Fire Safety Guidance Note: Returning to Work After the Coronavirus Lockdown

Many businesses are now re-opening, and adapting how they work to incorporate social distancing. Fire safety needs to be considered alongside these changes. You can find more information for businesses in the Fire Safety Guidance Note and on the London Fire Brigade website.

Fire Risk Assessments This key document is likely to need updating to reflect changes in staffing levels and working practices.

Emergency evacuation plans Do you need to update your plan to incorporate social distancing into your evacuations and fire drills? Read our advice.

Fire alarm systems Has your usual testing and maintenance schedule been disrupted? It’s time to check your alarms, extinguishers and other systems.

Fire doors Are staff propping open doors to avoid touching them when they should be kept shut? Know the risks.

Staff training Do you still have the fire wardens and fire marshals you need?

Arson Make sure combustible material hasn’t built up on or near to your premises.

Salvage plans Are your staff on standby if a salvage operation is needed? What if your staffing levels have changed?

/by
,

Dance to Health: Falls Prevention Dance Programme for Older People – Now Online

Dance to Health, a falls prevention dance programme for older people is now online – Click here

For more information about this and how the arts are great for our health click here

/by

Money & Mental Health – Practical Financial Skills to Manage Money

The Practical Financial Skills to Manage Money guide offers lots of helpful information such as:

  • How financial debt and money worries impact people’s mental health: Did you know that 9.5 million adults in the UK suffer from mental health issues as a result of financial anxiety?
  • The importance of practical financial skills and how it helps with mental health, including expert advice on combating debt, knowing why people overspend, and how to manage the effects of money pressures.
  • Practical and useful tips and advice such as how to do a budget, analyzing spending habits, where to save on household expenses, and how to deal with debt, and how to make money management a habit.
  • Other useful information and links to external resources to help develop practical financial skills and healthy habits around money.

Click here

/by
,

The Lateef Project

The Lateef Project are offering an Islamic Counselling service to  those survivors, bereaved and in other ways affected by the tragedy. Islamic counselling is a faith based therapeutic approach. The service is open to people of all faiths and those of no faith; we work with clients based on their understanding of the world and what is important to them. The service is confidential and provided by qualified, accredited counsellors trained up to at least Level 4 who are DBS checked. The Lateef Project is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), so all data is protected and held securely. We have both male and female counsellors available. The service is available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10 AM and 5 PM.

We are accepting self-referrals.

Flyer

Website

/by
,

Rafiki Project

White City and Wormholt Covid-19 Support.

Culturally specific meals. Telephone activity and befriending. Sign-posting. Please see attached flyer for further details:

Flyer

/by

Charity Commission’s New Guidance on Reporting Serious Incidents

The Charity Commission has updated its guidance for trustees on what needs to be reported as a serious incident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out more.

/by

Guide to Menstrual Cycles & Mental Health

The link below contains plenty of helpful information such as:

  • The link between menstrual cycles and mental health and how mood, sleep, and energy levels are affected during periods.
  • Understanding premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and its more severe form premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) – their physical and emotional effects, what to look out for, and how PMS and PMDD symptoms mimic other mental health conditions.
  • Useful self-care tips and wellbeing advice during your cycle – how the right diet, exercise, emotional and stress management practices help, and other useful advice and resources for women.

Click here

/by

Job Retention Scheme Will Close to New Entrants Next Week

Last week the Chancellor Rishi Sunak made a statement on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). According to the government, over 1 million employers have used the scheme, making £15bn in claims to date.

Over 50% of respondents to our recent survey said their charity was making use of the scheme, far more than any of the other types of support on offer – so how it is modified and wound down will have big implications for many charities and the services they provide. Further guidance about so-called ‘flexible furloughing’ is expected on 12 June.

The government has published more details in this fact sheet – note that the scheme will close to new entrants from 30 June, which means that ‘the final date by which an employer can furlough an employee for the first time will be the 10 June, in order for the current three-week furlough period to be completed by 30 June’. So, if you’re thinking of taking this option and haven’t yet, time is running out.

Also, see the Charity Tax Group’s short summary of the changes here

/by
,

Update from K&C Libraries

Although our libraries are still closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a restricted area has opened in North Kensington Library to provide computer access to residents. Library users are able to use a computer for 45-minutes per day, for essential tasks such as applying for jobs or virtual learning.

Service available: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm

For more information click here.

Along with the new PC provision, we have introduced other initiatives to help people in the borough through the lockdown. Our virtual library offer features more online events, classes and interactive resources and the Home Library Service is working on supporting those unable to leave their homes at all.

/by
,

Chancellor extends Self-Employment Support Scheme and confirms furlough next steps

The government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will be extended, giving more security to individuals whose livelihoods are adversely affected by coronavirus in the coming months, the Chancellor announced.

Link 

/by