Coronavirus (COVID-19) update from Braintree District Council 

Dear Parish Clerk and Councillors, 

Welcome to our latest newsletter. We hope you are all keeping safe and well in these challenging times and a huge thank you to you for your continued support. 

A letter from Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, was sent to all town and parish councils thanking them for their work supporting communities during this pandemic which you can read here.

This newsletter will update you on a new campaign launched by Active Essex, a recent Council Tax scam to be aware of and more. 

Please do continue to highlight our dedicated coronavirus web page for the latest information on our services, advice and guidance, business and community support: www.braintree.gov.uk/coronavirus. 

Residents can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Our coronavirus response so far...

Here is a snapshot of just some of the work we have been doing to support our communities since the government’s instruction to stay at home on March 23.

Thanks to all our staff, members, volunteers, partners, residents and businesses.

VE Day 75 - what have you got planned? 

Friday 8th May 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (commonly known as VE Day).

Does your parish council have any plans for VE Day celebrations? Please do let us know by emailing marketing@braintree.gov.uk so we can help share your plans.

Do you know of any local stories that we can highlight? Again, we would love to share these so please do email them over to us. 

There's many ways people can get involved: https://www.veday75.org/

Bin collections change over 8th May bank holiday weekend

This is a reminder that there have been changes made to bin and recycling sack collection dates.

As the usual early May bank holiday Monday has been changed to Friday 8th May and includes the weekend in order to commemorate VE Day 75, (the 75th anniversary of the formal end of World War II,) revisions have been made to the waste and recycling collection dates, to reflect this change. 

Please see the table below for revised collection dates:

Please remember, the Garden Waste collection service remains suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

People can find out more on our website and download your REVISED collection calendar.

Update on our community hub

Our virtual Braintree community hub have been working hard helping those requesting support for food shopping, prescriptions, befriending and mental health support. The Community Hub has received over 170 referrals from the Essex Welfare Service and they continue to signpost these to Town & Parish Councils and community groups or deal with them via the Community Transport Team.

The hub have also contacted approx. 652 people that the government has identified as being high risk and requiring additional support.

Our Community Transport Team are delivering food parcels to those that are self-isolating.

A huge thank you to our volunteers and staff working hard to support our most vulnerable residents during this time.

We are still here supporting those who need us.

Hero stories 

We have received a fantastic response to our new heroes campaign, which shines a light on those in our communities doing amazing things for others during the coronavirus outbreak. 

Here's just a few we have shared so far... 

• Toppesfield Village Shop helping their local community
• Sible Hedingham 'Stitching in the Village' group
• Castle Hedingham Village Shop
• Josh & Grace from The Booking Hall Cafe in Rayne donated over 450 pieces of cake to local care workers and paramedics 
• Braintree resident Mandi made over 500 scrub bags for NHS workers and care homes
• West Street Vineyard giving away free pizza for key workers in Coggeshall 
• Elizabeth Wragg from Sible Hedingham running 50k in 10 days at home to raise money for Colchester Zoo

Please do continue to share on your channels to encourage people to nominate their local hero, or let us know if you know of any volunteers or groups doing something amazing that's worth shouting about.

• Email marketing@braintree.gov.uk
• Message us on Facebook

FREE live home workouts with Active Essex

A timetable has been launched and will be updated every Sunday morning for the week ahead.

Council Tax scam

We have been made aware of customers in our district receiving calls stating their Council Tax banding has changed. This is a SCAM.

For more advice on how to keep safe, please encourage our communities to visit www.actionfraud.police.uk

Coronavirus testing expanded

Earlier this week during the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Matt Hancock announced a further expansion of their testing programme.

Testing is now available to all over 65's and members of their households, if they have symptoms.

Additionally, any worker who needs to leave their home in order to go to work, and their households, if any of them have symptoms can also get a test.

More details available here: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested

NHS 'Help us Help you' campaign

A new NHS campaign has been rolled out to persuade people to contact their GP or the 111 service if they need medical help, or 999 in emergencies, and to go to hospital if they are told to.

• If you need medical help from your GP practice, contact them either online, by an app or by phone to be assessed.
• If you need urgent medical help, use the NHS 111 online service. If you cannot get help online, call 111.
• If it’s a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.
• If you are told to go to hospital it is important that you go to hospital.
• You should continue to attend your appointments, unless you have been told not to attend.

Encourage your communities to visit nhs.uk for more information and advice. 

Extended GP hours

Local residents registered with a GP practice in mid Essex can now access an appointment with a GP, nurse or healthcare assistant in the evening and on Saturday and Sunday thanks to the opening of extended access health hubs.

This applies to the following surgeries in our district: 

• Elizabeth Courtauld Surgery, Halstead, C09 5EF (7 days a week and bank holidays)
• Douglas Grove Surgery, Witham, CM8 1TE (Saturdays only)
• Mount Chambers Surgery, Braintree, CM7 1TE (Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays only)

More details available on their website.