Hereford Christmas markets

Keep warm at home

Christmas bin collections

As the colder weather sets in, we’re asking for everyone to be a good neighbour this winter.

Cold weather can be seriously bad for your health and it’s important to look after yourself and those close to you.

Our hospitals can fill up quickly with people needing urgent care and this can mean a long wait if you’re there for a non-serious illness. If you or a family member starts to feel poorly, a pharmacist can provide expert over the counter health advice and the NHS 111 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our Keep Herefordshire Warm service provides free advice and support to Herefordshire residents who need to improve the warmth and efficiency of their homes.

Expert energy advisors are able to offer advice and access grant funding to make sure your home is warm and healthy all winter long.

Please do share any information with neighbours- especially those who are vulnerable. You can find more information and helpful advice on pages 5 and 6.

There’s also advice to help reduce the amount of rubbish we create this Christmas- don’t forget your bin collection dates may change during the Christmas period, more information on page 7.

Cover picture: Delyn Williams, Burghill

We have printed 4,000 copies of this magazine at a cost of £479

Herefordshire
Council is working with Stonewater housing association, Alabaré and The Royal British Legion to build 19 brand-new homes at Waterworks Lane in Leominster, Hereford.

The project will see up to nine veterans receive training and learn transferable building skills, working alongside a local contractor on the development.

Once the properties are complete, the veterans working on the project will be offered the opportunity to rent one of the homes.

House building for veterans gets underway

Local communities across Hereford have embraced their new Beryl Bikes.

Over 10,000 people have tried the scheme, covering over 30,000 kilometres, and we have been delighted to see the community taking the scheme under their wing, keeping an eye on their local Beryl Bikes and Bays, and reporting any damage or issues via the app.

The scheme is affordable, simple, healthy and great for the environment, so why not join the fun and hop on a Beryl bike?

Communities embracing Beryl Bikes

Keep up-to-date with Christmas events through the Herefordshire Council Facebook page
@hfdscouncil and find your nearest council car park at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/parking

This Christmas will see a festive feast of speciality markets in the retail heart of Hereford city. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for your loved one – or you just want to treat yourself – take a trip into Hereford city this Christmas.

Our council car parks in Hereford city centre (except Friars Street), on street pay & display and the Old Market car park will be free for shoppers after 4pm for late night Christmas shopping on Wednesday 20, 27 November and 4, 11 and 18 December. Free parking also applies to all on-street pay and display bays.

There will be a range of shops open late including Maylord shopping centre, the Old Market, High Town and the surrounding area.

Eardisland residents Hugh Vernon and Graham Madeley want to ensure that the stories of 13 local soldiers who died during World War One remain alive for future generations.

With some help from Herefordshire Council and Balfour Beatty Living Places, who care for 2,113 miles of public rights of way across the county, they’ve created 13 Memorial Walks.

Each walk is dedicated to a local soldier and their story is told on specially made memorial gates and in leaflets that guide walkers.

New machine to improve our roads

A new machine that will help keep our roads safe and moving all year round has arrived in Hereford.

The dual-purpose machine is a gritter in the winter and a spray-patcher to fill pot holes during the rest of the year.

The decision to invest was taken in part due to the success of spray patching works on C and U roads in Herefordshire earlier this year. A total of 17,629 pot holes and road defects were repaired by spray-patching machines during 2019.

A single machine can repair up to 200 defects a day.

To find the walks visit www.eardislandmemorial walksorg.uk

The latest Greenhouse Gas Report (2018/19) shows that Herefordshire Council has delivered a 43% reduction in CO2 emissions.

Based on a target reduction of 40% by the year 2020, the council has exceeded this aspiration two years early and illustrated its continued commitment to the tackling the Climate Emergency.

Herefordshire Council has committed to take a major step to minimise the council’s impact on the environment by aspiring to become carbon neutral by 2030.

We’ve hit our 2020 target early…

To report a pot hole visit herefordshire.gov.uk/
report-it

Cold weather can be seriously bad for your health and it’s important to look after yourself during the winter.

If you are pregnant, are aged 65 years or over or you have a long-term condition you are eligible for the free flu vaccine.

