 |
| Hello everyone and welcome to the SDCVS Health and Wellbeing Bulletin. This bulletin is compiled as part of our Community Connector Initiative. Community Connectors has a simple aim – to make sure important information gets to where it is most needed in our communities. LEARN MORE SIGN UP  On Thursday 16th November at 10:30am we will be hosting a Community Connectors meeting featuring a presentation from the Mental Health Suicide Prevention ProjectEveryone is welcome! Please book your place and we will send you a Microsoft teams invite.BOOK YOUR PLACE HEREOther events:Funding Workshop with Foundation Derbyshire Emergency First Aid at Work TrainingVIEW ALL UPCOMING EVENTS HERE  South Derbyshire CVS have a proud history of delivering high quality training across the community.We’re delighted to announce that we are now expanding our training offer across the East Midlands. We have a deep understanding of the challenges within the third sector, the needs of the private sector and the importance of supporting everyone to realise their potential. With courses spanning from Mental Health Resilience, Equality & Diversity and Conflict Management to Marketing, First Aid and GDPR – Hive Training is your turn to partner for all things Training & Development in the region.You can also contact Hive Training if you have other training needs for your organisation!LEARN MORE Covid and Flu VaccinationsAll eligible adults are urged to book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines online via the NHS website, by downloading the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free if they can’t get online, to give themselves the best protection against severe illness and hospitalisation. Book, cancel or change a COVID-19 vaccination appointment – NHS (www.nhs.uk) Follow this link to find a vaccination site near you: Covid-19 vaccination clinics list » Joined Up Care Derbyshire For more information: Get Winter Strong: revisiting respiratory infection guidance for a safer season – UK Health Security Agency (blog.gov.uk) My Quit Route App If you’re trying to quit smoking this Stoptober then why not download Derbyshire County Council’s FREE My Quit Route app? It’s designed to help you kick the habit for good. Find out more, and download the app, online here. Bowel Cancer Screening NHS bowel cancer screening checks if you could have bowel cancer. It’s available to everyone aged 60 to 74 years.Everyone aged 60 to 74 years who is registered with a GP and lives in England is automatically sent an NHS bowel cancer screening kit every 2 years.The NHS bowel cancer screening kit can save your life. Just a tiny sample detects signs of cancer before you notice anything wrong.You collect a small sample of poo on a small plastic stick and put it into the sample bottle and post it to a lab for testing.If you’re sent a kit, put it by the loo. Don’t put it off.Find out more about bowel cancer screening here. Free Blood Pressure Check-Ups Return Across Derbyshire Do you know your blood pressure numbers? One in three adults in the UK have high blood pressure. The council’s free inhouse healthy lifestyles service Live Life Better Derbyshire will be delivering blood pressure checks over the coming months. It’s also a great opportunity to find out more about Live Life Better Derbyshire’s free healthy lifestyle services. These include support to help you stop smoking, help with weight management and information about how to get more active. Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Councillor Carol Hart said: “Getting your blood pressure checked is really important. “High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, doesn’t often have noticeable symptoms. “But if it is left untreated can increase your risk of serious health problems such as heart attacks and strokes. “Having this quick test is the only way to find out what your blood pressure is – and it could save your life.” For more information on blood pressure checks, visit www.nhs.uk/bloodpressure There will be free blood pressure check-ups held in South Derbyshire on the follow dates:Wednesday 22nd November from 9am to midday at South Derbyshire Job Centre workplace event.If you’re over 40 you can get your blood pressure checked for free with an NHS Health Check at your GP, at most pharmacies and in some workplaces too.  If you need any support with your mental health and wellbeing following the recent flooding in Derbyshire, there is support there for you.You might find it helpful to talk to family and friends about things.You can also call the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service free 24/7 on: 0800 028 0077.Or visit https://derbyandderbyshireemotionalhealthandwellbeing.uk/ to find out about available local support such as free counselling.If you need further help with your mental health, you can speak to your GP. Flood Recovery Grants If your home or business has been flooded, you may be eligible for support from the Government’s flood recovery fund. Government has announced that money will be made available for residents and businesses in England that have been affected by recent flooding. At the moment we do not have all of the details, but as soon as we do we’ll work with our district and borough council colleagues to get the arrangements set up as soon as possible. We realise that the money the Government is making available is urgently needed by those who have been flooded and once we have the details we will work as quickly as possible to provide information about how to apply. For more information click here: Government announces support for flood-hit areas – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Supporting Residents This WinterApplications are now open for voluntary, community and charity organisations to apply for a grant from us to open a Warm and Welcoming Space this winter.It follows the success of a scheme launched by Derbyshire County Council last year which helped to fund more than 150 spaces supporting Derbyshire residents during the colder months.Between them, they provided 17,000 hours of warmth and company for almost 11,000 Derbyshire residents feeling lonely or struggling to heat their homes or feed themselves.Organisations can now apply for up to £1,000 towards the cost of opening up new community venues or to extend their opening hours as the weather gets colder.The money can be used towards things like providing meals or light refreshments, the cost of energy bills or paying running costs to stay open for longer.To qualify for a grant, organisations must pledge to offer a heated space during the winter months, provide seating, may offer refreshments such as a warm drink and a biscuit and be free of charge.People visiting warm spaces will also be offered information to help them with cost of living support, as well as advice on looking after their mental health and well-being.For more information click here: Warm and welcoming spaces – Derbyshire County Council  Cost of Living Payments 2023/24From 31st October, millions of households across the UK will receive a Cost-of-Living Payment worth £300.This is the second of three new payments totalling £900 in 