Friday 30 July 2021
 Now the schools have broken up for the summer holidays it can be easy to forget testing for COVID-19 - and reporting those results.
However, if you are of school age, or you are living with someone attending school, please carry on testing during the school holidays as we continue our fight to keep the infection rates down locally.
I heard this week about a member of Havering Council's staff, whose son attends Campion School, who said that reminders from the school to test and report results every Wednesday and Sunday had really helped her keep up the momentum.
She said, and I agree, that it’s important that families understand why they need to keep testing and reporting the results. It helps Havering Council 's Public Health team and NHS colleagues monitor who has the virus and how it is affecting our community. We can then identify outbreaks sooner and plan our response to keep our children and the community safe.
Keeping up the testing momentum will be crucial to the safe reopening of our schools in September.
We have seen from the popularity of the Harold Hill Community Hub that this is a service welcomed by the families and individuals in our community.
Now we have taken the opportunity to extend this help to Rainham. The new Rainham Community Hub will provide residents in that part of our borough access to advice, assistance and training from a friendly and welcoming team. You can read more about this below.
Plans are already in development for further Community Hubs to be established in other parts of Havering.
Lastly, please do your bit by continuing to observe the Hands, Face, Space guidance when visiting any of Havering Council's buildings - including our leisure centres.
Remember that it remains a legal requirement to self-isolate when positive with COVID-19 or when contacted by NHS test and trace.
It is still really important that if you believe you have COVID-19 symptoms that you get a free PCR test. There are five locations in Havering alone where you can do this and you can also order a home test kit.
If you want to contact me directly, you can email me.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
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Havering’s second community hub opened earlier this week.
This new hub is in Rainham.
Designed and developed with local residents and partners, and tailored to meet local needs, the Rainham hub is based in two ‘pop-up’ locations; Rainham Library and the Mardyke Community Centre.
Offering a similar range of support and advice as the first hub in Harold Hill, the Rainham Pop-up Community Hub will help residents access local services to improve well-being, and help everyone in the area recover after the coronavirus pandemic.
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Havering Council is offering free swimming sessions for school-aged children and young adults until summer 2022.
The free swimming sessions are available to be booked in advance at Sapphire Ice and Leisure, Central Park Leisure Centre, and the recently opened Harrow Lodge Leisure Centre (pictured).
For full details on how to book a free swim session for a child, click on the button below.
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COVID-19 is still with us, and infection rates have been much higher in recent weeks in Havering than they were in April and May, as our weekly COVID-19 report shows.
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. Find your nearest testing site and collection point.
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.
Have symptoms?
It remains vitally important to book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
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Bencrest Chemist is offering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination for all adults at their shop at 67/69 Park Lane in Hornchurch.
You can walk in to receive your first or second jab without an appointment.
The shop is open for vaccinations from 9.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays, and between 9.15am and 2pm on Saturdays.
For more information call 01708 747495.
If you haven't been vaccinated yet the North East London Health and Care Partnership has published a list of all the places in Havering, and in neighbouring London boroughs, where you can get vaccinated close to your home.
You can also still book appointments online using the national booking system, or by calling 119.
To find out more about the vaccine, visit the vaccine facts website.
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The NHS in North East London and West Ham United Football Club have joined forces to offer you the chance to win a new West Ham shirt signed by the team.
To be in with a chance of winning, you need to have had a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of this month, and post a picture, video or message to Twitter saying that you've had your jab.
It could be you saying why you had it and how it went, a picture outside a vaccination centre, or you just enjoying being out now you are vaccinated. It’s up to you. Anyone who has been vaccinated already or who gets their first dose of the vaccine by tomorrow can enter.
Just include the hashtags #Ihadmyjab and #WestHamComp in the Tweet. The NHS will select the winner at random from the entrants after this Saturday, 31 July.
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There's still time to enter this year's Havering in Bloom competition.
By taking part, you will be helping to make the borough a bright and attractive place to live, work, visit and go to school.
