Pride goes on(line) and last chance to share your lockdown experiences

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Tower Hamlets bannerLet's talk coronavirus

Reminder: Survey closes tomorrow!

We're running a survey to help us understand the specific ways you and your family have been impacted by the pandemic.

What are you most worried about as lockdown starts to ease? Are you juggling home working and home schooling? Have you noticed some positives to staying home? Or maybe you're planning to change how you travel in future?

We want to hear from as many residents as possible from across Tower Hamlets:

  1. Please fill out the survey if you haven't already (big thanks to those who have!)
  2. Share this email (or the survey link!) with your family, friends and neighbours
  3. Spread the word by sharing our Facebook post and Twitter post

The survey will close at 11.59pm on Wednesday 17 June.

Have your say today >


Green for Grenfell

St George's Town Hall goes green for Grenfell

St George’s Town Hall was illuminated in green on Saturday night as part of the third anniversary of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire.  

We carry in our thoughts those 72 people who died and their families, as well as those who were injured and those who got out safely but still carry the emotional trauma from that night. We also pay tribute to those from the emergency services who responded so bravely.

As part of the nationwide ‘green for Grenfell’ memorial, Canary Wharf also turned green at the top of One Canada Square, while churches across Tower Hamlets rang their bells on Sunday in memory of those who died. 

See more on Twitter >


Pride

Pride programme goes on(line) this year  

Our partners at East London Out Project (ELOP) and Tower Hamlets LGBT Community Forum have created a fantastic virtual programme of arts and culture including film, comedy and music as part of Pride month, which runs throughout June.

Events kick off at 7pm this Thursday, 18 June, with a night of poetry, prose and discussion.

Later this week, we’ll also be proudly raising the rainbow flag at our town hall - so look out for photos on our social media, and in the next edition of this e-newsletter.

Book your place > 


Social distancing in shops

Non-essential shops reopen with safety measures

All shops in the borough are now allowed to open according to government guidelines, but with strict safety measures in place.

Safety measures include plastic screens at the tills and floor markings to keep shoppers two metres apart – measures that are already a regular fixture in supermarkets.

Although food shops, pharmacies, banks and other essential retailers have stayed open, retailers such as bookshops and clothes outlets have been closed since 23 March.

If you're shopping, please remember to stay two metres apart from others, use hand sanitiser where available and only touch things you are going to buy. Continue to wash your hands as regularly as possible and as soon as you arrive home. 

More advice >


Shared lives

Virtual celebrations for Learning Disability and Shared Lives weeks

This week we're celebrating Learning Disability Week (15 - 21 June) and Shared Lives Week (15 - 19 June).

Across the week, our community learning disability service (CLDS) is running online sessions for providers, personal assistants and anybody who supports someone with a learning disability. These include:

  • the importance of being physically active on Wednesday 17 June at 12pm 
  • mental wellbeing on Thursday 18 June at 3pm.

For information on how to join the sessions, email elft.cldsnurses@nhs.net

Tower Hamlets Shared Lives is a programme providing care for people with learning disabilities within the local community. Our Shared Lives carers support someone in their own family home and help that person to maintain their sense of independence.

On Friday, we will be holding a virtual tea party to thank our Shared Lives carers and celebrate the strong friendships made as a result of these placements. 

Find out more >


DGS funding

New funding available for small businesses and charities

In response to the pandemic, the government announced support for small businesses through the Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant Fund.

Although this brought relief for many, some businesses were excluded from these grants as they did not fall into certain categories and were not business ratepayers. 

A new Discretionary Grants Scheme has been launched to support small businesses, market traders and charities that cannot apply for previous schemes. Applications can be made until Monday 6 July 2020.

Find out more >


Father's Day

A day dedicated to dads

On Friday 19 June from 2pm - 3pm, our parental engagement team is inviting dads and male carers to meet and talk informally about fatherhood during coronavirus.

The group will chat about the challenges of working from home and juggling family life, keeping children happy, occupied and engaged in their education and more. 

Participants will also get a free activity bag with lots of resources to support play and creative learning for their children.

Read more and register >


Support line hours changing

Coronavirus support line – update on opening hours

The opening hours of our coronavirus support phoneline (020 7364 3030) will be changing from Saturday 20 June. From this date, the phoneline will be available Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm. It will no longer be open at weekends or in the evenings.

Until then the phoneline will remain in open Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 10am - 5pm and Sunday 10am - 4pm.

Get support >


Shielding advice

Supporting residents who are 'shielding' 

Councillor Rachel Blake has released a video message to support and reassure residents who are shielding as a result of being at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

This video supplements the government's updated advice for shielding people, which includes being able to go out once a day, either with members of their household, or if they live alone, they can meet one other person from outside their home. This should ideally be the same person each time.

We’ve worked with local health partners to provide more detail on how people who are shielding can follow the updated guidance safely.

Always keep up to date with the latest NHS advice if you are in this group and remember, shielding is working and remains the most effective way of protecting yourself if you are at increased risk.                 

Watch the video >


Ask the Mayor

Save the date for our virtual Ask the Mayor

Mayor John Biggs will be hosting a virtual Ask the Mayor event at 7pm - 8.30pm on Tuesday 23 June.

This is your chance to hear from the mayor on local issues that matter to you, all while staying home.

We'll keep you posted on how to take part online nearer to the event through our website and social media pages.

Event page >


Coronavirus: useful links


Thank you for reading

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