Mass vaccination at Bridge Park on Saturday - booking details (AstraZeneca & Pfizer available)

 

Massive vaccination event at Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre, Harrow Road, London. NW10 0RG

About this event

On Saturday, Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre will be turned into a mass vaccination venue so far for residents of North West London, with up to 2700 vaccinations ready to be administered on the day.

The event will take place from 10am to 17:30pm on Saturday 19 June 2021

IMPORTANT NOTICE: clients with bookings will be prioritised for vaccination, walk-ins will be managed based on vaccine availability

Remember to bring water with you, and keep an eye on the weather to plan what you need to bring with you.

If you have one, remember to bring your NHS number with you. This makes registration faster if you have it. You can find your NHS number at https://nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number/ 

 BOOK HERE

Grants for Brent businesses impacted by Covid19 restrictions

 From Brent Council

Apply for the Back to Business Grant  APPLY

If the Covid-19 restrictions have affected your business, you may be eligible for a one-off discretionary grant.

The Back to Business Additional Restrictions Grant is for Brent businesses that have not been supported by the Restart Grant or the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG).

The scheme will open for applications at 9am on Monday 14 June 2021. The scheme closes at 5pm on Wednesday 14 July 2021.

There is a limited amount of funding available.  If demand is high, the scheme may close before this date.

Please check that your businesses is eligible before you apply.

Who is eligible?

This grant is for Brent businesses who:  

• have been impacted by covid-19
• have not received the Local Restrictions Support Grant or the Restart Grant
• are trading in Brent
• do not have a rateable value over £51,000 or annual commercial rent over £102,000
• either:
  • operate from home
  • operate from a commercial premises (including shared workspaces)

Who is not eligible?

Your business is not eligible if it has:

• gone into administration, been declared insolvent or received a striking-off notice
• a rateable value over £51,000 or annual commercial rent over £102,000
• already received the Local Restrictions Support Grant or the Restart Grant

How much you could get

• If you have a business that operates from home you could get £1,000
• If you have a business with a rateable value less than £15,000 or annual rent less than £30,000, you could get £3,000
• If your business has a rateable value more than £15,000 but less than £51,000 OR Annual rent of more than £30,000 and less than £102,000, you could get £6,000 

 

Apply for Restart Grant  APPLY

The Restart Grant scheme has replaced the previous Local Restrictions Grants (closed) and Local Restrictions Grants (open). 

This grant:

• will be made available to qualifying (rated) non-essential retail, hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses.
• will only be paid once applications have been received and verified.

What you could receive

Non-essential retail businesses with a rateable value of:

• £15,000 or less, will be eligible for a one-off grant of £2,667
• More than £15,000 and less than £51,000, will be eligible for a one-off grant of £4,000
• £51,000 or more, will be eligible for a one-off grant of £6,000

Qualifying Hospitality and Leisure properties with a rateable value of:

• £15,000 or less, will be eligible for a one-off grant of £8,000
• More than £15,000 and less than £51,000, will be eligible for a one-off grant of £12,000
• £51,000 or above, will be eligible for a one-off grant of £18,000

Brent Council asks residents to limit indoor mixing and get vaccinated as Delta variant rates rise in the borough on eve of Euros. Avoid booking Covid19 test at Civic Centre on match days.

 

Please do not travel to Wembley unless you have a ticket for Sunday’s game. We are asking residents to avoid booking COVID-19 testing at Brent Civic Centre on match day. Alternative testing sites can be found on our interactive map. Ticketholders should check the UEFA website for the latest information.

BBC information earlier this week: 

 

Covid-19: Enhanced testing in Willesden, Donnington Court

From Brent Council 

 

Covid-19: Enhanced testing in Willesden, Donnington Court

Public Health England has found a case of the South African Covid-19 variant in Willesden.

To see if it has spread in the community and to help contain the virus, everyone aged 16 and over who lives or works in Donnington Court NW10 3TJ is being asked to get tested, even if they are not showing symptoms.

If you live or work within the enhanced testing area, do the right thing and get tested to protect your family, friends and community. 

The more cases of the variant we find, the better chance we have at stopping the spread.

You must get tested at one of the following testing sites. The site you go to will depend on whether you have symptoms or not.

If you don’t have symptoms

• The Library at Willesden Green - 95 High Rd, Willesden, London, NW10 2SF Opening hours: 9am-6pm, Monday to Sunday. 
  Book an appointment if you don't have symptoms.

