Tuesday 29 June 2021
 We can look forward to 19 July with confidence that more elements of our lives will begin to return to normal following the Health Secretary's statement yesterday.
As we start to get out and socialise more, it is so important that everyone keeps testing to identify any positive COVID-19 cases and prevent the spread of any of the new coronavirus variants.
For now we must continue to follow the Government's "hands, face, space, and fresh air" guidance.
We are on the last leg of the massive exercise in making sure everyone gets fully vaccinated against COVID-19. I urge everyone to help us get over the line. As you will read below, more volunteers are needed to help at the Romford Vaccination Centre. Can you do your bit and help?
With the Delta variant growing as our latest weekly COVID-19 report shows, one of the best ways of fighting back is by booking your first or second vaccination appointment and encouraging those who haven't had a jab yet to do so.
To that end, Council officers and wonderful volunteers will this week begin telephoning thousands of people in Havering who have not yet taken up their invitations to get jabbed. The more people that are fully vaccinated, the safer we will all be, and the less likelihood there will be of further mutations in the virus.
Lastly, if you are reading this before 5pm today (Tuesday) then 'Good luck' to England in their most important football match in years. If you're reading this later then I hope the result made you happy or not too depressed!
If you are watching any of the Euro 2020 matches, please do so safely. This means with no more than five other people or with one other household indoors. Do not hug (or kiss) strangers when your favourite team score!
If you want to contact me directly, you can email me.
Stay safe.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
If you were affected by the heavy rainfall on Friday and need help, please contact us on 01708 434343 (Monday to Friday - 9am to 5pm).
If you have problems outside of normal these hours please call our out of hours emergency line on 01708 433999.
If you've lost any white goods due to flood damage you may be eligible to have them replaced. Contact our Emergency Assistance Scheme operated on behalf of Havering Council by charity DABD.
Hylands Primary School in Granger Way, Romford, was flooded on Friday night and as a consequence closed on Monday and Tuesday to allow a clean-up. School staff are still working hard to remedy the damage caused by the storm and will re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.
Raphael's Park in Romford has had to be closed after the lake flooded pathways. Thames Water has been at the park dealing with leaks from its drain covers. That clean-up is not yet complete, although it is hoped that the park can re-open later on Wednesday.
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COVID-19 has had a long-term impact on Havering’s waste collection service.
With large numbers of residents opting to continue working from home more waste is being produced by many households. This means more trips to unload trucks and more resources to cover the same number of homes.
This has meant that some household waste collections were missed yesterday (Monday).
Havering is working with its waste collection contractor, Serco, to address these issues and this includes some replacement vehicles in the coming weeks.
A daily report of any uncollected roads is published on our website and should you experience a missed collection, please check the website first.
Havering Council and Serco would like to apologise to residents for any inconvenience caused, and assure you that they are working hard to resolve the issue.
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Work on a new £6.3 million extension to Marshalls Park Academy in Romford (pictured) has been completed.
The expansion is part of a £23 million investment to improve local schools by Havering Council.
Built by Barnes Construction and designed by KLH Architects, with Superstructures assisting with the structural engineering design, the new two-storey extension comprises of 16 new classrooms for subjects such as science and maths, design technology, a dance studio and changing facilities.
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During construction, pupils planted a time capsule under the ground floor corridor.
The capsule contained modern-day items that will be uncovered by future generations so that they can learn more about what life was like in early 2020.
Councillor Robert Benham (pictured), Havering’s Cabinet Member of Education, Children and Families cut the ribbon at an opening ceremony held last week.
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With the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament into the knockout stages families across Havering will be getting together to watch matches.
If you're meeting up to watch tonight's England match, or any of the games in the following days, please make sure you follow these rules and protect those around you:
- If you're meeting up with friends, outdoors is safest
- If you meet indoors - open windows and doors whenever possible and stick to the rule of six people or two households
- Wash your hands regularly
- Wear a face covering if you can
- Keep apart from anyone you do not live with
- Test regularly.
Thanks for helping keep Havering safe.
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 Getting vaccinated is one of the key ways to get things back to normal and will protect you, your friends and your family from COVID-19.
Read more about vaccines.
If you are aged 18 or over (or will be by 1 July) you can book appointments at a larger vaccination centre or pharmacy now, or use a walk-in centre as shown above.
The Delta variant now accounts for the vast majority of new cases. After only one dose, the vaccines are around 26 to 40 per cent effective at reducing symptomatic disease from the Delta variant. After two doses, the vaccines are found to be over 90 per cent effective against the need to be hospitalised from the Delta variant.
If you book online, you'll need to book appointments for both doses.
If you have your first dose through your GP surgery, you'll be contacted when it's time to book your second dose.
 Every week Havering Council publishes a report on coronavirus in the borough on its website.
It includes data on infection rates and testing, as well as the vaccine roll-out. It also compares the success of that programme in Havering with other parts of London and the rest of the country.
The graph above is taken from the report. It shows the number of Havering residents testing positive for coronavirus each week since 6 March last year.
There were 207 cases reported in the last week, 76 more than the previous week.
This corresponds to an incidence rate on 18 June of 80 new cases per 100,000 population. This is lower than the London (121/100,000) and the whole of England (148/100,000) figures. Unfortunately the incidence rate in Havering has increased almost three-fold since the beginning of June.
