Residents identified by NHS as 'highest risk' should expect a call from Brent Council

From Brent Council website today

We are currently making calls to residents who the NHS have identified as being at highest risk from coronavirus (COVID-19).

These individuals will have received a letter from the NHS instructing them to self-isolate for a period of 12 weeks, so we will be contacting them as we receive their details to ensure that they are aware of how to access support if they need it.

We want to make sure that we put necessary support in place as fast as possible, so we will be making these calls as we receive new data from the NHS.

Staying safe

This might mean you receive a call from us outside of normal office hours. It's important to stay safe at this challenging time. You can be reassured that calls are genuine as long as they begin with the 0208 937 prefix. We will never ask for your bank details and you should never share your PIN with anyone, or invite someone you don't know into your home.

If you are unsure, you can  call back on our helping on 0208 937 1234 from Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

London CIV launches LCIV Sustainable Equity Exclusion Fund that 'faciltates disinvestment and addresses climate change'

When times return to normal something for Brent and other London councils to consider seriously:

The London Collective Investment Vehicle (London CIV) is pleased to announce the launch of the LCIV Sustainable Equity Exclusion Fund.

The Fund is being seeded with £200m from the London Borough of Lambeth Pension Fund; the initial investment in the Fund is to be managed by RBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited.

Kevin Corrigan, Interim CIO at LCIV said:

We are delighted to launch the LCIV Sustainable Equity Exclusion Fund. Being responsible investors is an imperative for the London CIV and our pool members. This Fund demonstrates our commitment to finding the right solutions for our investors in this important area. 

Cllr Iain Simpson, Pension Chair of the London Borough of Lambeth, said:

We are delighted that London CIV has launched the LCIV Sustainable Equity Exclusion Fund. It shows that local government pension funds can change the investment landscape by creating the demand for innovative products that facilitate disinvestment and address climate change. While Lambeth is the first borough to invest with this fund, we hope that many more will follow.

Habib Subjally, Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of Global Equities at RBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited.

RBC Global Asset Management is proud to continue providing portfolio management solutions to a trusted institution such as the London CIV. The launch of the Sustainable Equity Exclusion Fund was driven by strong client demand for responsible investment solutions, and we are pleased the London CIV has entrusted us to help them demonstrate their commitment to being responsible investors.

The new fund sits alongside the existing LCIV Sustainable Equity Fund and offers pool members the opportunity to exclude investments in sectors such as fossil fuels, tobacco and weapons. The launch brings assets managed in LCIV Sustainable Equity strategies to over £580m.

Harlesden Foodbank pulls out the stops for limited opening this morning

Congratulations and thanks to all the volunteers involved

Statement from from Fresh Horizons Harlesden Foodbank

We will be running a limited foodbank this morning. Please be aware that we will only have a maximum of six volunteers working so please be patient as service will be slower than normal.

Again there will be several changes to the way we work to protect both ourselves and our clients.
The Café remains closed until further notice. 

Visitors to the Foodbank will not be allowed to enter the building. Clients must queue a minimum of 3m apart. Because of social distancing there will be no registration clients should come to the High Street entrance of Tavistock Hall at 11am where they will be given pre-prepared bags. 

All food will be distributed via the High Street entrance. Clients will receive one or two bags of pre-packed food including, if available and while stocks last dairy, chicken, beef, fish or pork. We will offer a vegetarian option if there is one available.

Please be patient with our volunteers they are giving freely of their time to help you. Please remember this is a difficult time for everyone. 

Any donations of food, sanitary, household or toiletry products may be brought to the Foodbank Friday morning from 9.30am and given to Miranda. Please help us to help the most vulnerable and needy in our neighbourhood.

All decisions about the foodbank have been made jointly by Rose McGowan and Michael Goss of Fresh Horizons along with Rev Mike Long of Harlesden Methodist Church.

Our thanks and appreciation.

Thank you to our partners The Felix Project City Harvest London FareShare who continue to provide us with food

Brent keeps allotments open for fresh air and exercise

Brent Council is keeping its allotments open for plot-holders' fresh air and exercise and has posted notices closely following the advice drawn up by the National Allotment Society. LINK

I applaud the Council's sensible decision.

London Borough of Culture on hold

From the GLA

The Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, Justine Simons, has today announced changes to the London Borough of Culture programme in response to the impact of coronavirus.  

Brent 2020 is rescheduling its programme until later in 2020, with the Kilburn High Street Party and Liberty Festival, the Mayor of London’s free festival celebrating of the work of Deaf and disabled artists, happening in the summer of 2021. Lewisham’s year as London Borough of Culture will move to 2022. Croydon will remain London Borough of Culture for 2023.

