Parkinson’s UK run a free confidential Parkinson’s UK information advice service both in Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea for people with Parkinson’s, their families, friends and carers. They provide tailored information and support about all things Parkinson’s, whether it be benefits, housing, driving, navigating the health and social care system and much more. They also have specialist advisers who can support them with care and employment issues. They are great listeners and offer emotional support and in depth case work where needed. In line with Government guidelines they have been unable to offer home visits but have successfully adapted their approach and have been providing much needed support by telephone, by video calls and by e-mail – ensuring those who need them most are still able to get the support they need. For further information please contact 0808 800 0303 or email hello@parkinsons.org.uk
Hammersmith and Fulham Law Centre have an exciting new project to assist women experiencing domestic abuse. Our dedicated Women’s Crisis Navigator will provide a holistic service to women experiencing domestic abuse, enabling them to get early advice to prevent them from experiencing any further harm. The Law Centre has expertise in housing, homelessness, welfare benefits and immigration but we will also assist women to access advice on family matters, including injunctions and related support services. We are working on creating partnerships with local organisations based around a referral system. We hope that by working together, more women in crisis will receive the support and legal advice that they require. The referrals made by our partners will act as a key component of accessing justice for the client. I enclose details of the service that you can display in your organisation and share with other staff members. Please do get in touch if you would want more details or if you would like to speak about the project. Email: kate.evans@hflaw.org.uk Phone: 020 8148 5276
Boris Johnson, after weeks of campaigning led by Marcus Rashford, has taken a U-turn on providing free school meals for school children in the school holidays. A £170 million winter grant scheme, to be run by councils, will provide support for food and bills. The extension of the holiday activities and food programme will also include a £220 million scheme to cover the Easter, summer and next Christmas holidays too and see a cash boost of £16 million for the nation’s food banks. Manchester food banks have written to Manchester United, where Rashford pays, urging the football club to pay the National Living Wage highlighting that many of the people who access their foodbanks work, but are not payed enough. Cleaners and caters who work at the club have been struggling to put food on the table and the food banks hope that this simple step could help reduce child poverty within the city.
We know this is a tough time for local business owners due to another COVID-19 lockdown. We’re here to continue to support local businesses like yours through this pandemic. Our Business Desk is still your first port of call for business support. Certain businesses are now required to close during the new lockdown which began on Thursday 5 November. Find out if your business needs to close here. Staying closed and accessing the available business support will help save lives and keep H&F safe. If you need support, please contact our Business Support Desk by emailing business-support@lbhf.gov.uk or calling 020 8753 5585. Together, we can help protect businesses and save lives in H&F. Stay safe. Get the latest information on the financial support available for businesses during the pandemic here: Local Restrictions Support Grant Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Grant Extension Find out more about other financial support for businesses here Applications for the COVID-19 Recovery Grant will reopen next week. Apply here Get legal, finance and digital marketing guidance from local mentors. Click here
With another national lockdown coming into force across England on 5th November, businesses and self-employed people will be impacted by additional restrictions and closures. These include: All non-essential retail venues must close. However, businesses can offer delivery or click-and-collect of goods so you may want to look into this to retain some revenue. Hospitality, leisure and entertainment venues must close. This includes gyms, cinemas, and museums. Hospitality businesses such as pubs or restaurants can offer delivery or takeaway services only. Hotels and hostels can only open to those who have to travel for essential work. If you are a business owner, you should encourage your employees to work from home where possible. Those who can’t work from home, such as in construction or manufacturing, can continue to do so in a Covid-secure way. Read the full Government Guidance
With the country going into the lockdown again from Thursday, we expect there will be changes to the library provision too. For all the updates about the Library Service in Kensington and Chelsea over the next month, please head over to our website, where you will find the latest information and the most recent updates related to Covid-19 and the libraries service. We are going to continue providing you with a full programme of online events – talks, workshops and book clubs, as well as a boosted virtual offer of sessions for children and adults on our social media platforms. We are hosting the 12th annual London History Festival in the last two weeks of November, but before that, we have some fantastic events to help you through the lockdown. Come along, enjoy and learn with us!
People suffering ‘long COVID’ symptoms will be offered specialist help at clinics, as part of a five-point package of support. Respiratory consultants, physiotherapists, other specialists and GPs will assess, diagnose and treat thousands of patients who have symptoms such as breathlessness, chronic fatigue, ‘brain fog’, anxiety and stress. NHS Chief Executive, Sir Simon Stevens, said: “It is now clear that ‘long COVID’ can have a major impact on the lives of a significant minority of patients weeks or months after they have contracted the virus. So just as the NHS quickly put in place specialist hospital care for acutely ill COVID patients at the start of the pandemic, now we must respond sensitively and effectively to these new patient needs.”