If you have symptoms

• Harlesden Local Testing Site, Harlesden Town Garden, Challenge Close, Harlesden, NW10 4BF. Opening hours: 8am-8pm, Monday to Sunday. 
  Book an appointment if you do have symptoms.

Key questions on enhanced testing

Why am I being asked to get tested?

A case of the South African Covid-19 variant has been found in Willesden. We want to find out if it’s been spreading in the local area and if so, to contain it by asking all those affected and their recent contacts to self-isolate.

It’s important that you get tested, even if you feel fine, as 1 in 3 people with Covid-19 show no symptoms but could be spreading the virus with loved ones and around the community without knowing.

How does it work?

1. If you’re aged 16 or over, book a test at the right testing site depending on whether you’ve got symptoms or not
   
   
2. Come alone if you can, although if you’re 16 or 17 you’ll need to bring a parent or guardian with you – and don’t forget your face covering!
   
   
3. When at the site, you’ll need to take a swab of your throat and nose – it’s quick and painless
   
   
4. That’s it. Leave the testing site, staff will clean the booth and send your test off to the lab
   
   
5. If your test is positive, it’ll be checked to see what strain of the virus you’ve been infected with. Don’t worry, there’s currently no evidence the South African variant will make you more unwell but you will need to self-isolate for 10 days so you don’t spread it – anyone you live with will need to self-isolate too.
   
   
6. If you test negative, that’s great! But you must continue to follow the rules and remember, you can get free and regular rapid Covid-19 tests any time,visit our webpage to find out more.

Brent Council release details of wards for surge testing following increase in Covid-19 variants

 From Brent Council

 

See LINK

North-west London boroughs, including Brent, are seeing a rise in the rates of new COVID-19 variants.

As a result, surge testing has been turned on in the following areas:

• St Raphaels
• Stonebridge
• Wembley North
• Wembley West
• Alperton West
• Tokyngton
• Kensal Green

We will shortly be delivering leaflets with information about vaccines and testing to homes in these wards.

 If you live or work in one of these areas, please do get tested by calling 020 8937 4440 or booking online at www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Get vaccinated

The best way to protect yourself, your friends and your family is to get vaccinated.

Anyone over the age of 32 can now book their first jab on the NHS website or walk-in to a vaccination centre. The age criteria for getting a vaccine changes regularly, please check the NHS website for the latest advice.

GPs are sending invites, and we will be working with the NHS to promote further vaccine bus dates, as well as pop-up vaccination events in areas with low uptake.

Most mass vaccination centres across North West London are providing a walk-in service for first doses and are open from 9am to 7pm. The large vaccination centre in Brent, which is now giving out the Pfizer vaccine, is at Wembley Vaccination Centre: Olympic Office Centre, 8 Fulton Rd, Wembley, London, HA9 0NU.

Walk-ins should bring ID and their NHS number if they have it (although this is not essential).

Those who have had their first dose via a walk-in will be able to book their second vaccine at 8 weeks, 48 hours later using www.nhs.uk

Test twice a week

Surge testing has been turned on in affected areas. We strongly encourage everyone to get tested for coronavirus twice a week, even if they don’t have any symptoms.

By using PCR testing, positive results can be sent for genomic sequencing at specialist laboratories, helping us to identify variants.

Order at-home tests at www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or visit a testing site. All London sites will now test people who do not have symptoms.

Those with symptoms should get tested by calling 020 8937 4440 or booking online at www.brent.gov.uk/testing

Those who test positive may be eligible for a £500 support payment if they are on a lower income and cannot go to work because they are self-isolating. www.brent.gov.uk/selfisolationsupport

Staying safe

We are urging everyone to continue to follow social distance guidelines – remember, Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air.

 

Brent Planning Committee approves 9 additional non-sporting events at Wembley Stadium - 2 pilot Covid19 safety monitoring events to be held in April before Cup Final

Independent Sage address vital issues including global vaccination response on Covid

 

 

Friday's Independent Sage Briefing was even more useful that usual, breathing fresh air into many issues including international comparisons, cases in schools and nurseries,  and the need for a Global Strategy and Finance for equitable vaccine supplies. 

Guaranteed free from boosterism.

Caroline Lucas, Green MP, contributes  at 31.32

Doubts about vaccination? Join the Brent Council Webinar tonight and put your questions to the panel

 

 

Brent Council will be holding their fourth Webinar  this evening to address residents' concerns over the Covid vaccination programme. This is the Council' announcement.

