Thank you to everyone for your support while our teams continue to collect rubbish. See below our Easter rubbish collection service changes:

► Updates about waste and recycling and Easter collection dates

Last week, we launched Redbridge Council’s social media campaign, #Ourfrontline.

Shining the spotlight on our fantastic staff, the campaign thanked them, and gave a snapshot of their phenomenal efforts to keep vital services running and residents safe during this difficult time.

We’d really appreciate any support you can give to highlight our frontline heroes, by sending your messages to Twitter: @RedbridgeLive or Facebook: www.facebook.com/redbridgelive, please use #Ourfrontline.

Knowledge Quiz:

Sharpen your general knowledge by pitting your wits against the rest of your household. This app is a great way to keep building your knowledge, while holding a fun, family quiz night with your household!

► More on keeping busy while social distancing

The young - and not so young – may start to feel restless at being grounded, so it’s important to get a bit of a buzz from some physical activity during the day. Start a trend in your own space.

With the weather warming up, it is a great time for people to enjoy their garden with a little help from Gardeners World, or find creative ways to keep the kids busy from Woodlands Trust.

Or why not create your own oasis on your balcony, by showing it some love and adding simple furnishings, to create a little haven for yourself, where you can relax on each day.  

Since launching, the council’s new Coronavirus Wellbeing Service has already helped hundreds in the borough.

Created to help people who are most at risk from the virus, the frontline service was set up as a top priority, within just days of the country going into a government instructed lockdown due to the pandemic. As well as responding to hundreds of calls, the service has also arranged for more than 80 deliveries of food parcels and other essential items to reach some of the most vulnerable in the borough.

The Wellbeing Service can be contacted on 020 8708 5555, and is open seven days a week, 8am to 8pm.

►More on Wellbeing Service in action

It’s wonderful that the community is supporting the Wellbeing Services' work. Now, to help brighten a vulnerable resident’s day, the team wants to deliver children’s colourings and letters, alongside weekly foodbank parcels. They are asking parents to please get their children involved in an amazing new community initiative #RedbridgeSmilesTogether, by getting them to create positive pictures, or write thoughtful letters for elderly or vulnerable residents, who sadly cannot leave their homes.

Gearies Primary Shool key worker children helped to launch the campaign this week, and their pictures will start to be delivered next week.

We are asking parents to please send their child’s drawings or letters to Dan Lea at Gearies Primary School, Waremead Road, Gants Hill IG2 6TF.

►More on coronavirus Wellbeing Service

Child abuse and neglect is often discovered at school. However, with these now closed, we are calling on residents to look out for children and young people. Please report any concerns you may have by calling 0208 708 3885, from Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm.

As coronavirus unfolds, children are forced to stay at home, and they now may be spending more time with their abuser. We need neighbours, delivery drivers, and volunteers to keep their eyes open and listen out for any signs of abuse.

►More on child protection 

We are waiving charges to carers in response to the pandemic. Under the Care Act, carers are entitled to a needs assessment to determine whether they are eligible to receive support to help in carrying out their caring role.

This will now be offered with no financial assessment. We will also be offering advice as to how assessments will be done, given the need for social isolation.

If you require any further advice or information about how this change may impact you, please contact:

• First Contact Team at firstcontact@redbridge.gov.uk or call 020 8708 7333
• Redbridge Carers Support Service at office@rcss.org.uk or call 020 8514 6251

► More on supporting carers

We know that many businesses in the borough are being adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. We want to make sure that businesses can access the information and support they need during this difficult time.

Our business advice and support service is available to all businesses, so please direct any enquires to our team.  We are monitoring the enquiries daily and will respond directly to the business or refer to the relevant council service.

We want to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on our local businesses, so as well as engaging directly with businesses, we have created a short questionnaire/survey to help us collate information, and ensure we are providing the right information and support to help businesses affected.

► Business impact survey

► More on support for businesses 

For families of children who are eligible for free school meals, after the Easter holiday schools will be either: running a weekly food parcel service or some schools will be continuing to provide vouchers.

If your school is using the food parcel service after Easter, the council will contact you before or during the Easter holiday and let you know when and where you can collect your parcel. 

If your school is going to use food vouchers after Easter, the school will contact you before or after the Easter holiday, and let you know what the arrangements are for providing vouchers.

► Guidance for families on education and childcare