Hello Everyone

National News:

On the 24 January, the Department for Transport announced that all testing measures for eligible, fully vaccinated travellers arriving in the UK will be removed from 4.00am on 11th February.

Before the end of February, eligible fully vaccinated travellers will only need to fill out the passenger locator form, which will be simplified, confirming their vaccination status, travel history and contact details, and people will have an extra day to fill it out before travelling.

Children aged 12-15 in England will be able to prove their vaccination status or proof of prior infection via a digital NHS COVID Pass from 3rd February for outbound travel. For inward travel, all under-18s regardless of their individual vaccination status will continue to be considered as fully vaccinated.

On 25th January, the Prime Minister called on international tourists to visit the UK and enjoy the sights as testing and quarantine restrictions end for fully vaccinated visitors. It comes ahead of a new VisitBritain £10 million international marketing campaign targeting the UK’s most valuable visitor markets of Europe and the USA which will launch next month.

Local data update

People tested positive in Tower Hamlets

Cases (on 26th January 2022)

Daily: 433

Last 7 days: 2,522. This is down -207 (-7.6%) from previous 7 days.

Vaccinations (on 25th January 2022)

1st dose: 152; Total 232,731

2nd dose: 139; Total 207,275

Booster/3rd dose: 423; Total 123,099

% of population aged 12+

1st dose: 67.1% 

2nd dose: 59.7%  

Booster/3rd dose: 35.5% 

MSOA Vaccination rates (25th January 2022)

Covid-19 in Tower Hamlets

Read the latest update on Covid-19 from our Director of Public Health, Dr Somen Banerjee, including the end of Plan B measures in England, changes to self-isolation rules, and rates of Covid-19 in the borough.

Read the update >

Next Weeks Activities

Due to the amazing success of our Imagination and The Borrowers project last year we are meeting up again and want new and existing carers to join us to discuss the direction and future of this project that looks at how carers can pass on their wisdom about caring and being a carer – so come at 11am on Thursday 3rd February for some fun and creativity. 

REMINDER – YOU CAN CHECK THE CCTH CALENDAR – 

If you want to know what activities are on each day at the centre then check out the CCTH Calendar – https://ccth.org.uk/new/calendar/?cid=mc-03c4653fb809aa02e303ae7a3bb5520a&month=9&yr=2021

Then email me tony@cth.org.uk to book your place.

Supporting our young people to get vaccinated

As we continue to support residents to get their Covid-19 vaccine (first, second or booster) there continues to be a tailored programme of work to reach the borough’s young people and ensure as many as possible feel confident to come forward and grab their jab.

As part of this work we have developed a specific site for young people (aged 18-29) to provide all the facts on Covid-19 and vaccination. Along with providing the latest information, the site features others sharing their experience of vaccination and their motivations for getting vaccinated. The site was developed with young people for young people to ensure it meets the needs of our young residents.

Visit ‘Everything Covid’ >

Adapting to the pandemic: inside the Royal London Hospital

The BBC’s Clive Myrie has had exclusive, third time access to The Royal London Hospital to film his final series looking at how staff are managing and adapting to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The third and final part of his series looked into the long-term impact on staff, patients and community, including how services at the hospital have adapted to continue to safely treat patients throughout the pandemic.

If you are due your Covid-19 vaccine – first, second or booster – book an appointment this week. We have more clinics than ever before offering vaccines to protect you and your loved ones.

Watch now >

There’s still time to apply for paid work experience

Our Kickstart scheme has successfully provided job opportunities to young people across the borough giving them six months paid work experience to improve their chances of finding a permanent job.

We still have 200 vacancies remaining with the scheme closing on Monday 28 February.

Find a role >

Become a recycling champion

Be a part of the change you want to see and help to spread the word about reducing, reusing and recycling in Tower Hamlets. By becoming a recycling champion you can make a positive contribution to your neighbourhood, while helping the environment and meeting new people.

Sign up now >

Our free family cycle training returns 

If you live, work, or study in Tower Hamlets, you are eligible for up to 6 free places for your family on our free cycle training programme. Our qualified instructors will show you and your children how to cycle as a group and practice cycling to your child’s school.

If your child doesn’t know how to ride a bike, it’s best to book on a free 1-2-1 session instead.

Book now >

Check out a new free course that has just been launched that focuses on carer wellbeing. It is called ‘Physical activity for health and wellbeing in the caring role’ and has been kindly endorsed by the Carers Trust. The course is 6 hours in length and learners can achieve a ‘badge’ on completion of the end quiz, and this can be added on a CV to evidence their learning/continuous professional development. We hope that it will be helpful to those working with carers, including carer centre staff, those supporting carers less formally and importantly carers themselves!

