Pictured: Cllr Jonathan Cook, Cllr Guy Senior and Cllr Hugh Byrne
Your Essential Shaftesbury Update: May 2020
Dear Resident,
We hope that you and your loved ones are keeping well in these difficult and uncertain times.
We would like to thank you for making the effort to stay at home and observe social distancing guidelines when you need to go out. Wandsworth has been particularly observant of these guidelines. Thank you all for your efforts.
There are so many in our community who are helping to support us all through this crisis, in particular our NHS and social care staff, our refuse collectors, postal staff, delivery drivers, staff in pharmacies and food shops, and local businesses who have worked so hard to adapt to the situation. There are also a number of charities, community groups and faith groups who have made enormous efforts to assist and protect vulnerable members of our society. It is particularly encouraging to see so many local residents volunteer to be involved in this effort. I would urge you if you haven't already to consider getting involved.
The Government is intent on supporting businesses and individuals through this crisis and local authorities are at the forefront of this effort. Wandsworth Council moved quickly to support the Wandsworth business community, and has so far paid almost £45M in business support grants to over 2,800 businesses, and further support and advice is being provided to businesses and self-employed residents. For more details visit the council’s website.
We are lucky to have such an array of excellent local businesses in our area. They are going through a difficult time but so many are adapting brilliantly and we would urge you to support them wherever you can. The Junction website has details of local businesses and what they provide.
The local community response to national advice around social distancing and staying at home has been overwhelmingly supportive. The role of the police has been largely to engage and advise and, only as a last resort, to enforce. In Wandsworth this approach has generally worked very well and has been supported by the vast majority of residents.
Perhaps not surprisingly, crime such as burglary, robbery and theft has fallen significantly since lockdown began, and the police have been able to respond more quickly than usual to emergency calls. Unfortunately, there has been some increase in doorstep and online scams, so it’s important to be vigilant, the Council’s website has more information on what to look out for.
As always, we stand ready to help you and your family navigate this incredibly uncertain time. Do please get in touch if there is something we can help with or if there is anything you would like to share with us by clicking our names above.
You can also find further information about Coronavirus support below.
Stay safe and best wishes
Cllr Jonathan Cook
Cllr Guy Senior
Cllr Hugh Byrne
Stay at Home – Protect the NHS – Save Lives
The expert advice is clear, we all need to stay at home and minimise our social interaction for the next few weeks in order to reduce the spread of the virus. The Government has said people should only leave the house for one of four reasons.
- Shopping for basic necessities for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
- One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.
- Any medical need or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
- Travelling to and from work but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.
Helping Vulnerable People
The Council has created a Community Hub for residents, particularly those people who are elderly and/or vulnerable without support networks, who need support to access medical/care services and food supplies. It is designed to help those most in need to stay safe and well while they self-isolate at home.
You can call our Community Hub on 020 8871 6555 or click here to e-mail our Community Hub.
You can see a short video of the Council’s work with Wandsworth's AgeUK to deliver food parcels across the borough here.
You can find support for the voluntary and community sector by clicking here.
If you want to help
If you are an individual, business or organisation that is interested in helping, we would encourage you to visit our webpage and complete our online form in the ‘how your organisation can help’ section.
If you are an existing voluntary or community group in the borough, or one who has been formed in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, you can contact the Wandsworth Voluntary Sector Co-ordination Project (part of the Care Alliance) to liaise with the Council.
Update on Council Services
The Council has had to reduce or change a number of services across the borough as part of the emergency response, here are some of services that are affected:
- All libraries and leisure centres are currently closed.
- Parks and green spaces remain open but signs have been placed on playgrounds and equipment reminding residents of the need to maintain social distancing measures.
- Rubbish and Recycling collections are running to schedule.
But we have had to postpone the collection of garden waste and we urge people not to dispose of bulky items at this time. The waste crews are doing a tremendous job keeping the service running with reduced staffing levels due to the virus. We have also had to close the tip at Smugglers Way for the time being.
Schools and Children
- School attendance in Wandsworth has been very low, which means local people are staying home to protect the NHS.
- We know it’s difficult having children unable to go out during these difficult times. The Council has put together a page with fun digital activities for young people, including yoga, audiobooks, boxing and cooking. There’s a section specifically on SEND, too: https://shar.es/aHhRZG
- Many Wandsworth schools are staying open for children of key workers and vulnerable children. A few have made alternative arrangements with nearby schools; you can contact your headteacher for details.
- Some key workers have been in touch because they need to work but their children’s private nurseries have closed. If you need help, please contact your ward councillors, who will try to help you find a place.
You can find the latest updates on the Council’s website.
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This will ensure you receive the latest information on combatting COVID-19 and any changes to Council services like waste and recycling, libraries, schools, and leisure centres as part of the emergency response.
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