PHE issues health warning to middle-aged Britons

A Government-backed health drive said to be the biggest since the Change4Life anti-obesity campaign is to warn the middle-aged of the risks of a poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and drinking alcohol. Professor Dame Sally Davies, England's chief medical officer, said the drive would help people to achieve "simple and small changes" which could help reduce the growing burden of obesity. The £3.5m campaign across the internet, TV, social media and in public places will urge people to take an online test called the How Are You assessment, which determines how healthy they are. However, the move has been criticised by some, who say the expenditure by Public Health England (PHE) is wasteful and the campaign patronising. PHE said evidence shows that living healthily in midlife can double a person's chances of staying well aged 70 and older.

Stroke services

Have your say on proposed changes to stroke rehabilitation services

The local NHS want to make changes to stroke rehabilitation services, to make sure people recover better and more quickly. A consultation to see what local people think of the proposals is currently underway. 

At the moment if you have a stroke, the current rehabilitation service means:

• You’ll spend more time in hospital than you need to, even when it is better for you to be at home
• You won’t always have specialist stroke staff taking care of you
• Your recovery will take longer.

More people surviving strokes means more people need local rehabilitation and support services which is why the NHS thinks now is the right time to make changes.

The changes being proposed would mean patients would spend less time waiting in a hospital bed for the right sort of care, and instead receive rehabilitation more quickly to help them go home sooner and there would be a single specialist stroke rehabilitation unit at King George Hospital.

No decisions have been made and there is still time to have your say - the consultation closes on Friday 1 April 2016.

Opening times for libraries

New opening times

From Monday 21 March 2016 library opening hours are changing. The opening hours for each library are set out below.  Collier Row, Elm Park, Gidea Park, Harold Wood andSouth Hornchurch: Monday and Tuesday closed; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10am – 4pm; Thursday 2pm - 8pm. Harold Hill and Romford:  Monday and Thursday 10am – 8pm, Tuesday, Wednesday andFriday 9am - 5pm Saturday 10am – 4pm. Hornchurch:  Monday to Friday inclusive 1pm - 10pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm. Rainham and Upminster:  Monday and Wednesday 10am – 8pm, Tuesday, Thursday andFriday 9am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 4pm.

Ambassadors for autism honoured at Town Hall

'Ambassadors for Autism' honoured at Town Hall ceremony

Wednesday 27 January 2016

​The Mayor, Mayoress and Council Leader with Frances Bardsley Academy teacher Ivan Corea and the school's Autism Ambassadors

​Students from Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls in Romford were rewarded for their efforts to support young people with autism at a special ceremony at Havering Town Hall on Monday.

​Cllr Roger Ramsey, Leader of Havering Council, and Cllr Brian Eagling, Mayor of Havering, presented certificates to recognise the service of the Frances Bardsley Autism and Disabilities Club to the community.

 

The Frances Bardsley Academy Ambassador Programme has brought together sixth formers from the school and young people with autism at a joint club that meets at the Romford Baptist Youth Lounge.

 

The project has been run in partnership with the Romakey International Education Empowerment Service (RIEES), a charity set up by Havering parents Ade and Ronke Ogunleye, who have two children with autism, and Ivan Corea, a teacher at Frances Bardsley, who has a son with the condition.

 

Cllr Ramsey said: “To my memory, there has never been such a successful relationship between a secondary school and a local charity regarding autism in this borough and the FBA Ambassador Programme has been of supreme service to the community. Through volunteering in the community, members have helped support those with autism, as well as their parents and carers, who are often just as much in need of support.”

 

The Mayor said: “We commend the work of the Frances Bardsley Autism and Disabilities Club and the successful partnership between the school and Ade and Ronke Ogunleye’s RIESS Autism Club and hope that it can continue for many more years.”

Crackdown at recycling centres

Crackdown at recycling centres

From January, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will be in use at the four Reuse and Recycling Centres (RRC), including Gerpins Lane, Upminster,available for Havering residents to dispose of unwanted items.

The ANPR cameras will be used to challenge drivers of vehicles suspected of carrying trade waste as each tonne of trade waste fraudulently left at an RRC costs Council Tax payers £130 to dispose of.

When visiting an RRC please have your driving licence or current Council Tax bill available as proof of where you live.

Remember to recycle your Christmas tree

​This year Havering Council is helping residents by making it easier than ever before to recycle their Christmas trees when the festive season is over.

​Customers of the wheeled bin Garden Waste Collection Service, should cut their trees and place them in the green bin with the lid closed on collection day. 

This service is for residents who, for an annual charge, are loaned a 240 litre green wheeled bin or sold a roll of 50 compostable garden waste sacks, which breaks down at the composing site. 

The bins are collected from properties, emptied and sent to a composing facility where the contents are turned into a soil improver, avoiding the need for landfill.

Other residents can visit the Gerpins Lane Reuse & Recycling Centre in Upminster or recycle their tree at Gidea Park Sports Ground, Main Road, Romford on Saturday 2 January 2016 between 10am to 2pm.

Don’t forget to remove all decorations from the tree before recycling!

 

Councillor Damian White, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Housing said:

 

“Getting a real tree is an indispensable part of Christmas for many of us, but we need to remember what happens to them once the festive period is over. 

Having recycling centres all over the Borough means it’s easier to recycle trees than ever before. Recycling is cheap and quick and makes a real contribution to our Cleaner Havering Campaign.”

Charity appeal

Christmas Charity Appeal

Carol singing, Christmas Jumper or Christmas Tie Day, and the Christmas Raffle are taking place this week to raise funds for theAlzheimer's Society – our Christmas Charity Appeal.

Just the ticket…

Charity buckets will be shaken and staff stirred into taking part in the Christmas Charity Raffle, when it launches on Tuesday, with a host of prizes on offer.

On song for Christmas

Come along and enjoy or join the festive singing around the Christmas tree at the front of the Town Hall, on Wednesday (16 December) at 12.30pm.