Coronavirus update: Back to school (virtually!), World Earth Day on Wednesday and much more.... ,

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Leader of the Council Clare Coghill green background

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Dear residents,

Today, many parents dust off their school knowledge and begin homeschooling their children. The Department for Education has released guidance and support for parents while they undertake this challenge - good luck! It's #EarthDay2020 on Wednesday, and a time for hope, optimism and action for the future even in these strange times. Watch our Facebook or Twitter for activities, you could even include one in your home lesson plans.

Thanks so much to everyone who has donated to our Crowdfunder. In less than 30 days we’ve raised nearly £35,000. That’s a phenomenal effort and will benefit local organisations so they can provide more support to residents who need it. The fund will be closed from Thursday midnight, so if your circumstances allow and you would like to make a donation, please do.

For any readers who work in or are part of the voluntary or charity sector in Waltham Forest, please take a look at our latest newsletter for information on how we can support you at this time, and sign up to our mailing list to make sure you receive all of the latest information.

Celebrating #EarthDay2020 from home

This Wednesday sees the return of #EarthDay2020. We want to know how you’re getting involved with this year’s theme of Climate Action.

We’re asking you to get creative and upcycle something within your home this week or you might have already created something during lock-down.

Maybe you’ve got an abundance of plastic bottles hanging around, or an old football that’s seen better days that you could get creative with!

Tag us in your photos on our socials channels, using #EarthDay2020.

Check out what you can and can't recycle and learn more about Earth Day.

Thank you Alexa

Alexa is a social worker at Whipps Cross Hospital working hard to ensure that vulnerable residents who are unable to return home after being discharged from hospital are able to access a ‘step-down’ facility that provides extra care whilst developing a plan that is right for them.

This is part of the response to the Coronavirus outbreak where the Council is working with the hospital to discharge all patients as soon as it is safe to do so to help alleviate the pressure on the NHS and free up to at least 15,000 beds.

Read Alexa’s full story.

Do you need financial help?

If you require financial relief or assistance, we may be able to help. We know that this is a difficult time for many people so have pulled together a list of useful links and advice if you are struggling with money.

Visit our website for options and support. This could range from housing payments, help with paying Council Tax, or welfare assistance for bills or food.

5 Ways to Wellbeing

Especially now more than ever we need to remember to stay mentally healthy, the five ways to wellbeing are things we can do to help support ourselves. Some of the things you can do to support good mental health and wellbeing using the five ways are:

Connect - phone or video chat with friends and family
Be active - take part in free online exercise classes or go for a walk
Take notice - take the time to reflect on what matters most to you
Learn - why not learn a new word every day
Give – donate to charity or give time to someone who needs to talk

Watch the video with tips on how these five actions can be adapted while at home.

Back to School help

With the start of the summer term today, the Department for Education has released a wide range of guidance to support your children’s education during Coronavirus:

Parents of secondary school children should contact their school for guidance. Alongside any work your children receive from school, available are online educational resources covering various subjects and age groups. These have been recommended by teachers and school leaders.

EMD Planning application - tell us what you think

As we work through this challenging time, it is vital we put plans in place to ensure we are well prepared when we begin to move into our economic recovery phase. This means moving forward with development plans so we can ensure the local economy is resilient and supported with new jobs when we start to move out of lock down.

The EMD Cinema planning application is now live and open for comment. We would love to hear your thoughts. The deadline for comments is open until Thursday 7 May 2020.

In partnership with Soho Theatre, the refurbished cinema will be an exciting addition to Waltham Forest. Currently, Soho Theatre has relaunched digital platform Soho Theatre on Demand, with the entertaining stage play Fleabag currently showing - a bit of light hearted relief if you fancy it.

Other educational resources

BBC bitesize launched today with a wide range of educational programmes to help children, both primary and secondary to learn at home.

It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online and to encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying online.

Council Services

A number of Council services have been affected but we are working hard to ensure that vital services continue.

Visit our website for up to date information on our services and how to access them.

Information and advice regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) is changing quickly and its important you keep up to date with those changes. The Council will be using email newsletters to keep residents and businesses up to date.

If residents have questions please visit our website, and use live chat to talk to one of our team, it's quicker than phoning.

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