Speak to your GP surgery or a pharmacist about receiving your vaccination as soon as possible as it is the single best protection against the flu virus.

Hospitals can fill up quickly with people needing urgent care and this can mean a long wait if you’re there for a non-serious illness. If you or a family member starts to feel poorly, a pharmacist can provide expert over the counter health advice and the NHS 111 service is available 24/7.

If chilly weather is forecast, you may find the following advice useful:

• Keep your house heated to at least 18 degrees, especially if you have a heart or lung condition
• Have at least one hot meal a day and plenty of hot drinks
• Keep as active as you can
• Make sure you have enough prescribed medications
• Stock up on cold and flu remedies for your home
• Check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours and relatives

For more information and some useful advice visit
www.nhs.uk/staywell

WISH offers information about all sorts of things to help you feel happier and healthier.

WISH has been developed to help you or someone you care for live as safely and independently as possible. You can use the service to find out about things like: accessing care and support, how to stay healthy and ways to support living independently.

There are all sorts of activities and clubs in your area from Zumba to bell ringing, childcare to parenting, carer’s support to managing money.

www.wisherefordshire.org

Residents without central heating are strongly encouraged to contact the Keep Herefordshire Warm advice line, on the freephone number
0800 677 1432.

Be a good neighbour

Even if you live in a toasty warm home, well insulated and well heated, keep an eye out for friends and neighbours living in older properties.

If you suspect that someone may

be struggling with a cold home, or facing high energy bills over the winter, do pay them a visit and make sure they are staying healthy and warm. Encourage them to call Keep Herefordshire Warm New machine to improve our roads. Winter can be beautiful in picturesque Herefordshire, so enjoy the best of the season – and keep your home and family bundled up for the weather!

For more information on the Keep Herefordshire Warm service, visit keepherefordshirewarm.co.uk.

To save you and your loved ones from a nasty bout of food poisoning over the holidays, the Food Standards Agency offers the following advice:

• When Christmas food shopping, take enough bags with you so that you can separate out raw and ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination.
• Check the guidance on your turkey to ensure you have enough time to fully defrost it – it could take as many as 4 days.
• Don’t wash raw turkey - it spreads germs further by splashing them onto your hands, clothes, utensils and worktops.
• To work out the cooking time for your bird, read the instructions on the packaging. Check that: the meat is steaming hot throughout,

Avoid food poisoning this Christmas

With an estimated one million cases a year, food poisoning doesn’t stop over the festive season.

Herefordshire Council’s Keep Herefordshire Warm service provides free advice and support to Herefordshire residents interested in improving the warmth and efficiency of their homes. Expert energy advisors are able to offer advice and access grant funding to make sure your home is warm and healthy all winter long.

• there is no pink meat visible when you cut into the thickest part and meat juices run clear.
• Whether you cooked your turkey from frozen or fresh, your turkey

• leftovers can be used to make a new meal (such as a turkey curry).
  This new meal can then be frozen, but make sure you only reheat it once.

• Lots of wrapping paper has a plastic coating on it to make it shiny. Choose wrapping that is just paper or try decorating brown paper to make your own individual wrapping paper
• Choose gifts made of wood, china, glass or cloth and not packaged in plastic. Try looking for locally-sourced items from local craftspeople
• Use your normal plates and cutlery for gatherings with friends and family If you don’t have enough, ask a friend to bring some over instead of buying disposable plastic or paper ones
• Avoid cling film by placing leftover food in a bowl and cover with a plate or use a reusable tub
• If you want new decorations, look for natural ones made from wood, paper or glass. Pine cones, leaves, mistletoe for example can all make beautiful natural decorations
• Avoid glitter which is made of tiny bits of plastic

Reduce your plastic waste this Christmas

Counterfeit goods warning

There are many ways you can reduce your plastic waste Christmas:

Please ensure your bin is put out by 6.30am as collections may be earlier over the festive period.

