 Rough sleepers in St Albans District are being offered a bed for the night during the cold winter months.
We are working with partner organisations to ensure there are enough beds for every rough sleeper who wants one.
Five emergency beds have been made available since the start of the winter at a City Centre facility, catering for both men and women, including those with dogs.
This is in addition to the 12 beds that are available throughout the year at the Open Door Shelter.
Two outreach workers are active in the District throughout the year to make rough sleepers aware of the support.
 Say hello to Dalia Akavickiene who is celebrating a decade as a Charter Market trader.
Dalia is currently selling winter hats, gloves, scarves and socks at her fashion stall, Burgundy Mode.
Her clothes are mostly made of wool and other natural materials and imported from her native Lithuania.
Dalia said: “I offer something different that you won’t find in any shop. Marks and Spencer can only dream about my stock.
“I love working at the Market and have many, many customers who keep on coming back for more.”
 We will be marking Holocaust Memorial Day on Monday 27 January – the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
Councillor Jamie Day, Mayor of St Albans City and District, is to attend a commemorative service on Sunday 26 January at the Masorti Synagogue in St Albans.
The service which starts at 6.30pm will be addressed by local rabbis and candles will be lit in memory of those who perished.
It will be an occasion to remember the six million people murdered during the Holocaust and later genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and elsewhere.
This year’s theme is the importance of remembering and learning from the Holocaust and more recent genocides For A Better Future.
Entry is restricted to those who have confirmed attendance to the Mayor's office by emailing mayoralty@stalbans.gov.uk.
 We are supporting Clean Air Night – a global campaign to raise awareness of the adverse impacts of wood burning.
Residents are asked to avoid burning wood and keep the skies clear on Wednesday 22 January.
Lighting fires at home has become the largest source of small particle air pollution in the UK.
It can cause life-threatening illnesses, including heart and lung disease, and is also harmful to the environment.
 St Albans Greener Together – designed to improve sustainability across the District – has allocated its Net Zero Fund 2024 to six community groups.
Grants totalling more than £55,000 have been awarded to Herts Disability Sports Foundation, Soil Squad, Sustainable St Albans, The Green House, Jefferson Eco and London Colney Parish Council. You can read more about the successful applicants here.
In 2025, Greener Together is organising a number of exciting sustainability events to help you live a greener life. You can find details on their website.
You can also join St Albans Greener Together there and, to inspire others, share an experience of a sustainable action.
 A popular group-buying scheme for solar panels with battery storage is open again for residents.
Solar Together aims to reduce the cost of the eco-friendly installations and ensure quality products and workmanship.
Electric Vehicle charge points and retrofit battery storage for householders who already have solar panels are also available.
The scheme is supported by Councils across the county and you can register an interest in the scheme from Monday 27 January. You will receive a recommended option for your property without any obligation to purchase.
Work has started on a project to make Harpenden Leisure Centre more energy efficient, reduce bills and cut harmful emissions.
Solar panels are being installed on the building's roof with the work likely to take 12 weeks.
The Council owns the centre which is managed on its behalf by leisure contractor Everyone Active.
Together, we obtained a £173,000 grant from the National Lotteries Swimming Pool Support Fund for the project.
 We are supporting a national campaign to inspire individuals to explore career opportunities that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of local residents.
You can do this by embarking on a rewarding career with your local council.
With over 9 in 10 councils experiencing recruitment and retention challenges amid growing demand for services, this initiative comes at a crucial time.
It aims to address workforce shortages by attracting new talent into councils, ensuring they can continue to provide the vital services on which communities depend.
Whether you are just starting out, switching careers or seeking career development, take a look at the wide range of opportunities to join us.
 A drop-in event is being held at St Albans Library next month offering people advice on how to stay safe online.
Everyone is welcome to attend on Wednesday 5 February and ask questions about cyber security to the police, Hertfordshire Trading Standards and other organisations.
Talks on a range of subjects, including rogue traders, cyber scams and support for victims, will also take place from 11am.
 Thirty-one people have been arrested and five people given custodial sentences following a police operation to tackle a significant rise in shoplifting in the District.
A Community Protection Warning was also issued as was a Criminal Behaviour Order, which if breached could result in a prison sentence. In addition, there were 22 Community Resolutions.
