Category Archives: Health & Wellbeing

Women Reflecting on Women

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Before the pandemic a group of us from Caring Together were among 13 different community groups in Leeds, who in partnership with artists from Skippko Leeds, gathered stories of lesser known women who were involved in the fight for the vote at the turn of the 20th century. We also looked at how life has changed for women in the last 100years.
A few weeks ago we were finally able to attend the long awaited exhibition of all the work together. It looked amazing and was a delight to be part of it. Thank you to everyone who took part.
If you are interested in getting involved in further projects please do get in touch: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk

Advice & Support for Clinically Vulnerable in Leeds as we move out of lockdown.

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Around 55,000 people Leeds have been classified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable and were advised to shield for much of the last year.  Many others who are not on the Govt list but still feel they are vulnerable re the virus may have been following similar advice.

Now that most restrictions are over and things are opening up, many people may be feeling a bit anxious about life returning to normal.  Please keep taking extra care and move at a pace that feels comfortable to you.

CEV summary

There is still support available in Leeds, both from the council and from a number of other organisations – including Caring Together.  Lots of information is in this booklet from Leeds City Council – if you are registered as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable you should recceive a paper copy of this in the post

Community Support for CEVs Booklet PRINT (040821)

Ship-Shape and lovin it……

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A few weeks ago we were delighted that Mary and Myrna had some time to tackle the store room. It certainly needed it. Last week Susan joined them both on day 2 to sort out some craft boxes. When we moved we didn’t get a chance to sort through everything so we are thrilled they could help. We, meaning all our members, volunteers and the team now know where everything is and even have everything labelled up. Order has now been restored…..THANK YOU 🙂
Kindest regards Lisa

‘Grab a Jab’ in Little London tomorrow

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Anyone over 18 who still hasn’t had both doses of a covid vaccine can go along to the pharmacy at Oatland Drive, Little London between 9am and 5pm tomorrow.

No appointment needed you can just turn up but for a second dose it must be at least 8 weeks since the first.

They will be using the Moderna vaccine

Or, you can get the Astra Zenica vaccine  (over 40s only) at The BAME Health & Wellbeing Hub (formerly known as the Fredrick Hurdle Centre), Reginald Terrace, Leeds, LS7 3EZ.  Between 10am – 3pm.

If you’ve still not had your first COVID-19 vaccine it’s not too late. #GrabAJab at a drop-in clinic. If you have any questions, you’ll be able to chat on-site first. Find a clinic https://www.leedsccg.nhs.uk/health/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/walk-in-clinics/

 

 

Shared Moments: ‘Weddings’ written by Oliver Cross

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Weddings aren’t what they used to be, which is a relief for people who don’t like sexism, crude humour, drunkenness, ill-fitting outfits, unimaginative food or seething family tensions.

None of which were even hinted at the wedding of my grandson Sam and my new relative Mrs Becky Cross, mainly, I think, because all the youngish people I know (especially Sam and Becky) are more sensible than I ever was, not to mention more thoughtful, intelligent, enterprising and – which, I realised at the wedding, is the most important social virtue – much kinder too.

So, in keeping with  the kindly mood established by the happy couple (‘happy’ being, so far as I could see, an accurate description rather than a wedding cliché), everybody was nice to each other, enjoying the company of, in many cases, strangers and delighted by the just-in-time end of the Covid lockdown.

Which could sound dull but really isn’t, particularly when you consider that the alternative might be a wedding in Walford, Emmerdale or Kabul during the massacre season.

This ceremony was in rolling green countryside near York in a set of old and very attractive agricultural buildings repurposed to look completely unlike the cramped and charmless register office where I was married in the 1970s and which, as I remember, mainly overlooked the council’s rates department.

Since then, and excluding pandemics and climate change, much has changed for the better. English wedding-goers have started to understand the concepts of smart-casual clothing, ecologically-aware confetti-throwing and acceptable hair arrangements (as a reminder of how bad things were, you could look at wedding pictures from the 1970s and 80s, after first reading a trauma warning).

Other things didn’t need to change; bridesmaids in uniforms  so glamorous that you could imagine them breaking into a West End dance routine, a bride wearing a lovely white dress with  a lacy train which was so definitively a wedding dress that it couldn’t be repurposed into anything else and its future is secure.

There was even a wedding cake tiered, though not in the usual way, by Sam, who, unlike most men in the last century, knows how to bake very well.

But I think the most impressive improvement was in the quality of the wedding speeches. These have been, in my experience, minor ordeals to be got through with the aid of stiff drinks. Here, everybody, especially Sam and Becky, said what they had to say very wittily and intelligently and without recourse to boorishness, cheap cracks or showing-off.