There are six categories for you to choose from ranging from 'Best Front Garden' to 'Tallest Sunflower'. There is also an award for best school display.
The closing date for entries is 10 September 2021. Entries can be submitted by email.
Judging will be completed at the end of September and the winners will be announced shortly afterwards.
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Combat2Coffee is a not-for-profit project that provides purposeful rehabilitation, veteran outreach and training to recovering veterans and their families.
They were recently invited down to Napier and New Plymouth House site in Rainham to provide a listening ear to anyone that might need it.
The Council and its 12 Estates joint venture partner, Wates Residential, are committed to mental wellness within the construction industry and this is just one of the informal ways of encouraging the people working on sites across Havering to speak up about their mental health, so they can access any support they need.
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Havering’s housing service will be holding four community roadshows across the borough throughout August.
Attendees will have the opportunity to speak to staff from across different services, receive advice and support regarding queries they may have, and have the chance to feedback on how Havering Council engages with residents.
The first of these community roadshows takes place on Tuesday (3 August), between 11am and 3pm in Macon Way, Upminster, RM14 1NX.
Details of further roadshows will be given in the next ediiton of this newsletter. Roadshows are weather permitting.
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 Havering is steeped in history.
What later became RAF Hornchurch began life as Suttons Farm airfield when it became operational on 3 October 1915 with aircarft stationed there to defend London from German Zeppelin attacks.
Hard to believe when you visit what is now the beautiful and peaceful Hornchucrh Country Park (pictured) that the first recorded interception of an enemy airship over Britain was made by Lt. John Slessor who took off from here on 13 October 1915.
Unfortunately for Lt. Slessor his attack had to be aborted as the airship disappeared into cloud, but in September 1916, another pilot, Lt. William Leefe Robinson, flying from this airfield was the first to shoot down a Zeppelin which then crashed at Cuffley in Hertfordshire.
For this action Leefe Robinson was awarded the Victoria Cross and became a national hero.
You can find details of this attack, and the airfield's later key role in the Battle of Britain during the Second World War, on one of the many informational signs that you can see around the park and pictured below.
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 If you are interested in learning more about Hornchurch's past, then a guided walk led by Brian Evans on Monday, 9 August could be just your thing.
His guided walk remembers the thousands of soldiers living in the village during the First World War. Throughout the walk there will be glimpses of past history and its influences on Hornchurch as it is today.
Visit the Havering Museum website to book a place on this walk. Numbers are limited to 15 people and the cost is £5.
If you would like your photos or videos to be a part of this campaign, please email your submissions to the Communications Team with "Hidden Gems” as the subject line.
Is your child starting secondary school this September?
With the schools now on holiday, many families may have unanswered questions about their children starting secondary school for the first time in September.
To support families with this change there's a new page on our website that has loads of information for you and your children including school video tours, information leaflets, presentations and more.
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 The Reading Agency and Havering Libraries Summer Reading Challenge 2021 is a celebration of nature and action for the environment, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund UK. It's called Wild World Heroes.
Children aged 4-11 can sign up now at any Havering library to then read any six library books of their choice to collect special stickers and rewards along the way.
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.
Visit the libraries' website for details of free summer events.
Children can also find out what the Summer Reading Challenge’s Wild World Heroes are fighting for, and discover some of the fantastic wildlife we have in the UK, in a free online Zoom session.
Explore some of the threats facing our local nature and find out what you can do at home or in your community to stand up for our planet.
The session starts at 2pm on Wednesday 4 August. Send an email to book a place.
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A Family Fun Day is being held tomorrow (Saturday 31 July).
It will take place at the Rush Green Community Centre, Rush Green Road, Romford, RM7 0LB from 1 to 5pm. It is free to attend.
You can join Angela for three Pilates sessions held in the Western Garden at Langtons in Hornchurch this summer.
Pilates aims to strengthen the body in an even way, with particular emphasis on the core to improve general fitness, wellbeing and mindfulness.
