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Friday 7 May 2021 (Update #213)
Once again, Havering is leading the way in supporting businesses through this pandemic, and back to their livelihoods.
We have spent considerable time listening to businesses and hearing their concerns. I’m proud that we have been able to take the funding provided by the Government and work out the best possible grant structure available to support those local businesses that are most in need at this time. Read more about this in the article below.
Our free parking initiative which ends this weekend, as well as the continued support of Havering Council officers in helping businesses stay COVID-19 secure, will help ensure that the Government’s roadmap for easing lockdown can continue, and more businesses can reopen safely.
In recent months we have been working closely with the Romford Business Improvement District (BID) to provide support and guidance to businesses in matters of COVID-19 compliance.
I am pleased to see that the Romford BID will tomorrow (Saturday 9 May) launch their new app.
The RM1 Club app is designed to encourage you to take advantage of offers from retailers in Romford town centre and to be rewarded for supporting shops in Romford as they recover from the pandemic. There's more on this later in this newsletter.
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
A further £1 million worth of funding is now available through Havering Council’s Business Innovation Grant, which reopened for applications last Friday (30 April 2021).
It's part of the latest wave of funding aimed at supporting businesses across Havering through the current Covid 19 restrictions.
The Business Innovation Grant is a match-funded scheme that helps micro-businesses to change and adapt the way they work to be COVID-19 secure, and to help their recovery.
Thanks to the new funding, Havering Council will now pay up to 80 per cent of the cost of an eligible project, with a maximum total project size of £25,000.
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The Romford BID will be launching their new app tomorrow (Saturday 9 May) on Romford Market.
Meet the team at their sponsored market stalls outside Debenhams between 10am and midday.
They will be encouraging shoppers to download the app and start benefiting from the offers.
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Yesterday was election day in London for the London Mayor and London Assembly.
You can follow the vote count, including that for the election of a London Assembly consituency member for Havering and Redbridge, today and tomorrow.
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 Do you have concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine?
Are you worried about fertility and breastfeeding?
Should you have the vaccine if you’re pregnant or planning to have a baby?
Is the vaccine safe for all ethnicities?
If these are some of the questions you’d like answers to, then join our Zoom meeting on Thursday, 27 May at 6.30pm and speak to the health professionals.
The panellists will include:
Barbara Nichols, Director of Adult Services for Havering (Chair)
Dr Gemma Barrett, paediatrics and women’s health
Dr Dianne Addei, Public Health Specialist (NHS)
Dr Aruna Ramineni, specialist in fertility and pregnancy
Dr Anne Baldwin, Local GP
Viv Cleary, Public Health Specialist (Open University).
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.
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 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.
If you aren't sure how to do a rapid test at home, visit one of these centres first and be shown by the professionals. You can then take a test kit home with you to use in subsequent weeks.
You can also 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.
Tomorrow (Saturday 8 May) is VE Day.
It marks 76 years since the end of the Second World War, and the end of the European conflict.
It is a day where we reflect on the sacrifice made by millions to accomplish Victory in Europe back in 1945.
Much like last year, lockdown restrictions will mean that we cannot get together to celebrate this event. But you can commemorate the day by creating a ‘Tommy’ silhouette artwork to display in your window at home. See how to do that in our special workshop video.
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Havering will be celebrating Foster Care Fortnight 2021 that begins on Monday by speaking out about the importance of caring to encourage more local people to become foster carers.
The annual awareness raising campaign will highlight how foster carers are helping to transform the lives of young people in care by providing them with a home, and how more people coming forward will help to boost that support. Read more about this on our website.
The campaign is organised by The Fostering Network whose theme this year is Why We Care.
A special Foster Care Fortnight Coffee Morning is being held on Thursday, 20 May so people can find out more about what’s involved.
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Are you celebrating Eid Mubarak?
Please don't forget that until 17 May only groups of six people or two households can meet outdoors.
Remember to keep your distance.
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Havering Works are offering a "Speed Date".
Take part and you will be able to speak to an experienced job broker.
In your initial conversation you can discuss your current situation, barriers to employment and future aspirations.
This could be help finding a job, going to college, attending a short course or getting work experience from an employer of your choice. You choose the sector you gain experience in.
You can also have your CV reviewed, or receive interview preparation help.
An advisor will be able to speak to you one-to-one and follow-up appointments can also be made on the day.
These sessions are open to any Havering resident, aged 18 or over who is on a work-related benefit. The next session is on Wednesday 12 May.
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Following this week's altered collection schedule, due to the Bank Holiday, your refuse and recycling collections will be back to usual from Monday (10 May).
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The Land of the Fanns Landscape Partnership Scheme has worked with Thames21 and Havering Council to install a new natural flood management scheme at Bedfords Park.
To do this they have had the help of four-legged workers, literally horse power.
Magnificent Suffolk Punch horses from Hawthorn Heavy Horses based in Chelmsford were part of an innovative approach to flood protection at Bedfords Park, near Havering atte Bower.
The horses worked felling whole trees, identified as part of the Council’s woodland management programme.
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The Government advises that travel should be minimised.
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.
Towards the end of May, a special surface designed to prevent skidding and improve safety will be laid in parts of Squirrels Heath Lane on the approaches to the Zebra crossings by Elvet Avenue and Ashlyn Grove, and on the approaches to the Brentwood Road mini roundabout.
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.
Bird Lane in Upminster will be closed at its junction with Hall Lane between 9.30am and 3.30pm on Tuesday 18 May for aerial cable replacement work by Openreach.
Kenilworth Gardens in Hornchurch will be closed at its junction with Station Lane for gully works between 18 and 21 May.
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On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 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 this weekend (8 and 9 May). Use Central line connections between Liverpool Street and Stratford or Newbury Park. Replacement buses will operate.
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 (9 May). Rail replacement buses will run between Upminster and Grays via Rainham.
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