A dedicated anti-shoplifting team was set up late last year in response to high levels of thefts from shops.
St Albans District Chief Inspector Martin Turpin (pictured) said: “We have made St Albans a hostile environment for thieves."
 The neighbourhood policing teams in St Albans District have set their priorities for the next four months.
They have analysed data and taken on board feedback to identify the issues which are currently causing the most concern to residents.
It will result in an increased police presence in troublespots, engagement events and targeted enforcement.
Among the issues to be tackled are drug dealing in part of the Alban Way in St Albans, burglary in Harpenden, speeding in Sandridge and anti-social behaviour in Wheathampstead, Redbourn and other areas.
 We are taking action against tenancy fraud by holding a key amnesty in March.
Subletting a social housing property or not using it as your main home is a criminal offence which can result in a two-year jail sentence. It deprives someone in genuine need of a home.
The Council is working in partnership with Hertfordshire Shared Anti-Fraud Service to recover Council homes being used illegally so they can be re-let to those in need of social housing.
From Monday 3 March, anyone who is not using their Council home in accordance with their tenancy agreement can return their keys to us.
By doing so, they will avoid any legal action being taken against them for tenancy fraud. This amnesty will run for four weeks.
We have carried out a survey of our garages across the District with a view to making more available to rent.
Many of the garages were no longer being used and some will require repairs to bring them up to standard.
In addition, we have made the process for applying for a rental garage more user friendly.
Our partners at Hertfordshire Futures are holding a series of online forums to discuss key issues facing the county.
These will help shape plans to create a resilient, productive, inclusive and sustainable economy.
Businesses, community groups and residents are invited to attend and give their views.
The first event is on Wednesday 29 January, 09.30-10.30am, to discuss the impact of health on the local economy with a stellar line-up of panellists expertly chaired by radio and podcast host Matt Deegan.
|
 Roman Talks in February
Verulamium Museum hosts three fascinating talks on Roman history next month:
Disability in the Ancient Mediterranean World, Friday 7 February, 7pm, £10.
Roman Coins, Tuesday 11 February, 7pm, £10.
Living in Comfort? Multisensory experience of living in Roman residences, Friday 28 February, 7pm, £10.
 Talk: Bishopsgate Institute's LGBTQ+ Collections, St Albans Museum + Gallery, Thursday 13 February, 7pm, Free.
Bishopsgate Institute’s Special Collections and Archives holds possibly the most extensive collections on LGBTQ+ history, politics and culture in the UK.
Special Collections and Archives Manager Stefan Dickers discusses how the collections were gathered and the stories behind them.
Book your ticket on the Museums website.
 New exhibition: Outsiders, St Albans Museum + Gallery, 10am to 4pm every day from Friday 17 January to Sunday 16 March, Free.
Outsiders is a documentary photography project by Marc Davenant which captures a snapshot of homelessness in modern Britain.
Homelessness in this case is taken in a broad sense to mean anyone who does not have access to a safe, stable, and habitable home environment.
The project includes personal testimony from the participants alongside environmental monochrome portraits taken using a mix of digital and vintage film cameras.
 Exhibition research: Generations - South Asian St Albans, St Albans Museum + Gallery, Saturday 8, 15 and 22 February.
We are looking for individuals and families with a connection to South Asian countries to get involved in our next community co-curated exhibition - Generations: Stories from South Asian St Albans.
Come along and tell us what you would like to see in the exhibition at these all-day drop in sessions.
You can book tickets and find more about these exhibitions at the Museums website.
 St Albans Healthy Hub is your free centre for health and wellbeing information, advice and support.
You can get help on many issues including how to lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, become more active and manage money.
The organisations involved include Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Mind in Mid Herts and many more. You can find more information on the Healthy Hub webpages.
 The NHS says our local hospitals have come under intense pressure this winter with a surge of very unwell people.
If you need urgent help you can contact NHS 111. For more minor concerns, please consider your local pharmacy.
 Our partners at Healthwatch Hertfordshire have been working with the NHS to hear from the Armed Forces Community about their experiences of healthcare.
This includes hearing from veterans, non-mobilised reservists, serving personnel, and families. Our study will provide them with a valuable opportunity to shape how care can be improved for the Armed Forces Community.
|