Taking the long view, which, at my age, isn’t quite as long as it used to be, I can see, based on the wedding speeches alone, a union of two families who, being blessed with rare intelligence and goodwill will continue to enrich each other’s lives, just like the Montagues and Capulets didn’t.

Catch up and a cuppa at Morrisons Cafe in the Merrion Centre

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A few weeks ago some of us enjoyed a catch up and a cuppa at Morrisons Cafe, Merrion Centre in Leeds before the refurb commenced. We look forward to going back once it’s finished. Get in touch if you would like to join us: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk

Coronavirus Update from Leeds City Council

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This week we have an update for you about the latest infection rates in Leeds and changes to self-isolation for critical services.

 

Please note that we will be reducing the frequency of our coronavirus bulletins, which in future will be issued when there is a significant national or local update.

An update on infection rates in Leeds

The latest Leeds infection rate has decreased to 456.4 per 100,000 (30% lower than 7 days ago), with the positivity rate at 12.9%. The current over 60s rate is stable at 160.9 per 100,000. Hospitalisations are rising and sadly 5 Covid-19 deaths were reported in the last week.

The average infection rate for Yorkshire and the Humber is 451.3 per 100,000 and the rate for England is 375.2 per 100,000.

With infection rates still remaining high across the city, we encourage everyone to remain cautious and take up the vaccine.

If you’d like to attend one of the city’s walk-in vaccination clinics, please visit the NHS Leeds website to find the one most convenient for you.

Please remember it’s essential to attend your second vaccination appointment to receive maximum protection.

Let’s keep taking care of each other #TogetherLeeds

Don't delay your COVID-19 vaccination

Changes to self-isolation for critical services

A very limited number of named key workers may be able to leave self-isolation to undertake critical work. This is only in a small number of situations, where self-isolation would result in serious disruption to critical services.

This policy only applies to you if your employer has received a letter from a government department on which your name is listed. If this is the case, you will be able to leave self-isolation to undertake critical work. Otherwise, you should continue to self-isolate.

This process will only run until 16 August 2021, when people who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to self-isolate if they have close contact with someone with coronavirus.

Where employers believe self-isolation of certain key employees would result in serious disruption to critical services, they should contact the relevant government department which can be found on the gov.uk website.

Separate arrangements are in place for frontline health and care staff.

For more guidance on self-isolation, please visit the NHS website.

Success for Leeds athletes at 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Leeds City Council would like to say huge good luck and well done to all the Leeds athletes and the whole of Team GB competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – we’re all behind you and what a great lead-up to Yorkshire Day on Sunday!

Earlier this week, the leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, congratulated Leeds athletes Matty Lee and Tom Pidcock on their gold medal success – read the statement in full here.

Photo by Kyle Dias on Unsplash

Rainbow Junktion Pay as You Feel Cafe now open – Mondays and Thursdays

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Rainbow Junktion Cafe is back for pay as you feel sit down meals.  They will only be serving outside for the moment.

Mondays and Thursdays 12-2.30pm for the cafe – advice and signposting also available – 11.30am – 3pm

Fridays will be Food Share – groceries etc available for ‘pay as you can’ shopping 11.30am -4.30pm

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Your Neighbourhood, Your City, Your Planet – Have Your Say on Leeds’ Local Plan Update

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Leeds City Council is encouraging residents and businesses to have their say on its draft Local Plan Update, which will set out the authority’s approach to planning policy and new development across the district over the next decade and beyond.

The draft Local Plan Update is titled ‘Your Neighbourhood, Your City, Your Planet’.  Although it is not intended to deal with all planning issues, it will focus on ways to shape planning policy to reduce our city’s impact on the environment and help achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Your Neighbourhood, Your City, Your Planet – Have Your Say on Leeds’ Local Plan Update: Local Plan Update

The draft plan is based around five topic areas:

  • Carbon reduction – changing the way buildings are built, and how we generate renewable energy.
  • Flood risk – making our communities resilient to the impact of flooding, one of the most direct impacts of climate change that Leeds faces.
  • Green infrastructure – making the most of our green spaces and natural environment, to help improve the health and well-being of our citizens.
  • Place-making – guiding new development to places that offer the best opportunities for active travel and public transport, health & well-being and making the best use of communities’ assets to create ’20-minute neighbourhoods’ where people want to live, work and play.
  • Sustainable infrastructure – integrating low emissions transport and improved digital connectivity, helping reduce journeys by car.

Consultation on the draft Local Plan update will take place from 19 July to 13 September.

The dedicated website www.leeds.gov.uk/lpu is home to all the information contained within the draft Local Plan. This includes separate sections for the different topic areas, which are available in detailed and short formats.

This means people can read the whole draft plan or just the areas that are of interest, and can contribute their views using our online surveys whether they have read the documents in detail or having read a shorter, more summarised version.