For information on reducing waste and recycling more, including large cardboard boxes, visit:

www.herefordshire.gov.uk/

Christmas rubbish and recycling collections

For more information visit the citizens advice website www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Fake products may be cheap, but they are likely to be poor quality and may not meet required safety standards. Don’t put you and your family at risk:

• Counterfeit make-up can contain lead, copper, mercury, arsenic or cadmium and can cause swelling, rashes and poisoning
• Fake alcohol can contain methanol, antifreeze and fuel, causing nausea, stomach pains, kidney or liver problems, coma or death
• Unofficial children’s merchandise such as toys and dressing-up clothes could pose numerous hazards with small loose parts, long cords and materials that are toxic or not conforming to fire retardant standards
• Fake electrical goods and chargers can be poor quality and missing components which cause electric shocks, fires and explosions

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Earlier this year, the council adopted a new Taxi Policy, which includes a mandatory safeguarding training element for new and existing drivers.

The safeguarding training educates taxi drivers on how to spot the signs of issues such as child sexual exploitation, modern slavery and illicit trade practices.

The training will be provided in conjunction with council Children’s Services, meaning that once a taxi licence is granted, the licence-holder will also be authorised to carry out county transport work on behalf of Herefordshire Council, such as

transport to and from schools, and transporting social care clients.

New safeguarding training for taxi drivers

For more information visit the Herefordshire Council website
www.herefordshire.gov.uk

Someone in slavery might:

• appear to be under the control of someone else and reluctant to interact with others
• not have personal identification on them
• have few personal belongings, wear the same clothes every day or wear unsuitable clothes for work
• not be able to move around freely
• be reluctant to talk to strangers or the authorities

• appear frightened, withdrawn, or show signs of physical or psychological abuse
• be dropped off and collected for work always in the same way, especially at unusual times, i.e. very early or late at night.

If you suspect that someone is in slavery, DO NOT approach them or cause a scene, as this will likely lead to increased harm for them.

If you think a child or adult is at immediate risk of harm call the police on 999. If you think you know someone who is affected by exploitation, slavery or trafficking call the police on 101.

Spot the signs of modern slavery

Herefordshire has a large community of former service personnel settled and living in the county. There is a range of dedicated services available locally and nationally for veterans to access, particularly in times of need.

Herefordshire Council is a member of the Herefordshire Armed Forces Covenant Partnership. The partnership comprises representatives from military charities, the voluntary sector, serving Armed Forces

personnel, veterans, reserves, cadets, Job Centre Plus, the diocese, West Mercia Police and the NHS.

The partnership support the covenant locally, which has five aims:

• Encourage local communities to support the Armed Forces communities in their areas
• Nurture public understanding and public awareness of the issues affecting the Armed Forces community

• Recognise and remember the sacrifices faced by the Armed Forces community
• Encourage activities which help to integrate the Armed Forces community into local life
• Encourage the Armed Forces community to help and support the wider community

To find out about local support and services for former service personnel, visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/armedforces

Modern slavery is real and it is happening all around us. It has a devastating impact on victims and is often a hidden crime that can go undetected. The good news is that anyone can spot the signs to help stamp out exploitation.

Organised by Herefordshire Council and the Alzheimer’s Society, the tea dance was a special event for residents affected by dementia and their relatives and carers.

Guests were treated to performances by local musicians and music from

the 40s, 50s and 60s, whilst enjoying dancing and light refreshments.

The dementia friendly tea dance was just one of thousands of events that took place across the UK on 26 September to celebrate BBC World Music Day across the UK.

Dementia friendly 'Music and Memories' event

Over 70 people enjoyed an afternoon of music and laughter at a ‘Music and Memories’ event in September.

For more information on dementia support visit
www.alzheimers.org.uk

Many local charities rely on donations raised by street collections, but generous members of the public may be at risk of being duped by private companies pretending to be charities.

Our Trading Standards team have received reports about private

companies who may try to exploit Herefordshire’s close connection to the Armed Forces with potentially misleading street collections, or sell health pamphlets and scratch cards.

Members of the public should never feel guilty or under pressure by a fundraiser to make a donation immediately.

Take your time before donating to high street collectors

If you are concerned that a high street charity collector may not be legitimate, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on
03454 04 05 06.

Herefordshire’s new sexual health service offers better and faster access to early help. The free and confidential service offers support and advice to residents of all ages, gender and orientations. Based at 15 St Owen Street, Hereford the new modern clinic also includes a large ground floor consultation room, which is easily accessible for people with disabilities.