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/physical-activity-health-and-wellbeing-the-caring-role/content-section-overview?active-tab=description-tab

Did You Know we have a weekly Shared Reading Group?

How does it work?

A group of carers, one of them a trained Reader Leader, reads a great novel, short story or poem aloud. We stop and talk about what we have read. There is no need for carers to read aloud or speak – it’s fine to just listen. The idea is to create a space where people feel at ease.

Reading the literature aloud in real-time, means that everyone is involved in a shared, live experience. Carers are encouraged by the Reader Leader to respond personally, sharing feelings, thoughts and memories provoked by the reading.

Everyone experiences the text in their own way, but the literature provides a shared language that can help us to understand ourselves – and others – better.

It can even help with your ESOL needs.

If this is for you then email tony@ccth.org.uk

WALKING ALONE? REMEMBER THESE 10 TIPS

1) Plan Your Route

Make sure you plan your route ahead of time. If you are walking in an area you are not familiar with, this can help keep you from getting lost. You will be able to walk with confidence. If you do get lost, don’t wander aimlessly, find a gas station, supermarket, or fast-food restaurant where you can ask for directions.

2) Make Sure Someone Else Knows Your Plans

Don’t go out when it is dark without telling someone, even if you are just taking the dogs out for a walk around your neighbourhood or walking home from a friend’s house nearby. It may seem paranoid, but in fact, knowing someone knows where you are can be reassuring and help you feel safe. If you fall and hurt yourself or run into trouble, and someone knows where you are, they can send help if you don’t arrive at your destination on time.

3) Always Carry Your Phone with You

Always carry your phone, but not for music or to make social calls as your walk. Your phone can be a lifeline if you see something suspicious or worse if something happens to you. Download a safety app on your phone, so you’ll be able to discreetly alert the authorities if you feel threatened or see something suspicious.

4) Avoid Suspicious People and Areas

Areas that are dark, deserted, or out-of-the-way, such as an alley or a parking lot, can be riskier than a well-lit area full of people. Stick to busy, lighted paths, to minimize the risks. Also, walk mainly in familiar places where you are known. That way, if you feel like a suspicious person is following you, you can always duck into a store you know or knock on a neighbour’s door. Avoid empty streets and pathways with thick shrubbery.

5) Keep Your Hands Free

Except for a flashlight and one of the items discussed below, keep your hands free. If you are carrying anything, put it all in one bag or backpack. This will make it easier for you to react if you notice someone following you. In a dangerous situation, carrying too many bags can keep you from moving as quickly as you can if your hands are free or if you only have one bag.

6) Carry a Non-Violent Deterrent

In addition to a flashlight, carry a non-violent deterrent such as a whistle, mace, or pepper spray. A whistle will help you alert others and call them to aid you if something is wrong. The loud noise may put off attackers, and they’ll move on to find someone else. Mace or pepper spray can give you enough time to evade a potential attacker, and in a pinch, a flashlight can be used as a weapon. Make sure you know how to use the mace or pepper spray to get its full effect.

7) Wear Reflective Clothing to Prevent Accidents

When it comes to personal safety, it’s not just about suspicious people. Areas with low visibility can be prone to accidents. Reflective clothing allows bikers and cars to see you as you walk along. A flashlight or headlight can also help drivers see you if there are dark stretches of road on your route.

8) Take a Self-Defence Class

When fighting off something as an assault, the element of surprise can work in your favour. If you regularly walk alone, take a self-defence class. You don’t have to become a black belt. In fact, it’s probably better to learn something like Krav Maga, which has been popular for self-defence. The idea is to disable your attacker enough for you to get to safety, and a class focused on self-defence will help give you those survival skills.

9) Remove Any Distractions

Keep your phone in your hand in case you need to hit the panic button on your safety app, but don’t let it distract you. When walking alone at night for exercise, music can be motivating and energizing but also distracting. You may not hear someone driving or walking up behind you. Avoid wearing headphones or talking on your phone as you walk.

10) Trust Your Gut

When walking alone at night, trust your gut. If you feel like an area or situation may be dangerous, don’t wait around to find out. Stop and scan your surroundings if you think someone is following you. If you are being followed, walk as quickly as you can to a well-lit public place. You can wait until you feel safe, or call a friend, a taxi, or an Uber to help you get safely get home at night.

Following these personal safety tips will help keep you stay safe when walking alone. Always be aware of where you are and alert to suspicious activity.

REMINDER TO CARERS

If you still need PPE for you and your loved one then Tower Hamlets are still providing PPE for Carers.

Collection and delivery is on Wednesday only from Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, E14 2BG. Carers can call or email Ayeda directly 0n 07366977103 or ayeda@ccth.org.uk to order.