On Monday 15th February, between 6pm and 7.30pm, residents of Brent will have the opportunity to attend a fourth webinar about the COVID-19 vaccination.

The webinar will aim to inform and build trust with anyone in the community who may have questions that are making them concerned about having the vaccine. This will be achieved by outlining the facts, addressing all the pertinent issues and explaining the science.

The webinar will include presentations from faith leaders and health experts, with an interactive chat function available to allow you to ask the questions you want answers to.

Register for this event and we will send you a link to the Zoom meeting on the afternoon of Monday 15th February.

 

BOOK HERE 

 

NHS doctors, nurses and other frontline staff have recorded messages in 14 of the most common community languages in London, to explain how the COVID vaccine is safe and effective.

The videos have been designed to be shared among friends, families, faith and community groups via WhatsApp, text message or on social media. You can watch, download and share each using the links below.

• Arabic
• Bengali
• Gujarati
• Igbo
• Nepali
• Polish
• Punjabi
• Romanian
• Somali
• Spanish
• Swahili
• Turkish
• Urdu
• Yoruba

 

Covid cases down in Brent but still above average for England

 

Source BBC LINK

Black Medical Consultant and vaccination expert's plea to Brent BAME Community: 'Please take this vaccine'

 

 

Medical Consultant with expertise in vaccines, Dr John Licorish has recorded this message for Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in Brent. If you have any questions about the COVID Vaccination Programme, please speak to a trusted person, such as your GP, or visit www.nhs.uk

Last night's Brent Council Webinar on Covid19 vaccination

 

Brent LFT Test sites detect 875 Covid cases in asymptomatic residents over 4 weeks of operation

In answer to a Freedom of Information request Brent has reported that over the  4 week period 21.12.20-14.01.21 they identified 875 positive Covid cases at their nine operational Lateral Flow Test sites across the borough.

They conducted a total of 24,628 tests of which 21,519 were negative and 875 positive. I presume the remainder were inconclusive.

As these tests are for those without symptoms it appears the 875 were asymptomatic so a positive result and subsequent quarantine will have removed a source of contagion from the community.

The information is not collected by ward.

INFORMATION ON BOOKING A TEST FROM BRENT COUNCIL

 f you don’t have symptoms of COVID-19, you can book a free rapid Lateral Flow Test, with results available in less than 40 minutes.

You will need to book two tests, two to four days apart, in order to ensure the results are completely reliable.

If you are a critical worker or can’t work from home, or if others in your household still go out for work, it’s recommended that you get tested twice a week, every week.

>> Book a free rapid Lateral Flow Test (please note that this link will not work using the Internet Explorer browser)

If you do have any symptoms of COVID-19 (a cough, high fever or a loss of taste or smell) or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, you should not book a rapid Lateral Flow Test. You should stay at home for 10 days and if you develop signs of the virus, call 020 8937 4440 to book a PCR test.

How do I book a rapid Lateral Flow Test?

You can book a Lateral Flow Test via the link below. Remember to bring confirmation of your appointment with you when you arrive for your test.

Lateral Flow Tests are only for those without symptoms of the virus. If you have symptoms, you should book a free standard PCR swab test at one of Brent’s local testing sites.

>> Book a free rapid Lateral Flow Test (please note that this link will not work using the Internet Explorer browser)

You can also walk-in without booking an appointment however this will be subject to availability on the day.

Where are the Lateral Flow Testing sites?

Rapid Lateral Flow Testing is available at the following sites Monday to Sunday, from 9am-6pm:

• Brent Civic Centre - Engineers Way, Wembley Park, Wembley, HA9 0FJ
• Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre - Brentfield, Harrow Road, London, NW10 0RG
• Central Mosque of Brent - Station Parade, Marley Walk, London, NW2 4PU
• Ealing Road Library - Coronet Parade, Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4BA
• Father O'Callaghan Centre - 22 Hay Lane, London, NW9 0NG
• Harlesden Library - Craven Park Road, Harlesden, NW10 8SE
• Kingsbury Library - 522-524 Kingsbury Road, Kingsbury, NW9 9HE
• The Granville - 140 Carlton Vale, London, NW6 5HE
• The Library at Willesden Green - 95 High Rd, Willesden, London, NW10 2SF

These are asymptomatic testing sites, meaning that only those without symptoms should visit. If you go when you have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, you will be turned away.