The sessions are on Thursdays on 12, 19 and 26 August between 12.30 and 1.15pm.
The admission is £3 per person. Everyone is welcome, and no prior experience is necessary. All you need is a towel or mat and some water.
Email to confirm your attendance or call 01708 431016.
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Transport for London (TfL) has announced that applications are open for grants for community and not-for-profit groups that encourage people to walk and cycle.
Walking and Cycling Grants London aim to address barriers to walking and cycling.
Funded by TfL in partnership with The London Marathon Charitable Trust and administered by Groundwork London, the programme can provide grants of up to £10,000 over three years to successful applicants.
Applicants to this scheme will be judged on the potential of their idea to benefit the local community and boost walking and cycling levels.
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As part of the NHS's Better Health campaign this summer, TV presenter and actress, Linda Robson has talked about her experience with weight gain and unhealthy habits over lockdown.
Having gained some weight since the start of the pandemic, Linda is looking to eat more healthily with the help of the Better Health apps.
Linda said: “I can definitely relate to having slipped a bit during lockdowns - in fact I actually gained over a stone myself!
People shouldn’t feel guilty for having put on weight, especially after the year we’ve had – we've all had to just try and get through it the best we can.
However, this summer I want to get my health on track and look to lose some weight. I know it can feel hard, but the Better Health apps are a great place to start, I’ve started eating some of the Better Health recipes – they are dead easy to do and taste great!”
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Last year, in response to the transport challenges of the pandemic temporary changes were made to the London Congestion Charge.
This included extending charging hours until 10pm each day and increasing the charge to £15.
Transport for London (TfL) are now consulting on new proposals that include reducing the charging hours to between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and to midday to 6pm at weekends.
Read about the full set of proposed changes, and comment on them before 6 October.
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Carriageway resurfacing work will take place in Wilton Drive, Romford on 2 and 3 August between 8am and 5pm.
Heath Park Road is closed between its junctions with Princes Road and James Close, and Manor Road closed at its junction with Heath Park Road to allow for sewer repairs. This work may last until the end of August.
Temporary traffic lights will be in operation in South Street, Romford, near Roneo Corner, to allow for Essex and Suffolk Water work between 8.30pm and 11.30pm on Tuesday 3 August.
Carriageway resurfacing work will take place in Birch Road, Romford from 4 to 6 August. This will be daytime work carried out between 8am and 5pm. During these road works Birch Road will be closed to through traffic with diversions in place.
Following the completion of these works carriageway resurfacing work will take place in River Drive, Upminster from 9 to 11 August. Again these will be daytime works carried out between 8am and 5pm.
On Monday 9 August temporary traffic signals will be in use between 9.30am and 3pm in Petersfield Avenue, Harold Hill, for power work by Volker Highways.
Lastly, temporary traffc signals will be used by a contractor working for Openreach on Tuesday 17 August in Arterial Avenue at its junction with The Glen in Rainham.
On the tracks
On Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August there will be no service on a large part of the District line in central and west London. A special Hammersmith & City line service will operate between Hammersmith and Upminster (via Kings Cross St Pancras).
A reminder to Circle and District line customers that the lines will be closed next week for nine days.
Starting on Wednesday, 4 August, there will be no service between Edgware Road and Aldgate via Victoria on the Circle line, and from Earl’s Court to Aldgate East on the District line.
On the weekend of 7 and 8 August, the planned closure on the District line will also be extended from Earl’s Court to Hammersmith, Kensington Olympia, Wimbledon and Edgware Road.
Normal service will resume on Friday 13 August.
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Due to Network Rail engineering work in connection with the Barking Riverside Project, c2c services will not run on the Rainham line on Sunday 1 August.
Rail replacement buses will run between Upminster and Grays via Rainham.
Due to Network Rail undertaking overhead line maintenance work between Grays and Pitsea, Ockendon line services will start and terminate at Grays.
Rail replacement buses will run between Grays and Pitsea via Tilbury.
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