Coronavirus update - looking after ourselves and each other

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Coronavirus - Support for people and communities - April, 3 2020

Dear resident,

You are receiving this email as you have signed up to email updates from one or more Leeds City Council services. For the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, we will send you weekly updates to share important information, news, and resources.

Coronavirus. Stay home. Save lives

Stay home. Save lives.

Although the weather is forecast to be warm this weekend, the single most important action we can all take in fighting coronavirus is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.

You should only leave the house for one of the limited reasons below:

  • Shopping for basic necessities (such as food or medicine as infrequently as possible.
  • One form of exercise a day (such as a run, walk or cycle) alone or with members of your household.
  • Any medical need including to donate blood, avoid injury or hard, or to provide care or help to a vulnerable person.
  • Travelling for work purposes if you cannot work from home.

Even when doing these activities you should minimise time spent outside of the home and ensure that you keep 2 metres (6ft) away from anyone you don’t live with.

We’re keeping parks open and accessible for all but have temporarily closed parking at parks to encourage residents to exercise locally, reduce crowding, and help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

If you have any questions about what you can and can’t do, please read the latest governement advice and FAQs.

Further help for residents can be found here.

Advice from the NHS can be found here


Changes to bin and waste disposal

Our refuse collection teams are working hard to keep essential services running and really appreciate the rainbows and thank you notes left on bins. Black and green bins are still being collected on their scheduled day and we will be collecting over the Easter period as usual. However, we have suspended brown bin collections and closed Household Waste and Recycling Sites until further notice. Please do not use street litter bins as we are currently unable to empty them all. Please think about what is essential and how you can reduce the waste your household produces. Visit Zero Waste Leeds for handy hints, tips and videos.


If you are a business that needs help

Visit our website to find out about the support available for businesses in Leeds that are affected by the coronavirus outbreak.


Keeping rough sleepers supported and safe

We’re continuing to work with partners to provide essential support to help rough sleepers and those with a street based lifestyle. This includes access to accommodation, food packages and tailored assistance.

We’re urging anyone who has concerns for the welfare of anyone still on the street to contact 0113 2459445 or leeds.sos@cgl.org.uk

At this time, direct donations of cash and items of food has increased health risks for both the person on the street and anyone donating. To stay safe, you can still support by donating to Big Change Leeds.



How we are keeping our frontline staff safe

You may see some of our officers and contractors carrying out work to keep our city safe and moving. Ensuring the safety of our workers is our priority. We are taking steps to enforce social distancing measures and provide personal protective equipment (PPE) where needed. We will continue to review our workplace policies to reflect the latest government guidance.

Clap for our carers

Clap for heroes

Last night, Leeds came together once again to pay tribute to all our amazing key workers. Clapping and cheering could be heard across the city for people who work for the NHS, carers, school staff, bin crews, police, shop workers, delivery drivers and everyone else keeping our city safe and running. We’d like to thank them once again.
You too, can be a superhero and do your bit to help. If you’re fit and able to help your neighbours, even if it’s just as much as having a quick telephone conversation, now’s the time.
For tips and guidance on how to support your neighbour download VAL’s Being a good neighbour pack.


Keeping fit at home with Active Leeds

As part of the effort to keep people healthy at home our Active Leeds service has updated the way it reaches customers. This includes a YouTube channel, which features many of our fitness instructors, and wider external resources to help people stay healthy at home while leisure centres are closed. More information can be found here.


And finally… 

A little thing like being closed hasn’t stopped the team at Leeds Museums & Galleries from sharing some of their most interesting artefacts. Learning Officer Emily has taken to Twitter every day to explain the stories behind some fascinating objects.

How do you taxidermy a caterpillar? Can you archive an orange? What’s the greatest city in the world? (Spoiler alert: it’s Leeds). If podcasts are your thing, the first series of Museums n’That by the team at Leeds Museums & Galleries is now live on Apple and Spotify.