2023/24, providing a financial boost to support the most vulnerable in society.Find out more online here: Cost of Living Payments 2023 to 2024 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Welfare Benefits Check UpThousands of people in Derbyshire are missing out on benefits that are theirs by right. Sometimes the benefits system doesn’t make it easy for you to understand the rules about benefits or how to claim the benefits you are entitled to. Derbyshire County Council can help you find out about the benefits you’re entitled to and how to claim.Find out more here: Welfare benefits – Derbyshire County Council £1.50 Single Bus Fares for Young People Do you have a young person aged 11 to 19 in your family? From 1st November young people in Derbyshire will be able to travel for only £1.50 for a single fare across Derbyshire and Derby. The £1.50 fares are for all buses in the county and city and include travel on direct services into neighbouring local authority areas. Young people, aged 11 to 19, will need a b_line card to be able to get the discounted fare. The cards are free and available through either the county council or city council websites. Sign up for a b_line card. The b_line card is a cut-price travel discount and library card for those aged 11 to 19. It is for young people in school, college, on a training course or in an apprenticeship. Scam Letter Warning If you receive a letter offering compensation to you if you’ve been a victim of scams, please don’t fill in any forms with your personal and financial information. Derbyshire County Council’s trading standards team is warning you not to respond if you’ve had a letter with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) logo – it’s a scam. Derbyshire residents have been in touch about the nationwide scam, which often targets previous scam victims. The bogus letter tells people to fill in a ‘creditors debt form’, as part of a compensation scheme, but it’s a way of fraudsters getting personal/bank details. If you receive one contact National Consumer Advice helpline on 0808 223 1133.Lower Cost Broadband Social tariffs are discounted broadband and mobile deals for people on Universal Credit and other benefits. These tariffs are delivered in the same way as normal packages, just at a lower price. Amid rising living costs, we’ve been encouraging more broadband and mobile companies to offer social tariffs to help customers on low incomes. Find out more about Social Tariffs online here. Help for Households There is help for millions of households with the cost of living. With over 40 schemes to help with the cost of living, discover what support is available for you at gov.uk/helpforhouseholds Priority Services Register The priority services register is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations. The scheme is offered by your energy supplier. If you are eligible and find it hard to deal with your energy supply, you could get extra help from your energy company. Find out more about the priority services register. Community Banks At Christmas It can be an expensive time of year with many people feeling they have to borrow money to afford food, presents and celebrations over Christmas. If you struggle to access mainstream banking services this may mean you’ve thought about using payday loans or doorstep lenders, which have much higher interest rates and will cost you a lot more. However, did you know that community banks offer savings accounts as well as lower cost loan alternatives that might be a safer option? Find out more about what community banks are, and how they might be able to help, here. Welfare Rights Podcast Staff from Derbyshire County Councils Welfare Rights and Affordable Credit teams have been on air talking about checking your eligibility for benefits, and how to safely borrow money if you really need to. Listen to the Helping Hands podcast on North Derbyshire Radio here. Toy Libraries Borrowing toys means you can keep pace with your child’s ever changing interests without the expense of buying new toys. Whether its board games, musical instruments or even full on party packs, the Derbyshire Toy Libraries charity can help with a range of educational and fun toys for hire. Find out more about Derbyshire Toy Libraries here. Energy Efficiency Support More than 300,000 families are set to save hundreds of pounds on their bills thanks to new energy efficiency upgrades. The government has launched the Great British Insulation Scheme to help families to get free or cheaper insulation to reduce their home’s energy bills. Families in lower council tax bands with less energy-efficient homes will be offered vital upgrades – such as roof, loft or cavity wall insulation – which could cut their annual energy bill by an average of between £300 to £400. You might be eligible to get support if your home:has an energy performance certificate (EPC) of D to G – check your EPCis in Council Tax bands A-D in England or A-E in Scotland or Wales – check your Council Tax bandFind out more about the Great British Insulation Scheme online here. NHS Healthy Start Scheme If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk through the NHS Healthy Start SchemeIf you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops.Find out more about the NHS Healthy Start Scheme online here. Citizens AdviceCitizens Advice Bureau have trained advisers who can advise on;· energy switching to save money· applications for warm home discount and other grants· signing up to priority service registers· money-saving tips· reducing your water bill and· a variety of other things designed to save you money.The Citizen’s Advice Service can also help you look at ways to maximise your household’s income, including checking whether you are eligible for any benefits and grants.The CAB have a partnership with Western Power Distribution through the ‘Power Up’ projects to ensure that people in the Midlands, South West and Wales receive free, independent, confidential and impartial advice on energy, benefits, and health related issues.For more information, and to book an appointment call this free advice line number: 0808 278 7954.For web-based information and support on the following issues, the national Citizen’s Advice Bureau has a comprehensive website. Call DerbyshireCold weather is especially dangerous for young children, older people or people with serious illnesses. If you are concerned about anyone you can Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190.Call Derbyshire is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and from 9.30am to 4pm Saturdays. Community Groups in South Derbyshire There are a number of community groups in South Derbyshire running a wide range of activities and services. If you would like to join a group then get in touch with South Derbyshire CVS on 01283 219761 or email development@sdcvs.org.uk. You can also check out our website. Looking to start or join a group? If you have an idea for a new group, or are looking for a group to join one, then contact us at South Derbyshire CVS and we can get you the information you need. We also support existing groups. 01283 219761 development@sdcvs.org.uk |