Sadly, a total of 924 people in Havering have died with COVID-19 but no new deaths have been reported in the week ending 18 June.
Vaccines
The latest data shows that by 24 June over 69 per cent of all adults in Havering have had at least one dose of the vaccine.
More than 51 per cent of all adults in Havering have now received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Hospitals
As of 23 June there were 12 inpatients admitted due to COVID-19 to our local hospitals.
The trust that runs those hospitals, BHRUT, also publishes weekly data on the number of patients it is treating.
 Volunteers are needed to help at the Romford COVID-19 vaccination site in the Liberty Shopping Centre.
The roles include marshalling inside and outside, and they are in particular need for volunteers who can help between 4 and 8pm.
In line with government advice volunteers must:
- Be healthy, fit and well
- Be under 70
- Not be pregnant
- Not fall into one of the population groups that are considered to be more vulnerable to COVID-19.
Register your interest and someone will be in touch to tell you more.
As we edge nearer to 19 July and Step 4 on the government's roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown restrictions, please remember that we need to continue to take precautions.
COVID-19 is still with us, and infection rates have increased in recent weeks in Havering as our weekly COVID-19 report shows.
Classic COVID-19 symptoms do not always appear, especially with the Delta variant. To help make sure you're not passing on COVID-19 without knowing, regular, twice-weekly rapid testing for people without symptoms is available for everyone in Havering.
You should still use testing even if you have had one or both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination.
You can order a test kit online or pick one up from many places in Havering.
If you prefer to still be tested at a centre, these will continue to be available at Cherry Tree Lane Car Park in South Hornchurch, Dagnam Park Drive in Harold Hill, Havering Town Hall rear car park in Romford, and at Dorrington Gardens in Hornchurch. Click here for directions and opening times.
The testing sites in Upminster and Collier Row will be closed from tomorrow Wednesday 30 June. (The symptomatic mobile testing site in Upminster Station Car Park remains open).
In addition to these sites we have rapid Lateral Flow test sites for people without COVID-19 symptoms at various locations in Havering.
If you aren't sure how to do a rapid test at home, visit one of our centres first and be shown by the professionals. You can then take a test kit home with you to use in subsequent weeks.
Have symptoms?
It remains vitally important to book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
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Havering Works is 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 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 tomorrow, Wednesday 30 June, from 11am to 1pm.
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You can book a 20 minute consultation with a Peabody advisor to get support with benefits advice.
This includes help with welfare benefits (providing information on benefit entitlement and assistance with form completion and appeals), debt, disabled transport, and housing.
Peabody are also Foodbank voucher distributors and can provide support where needed to the most vulnerable of people experiencing severe financial circumstances.
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 Havering Museum is pleased to announce the reopening of its galleries on Friday, 23 July.
Initially the Museum (pictured) will open for two days a week, Wednesdays and Fridays, 11am - 4pm.
It's relaunching with a programme of heritage walks. Full details can be found on its website on the appropriate event date.
These walks include a guided tour of Gidea Park Garden Suburb exploring the architecture of the homes built in 1910/11 on Wednesday 14 July, and a guided walk of WWI Hornchurch remembering the thousands of soldiers billeted in the village during the First World War.
The Reading Agency and Havering Libraries have announced their Wild World Heroes, Summer Reading Challenge 2021.
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This year it's a celebration of nature and action for the environment, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund UK.
Children aged 4-11 can sign up for free at their local Havering library from 10 July.
Then during the summer holidays they can read any six library books of their choice to collect special stickers and rewards along the way – all for free.
This year only two library visits are needed, one to pick up a pack and a second to return a completed book review sheet in order to receive a medal and certificate.
Parents and carers will be discussing books and giving out stickers to their children. Find out more online.
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Havering Council's Early Help, Youth Services and Local Area Coordinators invite you to join an information sharing event tomorrow (Wednesday 30 June).
The event will tell parents and parents-to-be about the services that are available to families across Havering and how to access them.
This includes information on children's centres, the Healthy Start scheme, the Family Information Hub, Youth Services, the Local Area Coordinators scheme, and more.
The event will run from 9.30 until 11.45am and is open to all parents, carers and families in Havering. Book your space online.
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 Are you a parent or carer living in Havering with a child or children under the age of five?
If that's you, please take part in the School Readiness Survey.
The last year has been tough and this is an opportunity to help the Council understand the impact of the pandemic, as well as some of the general challenges around ensuring children are ready to start school.
The survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete. It's open until 16 July.
The Tottenham Hotspur Football Development Centre has linked up with New City College to launch an academy for students at Havering Sixth Form campus in Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, from September.
Students studying Sport courses at the college in Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, will be able to train up to three times a week with Tottenham Hotspur Global Football Development and Academy coaches. They will also get to play competitive matches in local and national league competitions every Wednesday as part of their study programme.
Trials and taster sessions, free of charge, are being held for male and female students aged 15 to 18 (school years 11 to 13 only) on Thursday 8 July from 6.30 to 8.30pm at Noak Hill Sports Complex 4G pitch, Noak Hill Road, Romford RM3 7YA. Book a place online.
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