|
Friday 30 April 2021 (Update #211)
It's wonderful news that from today people aged 40 and over are now able to book their COVID-19 vaccination.
They can book online through the national booking service.
Since the vaccine roll-out began in December, about 34 million people have had at least one dose in the UK. This equates to nearly two-thirds of the adult population. More than 14 million people have now had two COVID-19 jabs.
In Havering, over 120,000 individuals have had their first COVID-19 dose and one in five have had two doses.
Vaccines are only part of the answer to keeping infection rates low. We must be careful not to be complacent as we enjoy the lighter evenings and (hopefully!) warmer weather. Please do all you can to ensure that we reach Steps 3 and 4 of the Government's "roadmap" without any set-backs.
We must continue to follow the "hands, face, space and fresh air" rules, and we should take advantage of free, rapid COVID-19 testing that is now available in fifty places across Havering.
Frequent testing means that any outbreaks of infection can be quickly contained. Find out more about this below.
I am very proud that Havering Council has now processed over £50m in government grants to businesses in Havering to help them survive this awful coronavirus pandemic.
Council officers have advised businesses that have had to make changes to their premises so they can operate safely under the current regulations. This comes alongside the Havering Business Innovation Grant. This is designed to help small businesses to adapt and recover from restrictions. The latest round of funding opened this week.
These grants along with our free parking scheme are there to help you enjoy our town centres safely. We are doing everything we can to help our high streets.
Lastly, if you want to contact me directly, you can email me. However, please be patient as there may be a delay in getting back to you due to the volume of messages I am receiving.
Stay safe.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
This coming Thursday, 6 May, the elections for the Mayor of London and Members of the London Assembly will take place.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.
Your polling station will be shown on the polling card you will have received recently in the post if you are registerd to vote. Alternatively, you can check online.
When you go to a polling station or receive your postal ballot papers you will have three to fill in:
- a pink one for the Mayor,
- a yellow one for your constituency member,
- and an orange one for the London-wide list.
Watch a video to see how to use your votes.
|
If you are aged 40 or over, you can book your COVID-19 vaccination now.
Take up of the vaccine is a key way in helping to get things back to normal and will protect you, your friends and your family.
More than 34 million people across the UK have now received one dose, and more than 14 million people are now fully vaccinated.
|
It’s important all of us fill in our census forms. That’s why it’s a legal requirement to take part.
You will not be in any trouble for returning the census now.
Only households refusing to complete the census run any risk of receiving a £1,000 fine.
If you have any questions about Census 2021, call 0800 141 2021 or visit www.census.gov.uk.
|
Regular, twice-weekly rapid testing for people without COVID-19 symptoms is available for everyone in Havering to help make sure you're not passing on the virus without knowing.
You can order home test kits or pick them up from test centres, some libraries and most pharmacies.
There are over fifty places in Havering and you can find out the nearest testing sites and collection points.
These local test centres include a new rapid testing site in Harold Hill.
Alternatively, you can order a test kit online.
You should still use testing even if you have had one or both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination.
Have symptoms?
It remains vitally important to book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
|
Harold Wood library will re-open on Wednesday 5 May.
The opening hours are Wednesdays 10am to 3pm, and Thursdays between 2 and 7pm.
Orange sacks for recycling will be available.
|
The Jack Petchey Community Awards is a programme designed to recognise how young people across London and Essex are helping their communities during the lockdown, and to give them a well-deserved ‘thank you’.
You can nominate a young person or group of young people you know who have been helping others in the lockdown to receive a Community Award.
You must be 18 to nominate a young person or group, and the nominee(s) must be aged between 11 and 25, and be from London or Essex.
Since the Jack Petchey Foundation Awards began in 1999 over 200,000 Achievement Awards have been awarded to young people in London and Essex.
|
Local charity Havering Mind have launched their Garden Project.
It will redevelop the large open space behind their office building in Harrow Lodge Park.
The plan is to create a large outside area, in which their service users can come together in a socially distanced way.
The project will be undertaken by a group of skilled volunteers.
|
Please enjoy the Bank Holiday long weekend safely.
Government guidance remains to minimise travel but does now allow groups of six people, or two households, to meet outdoors.
Our local parks are likely to be busy so please make sure that you still follow social distancing guidelines when walking or jogging on pathways.
Please use bins for any masks, gloves or empty sanitiser bottles. Littering not only spoils the experience of our parks for others, but is damaging to the environment and a danger to wildlife.
If you buy food or drink from any of the takeaway kiosks or cafes in our parks, please maintain social distancing while queueing, and walk away as soon as you have collected your food or drink.
COVID Marshals will be regularly patrolling our parks to make sure that coronavirus guidelines and park byelaws are followed.
|
The Government advises that travel should be minimised.
Squirrels Heath Lane in Hornchurch will be resurfaced with work starting at 7.30pm tonight (30 April). All work will take place overnight and a diversion will be in place.
Later, towards the end of May, a special surface designed to prevent skidding and improve safety will be laid on the approaches to the Zebra crossings by Elvet Avenue and Ashlyn Grove, and on the approaches to the Brentwood Road mini roundabout.
Slewins Lane in Hornchurch will be resurfaced with work starting in the evening of 10 May and is expected to be completed by 19 May.
A special anti-skid surface will then be laid on the approaches to The Drill roundabout and Ardleigh Green Road on 1 June. During the work, which will be carried out overnight, Slewins Lane will be closed to through traffic with diversions in place.
Also, in mid-May, carriageway resurfacing will take place on Waterloo Road in Romford. This is part of the Romford ring road. The work will take place overnight beginning on 18 May for the southbound carriageway, and on 21 May for the northbound carriageway.
|
On Saturday 1, Sunday 2 and Monday 3 May, there will be no London Overground train service between Romford and Upminster. Please use local bus services instead.
There will be no TfL Rail service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield over all three days of this Bank Holiday weekend.
Due to Network Rail undertaking engineering work in connection with the Barking Riverside project, c2c train services will not run on the Rainham line this Sunday and Monday (2 and 3 May). Rail replacement buses will run between Upminster and Grays via Rainham.
On the District line there will be no service between Tower Hill and West Ham on Saturday 1, Sunday 2 and Monday 3 May. Replacement buses will operate between Tower Hill and Barking.
|
As this is a Bank Holiday weekend, the next edition of this Living in Havering email newsletter will appear on Wednesday, 5 May.
If you have a story, picture or information that you think could be shared with the more than 60,000 people who now receive these newsletters, or you wish to advertise your business or service to them, email me.
Peter Stremes, Editor, Living in Havering.
|
|
