, avoid using public transport to get there. Walk to the testing centre or use a car, if possible.
The majority of results for tests are delivered the day after the test is taken.
If you are getting a test because you have symptoms, you, and anyone you live with, must stay at home until you get your result.
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Tonight (Wednesday 16 September) at 7.30pm there's a Cabinet meeting.
You can watch the meeting live via our website and see the agenda and documents for the meeting online.
The Cabinet (pictured in pre-COVID times) will receive and agree or reject reports on subjects including its corporate parenting strategy (support for children in care and care leavers), its strategy for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping over the next five years, a proposal to extend the current waste and recycling contract with Serco for two years and to extend the tree maintenance contract with City Suburban for six months.
Other items under discussion include a proposal for the Council to purchase 36 affordable housing units at St Georges Hospital, Hornchurch from Bellway Homes Limited, changes to the Bridge Close, Romford, development plans to ensure the delivery of a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing, and the future of the Hall Lane Pitch and Putt course in Upminster.
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Each week Havering Council publishes a report on coronavirus in the borough on its website.
It includes information on the number of Havering residents testing positive for COVID-19 each week, starting back in March.
It also compares the number of new cases in Havering with neighbouring boroughs and the regional and national figures, and provides a link to the daily figures produced by the UK Government.
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Havering has won 15 Gold awards in the London in Bloom 2020 competition.
Winners included Rainham Village and Elm Park Town centre.
Bedfords Park in Havering-atte-Bower and Hornchurch Country Park both won gold in the Country Park category and other winning parks included Dagnam Park and Raphael Park.
Romford Cemetery and South Essex Crematorium / Upminster Cemetery both received the top award in the Large Cemetery of the Year category.
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 Gidea Park resident Neel Parti has written to us to tell us that a photograph taken by his wife has been selected to be part of the National Portrait Gallery’s Hold Still exhibition, which was started and supported by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Simran Janjua's photo, called ‘Dadi’s Love’, was one of the 100 images out of 31,500 submtted to be chosen for exhibition.
The family were certainly doing their bit to comply with social distacing rules.
The amazing picture, and the others featured in the exhibition, can also be viewed online.
Are you a parent or carer with children aged between 10 and 18?
Or are you a professional working with and supporting parents and carers of children aged between 10 and 18 looking for advice, or tips on parenting adolescents?
Professionals in Havering will be on hand to give advice and strategies on parenting in our webinar between 6pm and 7.30pm on 1 October.
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This week is #AskAboutAsthma week.
Keeping children’s asthma under control is particularly important this year due to the coronavirus and any potential second wave.
Running from 14-20 September, it will include a week-long schedule of webinars, podcasts, and blogs.
1 in 10 children and young people in London have asthma but less than half of these have an asthma management plan or know how to use their inhaler correctly.
Many have badly managed asthma – to the extent that 4,000 are admitted to hospital with asthma every year and 170 have such a severe episode that they require admission to intensive care.
The campaign aims to encourage health professionals, children and young people and their families to ask for three simple effective interventions to help them control their asthma by:
- having an asthma management plan
- being able to use their inhaler effectively
- having an annual asthma review (as a minimum).
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This week is London Voter Registration Week.
London has one of the lowest voter registration rates across the UK.
So make sure you, your family, your friends, your community have a voice by registering now.
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Havering Council is looking to hire an HR Support Apprentice, based in Romford.
The Havering Apprenticeship Programme offers an opportunity for those looking to start a new career, returning to work after a career break, or looking for a change in career direction.
Entering the HR profession through an apprenticeship is an ideal way to gain valuable and practical experience providing an opportunity to apply your learning as it takes place.
This Apprenticeship also offers the opportunity to progress on to a higher or degree level apprenticeship.
The closing date for applications is 25 September.
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Volunteers are urgently being sought to befriend young people in care who are living outside the borough.
Known as Independent Visitors, the volunteers act in the interest of children and young people in care and are independent of children’s services.
They meet up every three to four weeks to do an activity of the young person’s choice.
Full training and regular supervision will be provided and expenses will be reimbursed.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Alison Day on 01708 434111 or email: alison.day2@havering.gov.uk.
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Following extensive work behind closed doors to complete their QNew Transformation programme, and work to be COVID-19 safe, Queen's Theatre Hornchurch is back in business and taking bookings for shows in its new Autumn season.
That Autumn season includes Misfits, four intertwining inspirational tales of Essex resilience by some of the region’s most exciting playwrights.
Sadly due to COVID-19 and the subsequent social distancing rules there won't be a Christmas pantomime this year but there will be festive cheer with Christmas Allsorts.
This brand new production, directed and devised by the theatre's Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul, runs from 11 December 2020 – 3 January 2021 and this family variety show will feature yuletide tunes from films and musicals, alongside classic and new sketches.
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