 

Mass Covid19 NHS Vaccination Centre to open in Wembley Park next week

The former Network Homes HQ (test centre is entrance is round the corner from the main entrance)

A large scale vaccination site in Wembley Park is to be opened by North West London NHS at the former Network Homes headquarters in Fulton Road at the corner of Olympic Way. The building is awaiting redevelopment as the new site for the College of North West London.

The NHS Vaccination Centre will open next week to vaccinate people aged 80 and over abd health and care workers.

Brent Council said:

The large-scale site in Wembley is capable of delivering thousands of the life-saving jabs each week and offers a convenient alternative to GP-led and hospital services that are already set up across NW London.

Letters are being sent to people aged over 80 who live up to a 45 minute drive from the new centre, who have not already been vaccinated, inviting them to book an appointment either by phone or online through the national booking system.

People should wait until they receive their invite letter and should not call their GP but use the booking line, when their invite arrives. If an appointment has already been offered by the GP, please keep this appointment.

More Vaccination Centres will be launched in NW London in the coming weeks to increase the numbers of people who can be conveniently vaccinated each day.

The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in the health service’s history, is being delivered as health service staff are treating record numbers of seriously ill patients with COVID, caused by rapidly rising infection numbers.

Please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, the NHS will contact you. When you are contacted, please attend your booked appointments. And whether you have had a vaccine or not, please continue to follow all the guidance to control the virus and save lives – that means staying at home as much as you can, and following the ‘hands, face, space’ guidance when you can’t.

Invites to book at the centres are being sent to people aged 80 or over who have not yet been vaccinated and live within a 45 minutes’ drive from the site, with more sites opening in the coming weeks.

The letters will explain how they can book a slot over the phone or online through the national booking service, and NHS leaders are urging people not to turn up at the centres or try to book without receiving them.

The new vaccination centres will each be capable of delivering thousands of vaccinations each week, scaling their operations up and down according to vaccine supplies and demand.

People who book in to a vaccine centre should note marshals will be on hand to help people to the right place. Bookings are staggered to allow social distancing and please don’t arrive until five minutes before your appointment time. Travel information will be available from Monday at www.tfl.gov.uk/jabs

Brent Council's lead member for education shares union concerns over opening of early years settings

Following this weekend's letter to Brent Council from the National Education Union  LINK expressing strong fears about the safety of fully opening early years settings, Cllr Tom Stephens made the following statement:

I fully share the concerns which have been raised, by the NEU, GMB and others, about the Government’s position on the opening of early years settings. The Government has failed to set out the scientific basis of closing primary schools to face-to-face teaching whilst keeping early years settings open. 

The decision to fund early years settings based on attendance this term also needs to be urgently reversed. Settings should be given the funding they need to sustain them throughout this crisis, based on their 2019 attendance. These twin issues have put early years settings under a period unprecedented pressure and confusion.  

Guidance on the opening of these settings is set nationally and not locally, and is a matter for each relevant governing board. 

 

Given this, Brent Council is regularly and actively engaging with unions and schools to support them in developing robust risk assessments and management arrangements, as we have done throughout this crisis. 

The council will continue to support settings in developing these. Given the current context, this is the best way of navigating these issues in a way which supports schools, staff and children.

BREAKING: Government U-turn on London school closures - surely Williamson must go now

 The Guardian is reporting that the government is now to include ALL London boroughs in the list of areas where primary schools will close for all but the keyworker and vulnerable children in at least the first two weeks of January.

 

This answers calls from Harrow, Haringey and other  London councils that they be included.

See https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/01/all-primary-schools-in-london-to-remain-closed-after-u-turn

Harrow Council risks dispute with Government as it advises schools to switch to on-line learning next week

Quote from letter sent to Harrow school leaders by Council leaders and Chief Executive:

 

Full Letter - Click on image to enlarge

Please support Sufra Foodbank's Covid-19 Winter Appeal as they call for a more just and beautiful world

I am sharing this message from Sufra Food Bank and Kitchen as it puts their amazing work into a wider context and because they deserve support.

 

What would Jesus do? Some 2000 years ago He spoke of love, goodwill to all and the importance of being a good Samaritan.    Today, the whole world is on the brink of an unprecedented economic depression, the gap between rich and poor is obscenely wide, and millions more people are unable make ends meet. Independent food banks like Sufra never dreamed they would be so busy.