Services include contraception advice, pregnancy support and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing.

The latest high tech equipment means people can receive their STI test results in 90 minutes and receive treatment the same day.

Sexual health services

Text 15STOWENSTREET to 60030, to make an appointment.

Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards advice is:

• Do not feel under pressure to donate on the spot to street collectors – they may not be what they appear to be

But if you do want to give to charity:

• Take time away from the pressurised high street collector to choose the right charity for you
• Only give to a known charity of your choice and always make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information

New Bright Sky app supports domestic abuse victims

Bright Sky is a new app that provides support and information for anyone experiencing domestic abuse or someone concerned about a family member or friend.

The app can be downloaded for free to any phone and includes a comprehensive range of resources:

• A unique UK-wide directory of specialist domestic abuse support services with contact details
• A secure ‘My Journal’ tool to record incidents of abuse via text, audio, video or photo form, without any of the content being saved on the device itself
• Questionnaires to assess the safety of a relationship, plus a section on dispelling myths around domestic and sexual abuse
• Links to further resources and information on topics around domestic abuse

Download Bright Sky for free on the Google Play Store and App Store, where it is available in English, Polish, Punjabi and Urdu.

Early signs of poor mental health include feeling anxious, stressed, having a low mood or experiencing trouble sleeping. While these can be a natural response to life’s challenges, they can become more serious if people don’t take early action. Many people wait too long before finding help and then thoughts and feelings can escalate and become out of control.

Every Mind Matters provides simple and practical advice and tips to help people look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others who may be experiencing difficulties.

You can find out more out more by visiting
www.everymindmatters.co.uk

To find out more about local support and activities for everyone affected by Parkinson’s visit www.parkinsons.org.uk

A charity that supports Herefordshire residents with Parkinson’s disease has been named as Herefordshire Council’s Chairman’s official charity.

Parkinson’s UK (Hereford and District) will receive the Chairman’s

fundraising support for the next two years. The Hereford and District branch of the charity offers those with the disease access to a wide range of local activities and support. The charity also provides financial assistance towards respite care.

National campaign supports good mental health

Do you want to make a difference?  Be a foster carer and begin your incredible journey today.

Fostering provides a family life for children and young adults of all ages who cannot live with their own families.  

Fostering doesn't just include long term placements, it can be short emergency stays, weekends or holidays.  It means everything to us and the children in our care.  It can often be what gives them the start in life they deserve and a safe home where they are loved, can learn to be a child again and grow into the young person they want to be.

Fostering is a fantastic and rewarding experience.  You'll be fully trained and supported and receive an excellent financial package.  We need more foster carers so our children can be placed with families that best reflect their background and culture and, wherever possible, are near to their own families, schools and communities.

You might want to:

• Provide short breaks for children with disabilities
• Support a young adult and teach them life skills such as cooking, laundry and budgeting
• Be a therapeutic foster carer and work with children who have complex behaviours and challenges
• Offer a home to an unaccompanied asylum seeking child
• Provide a forever home that some children need

For more information call 01432 383240 or visit
www.herefordshire.gov.uk/fostering

We'll provide:

Full local training and support at no cost

• An excellent allowance which covers all costs
• Your own dedicated social worker
• 24 hour support and respite breaks
• A rewarding career!

To be a foster carer:

• You must be over the age of 21 - there is no upper age limit, as long as you lead a healthy lifestyle you may apply
• You don't need any qualifications to become a foster carer - your life experience with children and young people is equally as important
• You can apply if you are single, married or living with a partner of either gender

If you would like help to understand this document,
or would like it in another format or language, please e-mail:
communications@herefordshire.gov.uk

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Herefordshire Council’s website provides

a number of services you can access from the comfort of your own home, including:

For tips on reducing waste and recycling more, including large cardboard boxes,
visit: www.herefordshire.gov.uk/christmas

Please ensure your bin is put out by 6.30am as collections may be earlier over the festive period. If you have too much waste for your bins, our Household Recycling Centre are open as normal, but closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years’ Day

Christmas rubbish and

recycling collections

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