 Stay local as lockdown rules ease
On Monday 29 March, rules in England around Covid-19 were eased slightly as part of the roadmap announced by the Prime Minister on 22 February.
The stay at home message has now been lifted and people can:
- Meet outdoors, including in gardens, either in a group of 6 (from any number of households), or in a group of any size from up to 2 households (each household can include existing support bubbles, if eligible).
- Take part in formally organised outdoor sports with any number of people (outdoor sports venues and facilities will be reopening).
- Childcare and supervised activities, and organised parent and child groups (up to 15 attendees), will be allowed outdoors.
 Supporting residents to get tested
There is plenty of testing capacity in the borough for residents. Anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 can call 119 or book a test online at one of our symptomatic sites.
We also have four rapid testing sites, where anyone can take up the offer of free and regular tests. These are particularly important for key workers and anyone who cannot work from home. Appointments can be booked online and all sites also offer a walk-in service.
Our community collect testing offer is also now in place, where rapid Covid-19 test kits can be picked up and taken home. This option is available to families with children who have returned to school and families/households of staff who work in schools. The tests can be performed completely at home and provide a result within 30 minutes. Tests are available for collection in Tower Hamlets from most test sites.
 Plan your park visit and keep our open spaces tidy
Spring has arrived and rules for meeting people from outside your household are relaxing. From 29 March you can meet up to a maximum of six people or two households outdoors. We want all residents to be able to enjoy our parks safely so remember:
- Please take your rubbish home with you and leave the park as you would like to find it.
- Please bring your picnic and remember that BBQ’s, gazebos, marquees, and tents are not allowed in our parks.
- If you are cycling in our parks, please slow down and give way to pedestrians and other park users.
 Stories Of 1971 – a story and memory competition
To honour the strong cultural links between the local Bengali communities in Tower Hamlets and the 1971 Bangladeshi war for Independence, community organisation Toynbee Hall is running a story competition to capture memories and imagination of what life may have been like during these turbulent times.
They welcome stories in multiple languages that explore the themes of life in 1971, resistance, liberation and home. You can use local and family history to inspire your work or submit a completely fictional piece. The deadline is Thursday 8 April 2021. Submitted stories will be judged on how original, interesting and engaging they are.
 Virtual Covid-19 vaccination Q&A for our Bengali community
Join us on Thursday 8 April for a live virtual discussion and Q&A session on Covid-19 vaccination. A panel of health experts, including Director of Public Health Dr Somen Banerjee and community leaders will answer your questions on the vaccine.
Bengali/English translations will be available during the webinar, to ensure our Bengali residents can receive information in their community language. While this event is tailored for Bengali residents, anyone can join the discussion.
 It’s not too late to take part in the census - don’t risk a fine
A big thank you to everyone who has filled out their census form. Your answers will help shape important local services, including transport, education and healthcare, and ensure that Tower Hamlets gets its fair share of future funding.
Census Day has now passed but you must fill in your census if you haven’t already. It is an offence to not complete the census, with fines up to £1,000. But don’t worry, there’s lots of support available to help you and the census team can be contacted in lots of ways including email, social media, text message, over the phone or at a census support centre.
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