Fireworks are often loud and can frighten people, particularly those with sensory impairments or those who have suffered trauma, and cause great distress to animals.
If you are using fireworks, please get in touch with your neighbours and give them plenty of notice so they can look after themselves and their animals, and avoid purchasing really noisy fireworks.
► Find out more about staying safe this bonfire and fireworks night
Essex County Fire & Rescue Service is encouraging people to go to public displays where possible. However, if you are planning a display at home, here are some top tips for staying safe:
- Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable, and ensure it finishes before 11pm (or midnight on 5 November)
- Only buy fireworks which carry the CE mark – keep them in a closed box and use them one at a time
- Read and follow the instructions on each firework, using a torch if necessary
- Light the firework at arm's length with a taper and stand well back
- Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks
- Never return to a firework once it has been lit
- Don't put fireworks in pockets and never throw them
- Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
- Always supervise children around fireworks
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The Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service has some useful advice on talking to children about keeping safe online.
The advice includes how to have conversations with your child about online activity, setting boundaries, and how to manage emotions and reactions to content seen online.
► Watch this video for ideas on how to talk to your children about keeping safe online
The Chair's Charter is a new scheme aimed at encouraging residents, businesses, schools and other organisations to take small, practical steps to reduce their carbon footprint and single-use plastics waste.
The Charter was adopted as part of our commitment to taking positive action on the climate crisis.
Residents are asked to make their own pledges, stating what actions they would like to take to tackle these issues. Actions can be big or small, with plenty of room for creativity!
You can get involved in the project – let us know the actions you have taken to reduce plastic waste. Get in touch by emailing wasteaware@uttlesford.gov.uk or share on our Facebook page.
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Customers have a new way to contact Uttlesford District Council following the launch of a new instant messaging service on the council’s website.
Live Chat is a text-based service that you can use to speak directly to our Customer Services team. This service is only available when we are open and when our advisors are not busy responding to other chats.
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Essex Highways’ Winter Service has begun with highway gritter teams now on standby to keep the roads in a safe condition during the colder months.
Essex Highways grit 40 per cent of the county road network (National Highways grit the A12, A120, M11 and M25).
Roadside salt bins for use by local residents have been re-filled where necessary. Should it be necessary, residents can also help their neighbours and local community by carefully clearing snow from their own local pavements. You can read guidance about how to do this safely.
Residents can check the gritting routes via an online map or follow daily gritter decisions on the Essex Highways Twitter account.
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The Met Office's seasonal WeatherReady hub has information and advice on the simple actions people can take to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of severe weather.
The hub covers getting out and about in winter, staying well in cold weather and taking care of your family and home.
► 10 things you should do now to prepare for winter
If you are looking to get out and about this autumn, why not join one of our health walks?
Trained leaders will be there to lead you on interesting walks through the local countryside or past places of interest.
We have wide range of regular healthy walks arranged. Families are welcome but not all walks are suitable for dogs.
► Find out more about the health walks
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We are working to develop a comprehensive baseline assessment of culture, creativity and the arts in the district. This work will help inform the draft Local Plan process.
A digital survey is being run by Essex-based social enterprise The Cultural Engine. If you work or take part in the cultural, creative or arts sectors as an amateur or professional, we would like to hear from you.
► Find out more about the project and take part in the survey
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People who received their second Covid-19 dose at least six months (182 days) ago can now have their booster jab at one of the walk-in centres across Essex, without needing to book an appointment or waiting to be invited.
As we head into winter, residents are being urged to keep on top of their Covid-19 vaccinations, remain cautious and take steps to prevent spreading the virus within local communities.
This includes testing regularly, meeting others outside or letting fresh air in if meeting indoors, washing your hands regularly and wearing a face covering in crowded places.
Residents are also advised to remain at home if they feel unwell and to self-isolate if they develop symptoms of Covid-19 or test positive for the virus. One in three people who test positive do not show any symptoms and so rapid lateral flow testing is the only way to identify hidden cases and make sure the virus isn’t unknowingly spread to others.
Rapid Covid-19 tests are free and can be collected from local collection points or you can order self-tests online. Remember to record your result online, regardless of what it is, by following the instructions in the test kit.
► Get information and support at Essex County Council’s Coronavirus Hub
Make sure you’re reading the instructions when opening your self-test kits!
There are two types of test:
- One for throat and nose
- and one for just the nose
By regular testing we can protect ourselves and others.
► Find your nearest self-test collection point
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