How did this happen?    We could go back to the 1980s, when social housing and our sense of community was first undermined by government policies. Then there was the financial crisis of 2008, which led to years of austerity that devastated public services and critical safety nets. (Cue Universal Credit fiasco.) Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse, we were hit by a pandemic of biblical proportions. Never have the consequences of decades of injustice and inequality been so starkly revealed and painfully borne by society – especially the BAME communities we support.    We’ve dug ourselves a hole so deep that there can be no going back to the fantasy of pre-pandemic ‘normality’. There’s been nothing normal or good about Sufra’s Food Bank queues over the past 7 years. No, we need a far more radical vision for creating a truly sharing society that upholds the Common Good. One that our food bank guests would approve of.

Beyond Food Aid   Food banks are not the solution to hunger. Indeed, they are a part of the problem when people of goodwill  - not governments - provide the crucial safety net that prevents hunger and destitution in our communities.    But for now, we have no choice but to continue.    As I write, our staff and volunteers are preparing a hearty feast for 600 people, to be freshly cooked and delivered on Christmas Day, and we’ve been distributing surprise Christmas hampers and presents to our food bank guests all week – alongside their food parcels.    And we’ve already transformed our work to deliver more food and other essentials to people in crisis during the pandemic. You can read more about what we did here. We are busier than ever and we still really need your help. So please consider volunteering over Christmas/New Year or supporting our Covid-19 Winter Appeal.

A Community United No matter how much food aid we distribute, it will never be enough. That’s why we will be raising our voice to call for real change in 2021 – and I hope you will join us.    Until then, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our phenomenal volunteers, donors and supporters who have made what we do possible this year – under the most challenging circumstances imaginable.    It’s been utterly inspiring to see our community unite against the threat of hunger and destitution and provide a lifeline to thousands of families experiencing crisis and isolation during the pandemic.    I imagine that’s what Jesus would have done too.    The heartfelt community response that underpins our work should give us all hope this Christmas that the creation of a more just and beautiful world is not only necessary, but possible.  Wishing you all a safe Christmas and a much improved new year.  Rajesh and the Sufra Team.

Today's Independent Sage on-line briefing an antidote to Government confusion WATCH HERE

 

7 Day Rolling Covid19 infection rate in Brent to December 12th - well above England average

 Purple is the highest rate (arrow on Chalkhill/Forty Lane). For your local rate go to the search box and type in your post code.

Source: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map

New free Covid-19 Testing Sites open in Brent from Monday

 From Brent Council

Everyone in Brent aged 12 and over can now get free and regular coronavirus tests, even if they haven’t got symptoms.

These include the new ‘rapid tests’, which provide results within 40 minutes.

It’s important that everyone gets tested even if they feel well, as 1 in 3 people who have COVID-19 show no symptoms but could be sharing the virus with loved ones and around the community without knowing.

Rapid COVID-19 testing is available at the following sites Monday to Sunday, from 9am-6pm (all sites will be closed on bank holidays):

• Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley Park, Wembley, HA9 0FJ
• Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre, Brentfield, Harrow Road, London, NW10 0RG
• Central Mosque of Brent, Station Parade, Marley Walk, London, NW2 4PU
• Ealing Road Library, Coronet Parade, Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4BA
• Father O’Callaghan Centre, 22 Hay Lane, London, NW9 0NG
• Harlesden Library, Craven Park Road, Harlesden, NW10 8SE
• Kingsbury Library, 522-524 Kingsbury Road, Kingsbury, NW9 9HE
• The Granville, 140 Carlton Vale, London, NW6 5HE
• The Library at Willesden Green, 95 High Road, Willesden, London, NW10 2SF

The sites at Brent Civic Centre and The Library at Willesden Green are now open. The remaining sites will be open from Monday 21 December 2020.

The rollout of rapid community COVID-19 testing for people without symptoms is being run by Brent Council and the Department for Health and Social Care, and will be available until the end of January when it will be reviewed.

Dr Melanie Smith, Director of Public Health at Brent Council said:

It’s crucial that everyone gets tested regularly, so they can know if they have the virus and this will help to keep their friends and families safe. Testing is free, quick and easy and could save lives, so I want to encourage everyone to book a test today.

I also want everyone to think about the choices they make over the coming days and weeks as we enter the Christmas period. Simply hugging your nanny and grandad or your boyfriend or girlfriend, if they don’t live with you, could spread the virus and put vulnerable people at risk of serious infection and even death.

So please make sensible choices, take extra care and then we can all look forward to a brighter 2021 together as the vaccine is rolled out.

To find out more and book a free COVID-19 test, visit www.brent.gov.uk/covidtesting or call 020 8937 4440.