Justine Simons said: 

It’s important that we all follow the Government’s instructions to stay at home unless it is essential to leave. But we do not want Londoners to miss out on the amazing creative programmes that Brent, Lewisham and Croydon have planned, so that is why we have re-scheduled our plans. We will work closely with artists, the boroughs and all those involved to ensure they are supported during these challenging times.

Advice on allotment gardening during Covid-19 restrictions

From the National Allotment Society

Following the instructions around movement and gatherings from the Prime Minister on 23 March 2020, we are consulting with central government but as we understand the situation at the moment it is still permitted to visit your plot, ideally on your own to take daily exercise. It is vitally important that you follow all the advice about social distancing and hygiene in the points below and not gather together on site.

Any plot-holder who is self isolating because a household member is ill with corona-virus should not be visiting the site.

Associations should display an advice notice on their boards. It is important that anyone attending the allotment takes care to stay the appropriate distance from others, avoid body contact and wash hands at taps, do not wash hands or use detergents in the water tanks and please pay attention to notice boards.

It is essential that no un-authorised people are allowed onto the plots for the duration of this emergency, if you do wish to bring someone to assist with work on the plot, please ensure that that this is notified either to Secretary or Site Manager.  Careful consideration should be given to introducing anyone over 70, those with underlying illness or pregnant women.

We are living through a crisis, the likes of which none of us has experienced before, not since war time has the community spirit that exists on allotment sites been more important.  Please remember to look out for one another during these very difficult times.

Members should take the following precautionary measures :

• Keep hand sanitiser in your shed and wash your hands regularly
• Use hand sanitiser before opening and closing any gate locks
• Observe “Social Distancing” with each other 2-3 metres
• Do not share tools
• Minimise the contact with each other for example no handshakes
• Do not wash your hands in water troughs
• We recommend that all communal facilities are closed
• Click here for guidance if you do need to clean an area that has been visited by an infected person.

• Plan ahead to ensure that you have food and medication delivered to you during this time
• Stay away from vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as much as possible
• If you display any symptoms of coronavirus stay at home and self-isolate for at least 14 days or until symptoms have passed.

Covid-19: Brent Council sets up Wellbeing Helpline for the vulnerable who have no other support 020 8937 6589

From Brent Council

Helping the most vulnerable

For the most vulnerable, the most isolated and the most at risk of being taken advantage of, the council is working closely with our voluntary and community sector and wider health partners to arrange a more co-ordinated response.

If you or someone you know does not have the support of family, friends or the wider community, then Brent Council has set up a Wellbeing Duty phone line to make sure the most vulnerable people get the support they need.

Wellbeing Duty phone line

If you are worried about a vulnerable person and don’t think they have existing support, you can call the helpline on 020 8937 6589 between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week.
Services we can offer include:

• Shopping/meal delivery/access to food
• Help with collection/arranging medication
• Outreach and peer support for the socially isolated

Trained social care professionals are answering the new helpline number. They will ask a series of questions to establish what support the individual needs and then put in place what is required if there is no other way that someone can be supported.

We will also ensure that where people need more formal, social care support we will put this in place for them if required and as we normally would.

EDITOR'S NOTE Brent Council stress that the helpline is only for those who have NO other support and ask that it be used wisely.

Covid-19: Brent's parks stay open but children's playgrounds, MUGAs, tennis courts and outdoor gyms to close

 Kelly Eaton, Brent Parks, Policy and Projects Manager has written to Brent Parks Forum to update them on partial closures in the borough's parks.

I just wanted to update you in this time of uncertainty with the current Covid-19 situation.

You may have seen in the news this weekend, reports of large numbers of visitors to Parks and Open Spaces.  We all know how important parks are for physical and mental wellbeing, however in the current climate we are concerned that people are not heeding social distancing advice and are crowding together in playgrounds, Multi Use Games Areas and gyms.

I am therefore writing to you as ‘Friends of ‘ groups in our parks to advise that as of today (Monday), we are closing children’s playgrounds, Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs) , tennis courts and, where possible, outdoor gyms.  Signs will be placed on gates to each facility advising that it is closed until further notice. Any toilet facilities will also be closed and we are currently in liaison with the two café’s in Roundwood and Gladstone Park as to their operating status.

We do not take this decision lightly, but it has been made in the interests of public health.

I hope that you understand our decision and please contact me if you have any further questions about this approach.

We’re glad that people are still using our parks for a breath of fresh air, but we are asking park users respect public health advice to:

•           Stay two metres away from others

•           Not touch their face

•           Wash their hands thoroughly as soon as they get home