News from your Church Street Labour Councillors Aicha Less, Matt Noble and Aziz Toki
Dear Resident,
We are living in very difficult times and, along with Karen Buck MP, we are doing all we can to help the local community and individual residents and their families.
Below are some of the Church Street issues we have been taking up recently, many as a result of residents’ responses to our regular newsletters. Let us know if we can take up a local issue in your area.
Please let us know if we can be of any help or assistance.
Greenside Community Centre
A new Covid-19 testing centre has been opened at Greenside Community Centre to increase the number of tests available for residents. The walk-through testing centre is open seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm. You can book a test through the NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/or call NHS 119.
King Solomon Academy
We are delighted that Max Haimendorf, Principal of Ark King Solomon Academy, has been awarded an OBE for services to education in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Max was appointed secondary headteacher in 2008 and has been the all-through Principal of King Solomon Academy since 2016. Max said: “It’s a great honour. I’ve been lucky to work with an amazing team of people for many years and we’ve achieved great things. It’s very encouraging to have that hard work and commitment of everyone involved recognised. It’s been really nice to have messages of congratulations from parents, pupils and staff who all feel proud of their school.”
414 Bus Route
TfL are proposing to change route 414 so that it terminates at Marble Arch instead of Maida Hill. TfL say:
“We are proposing this change as there is significant extra bus capacity between Marble Arch and Maida Hill. Route 6 duplicates the section of route 414 between Marble Arch and Maida Hill. The frequency of routes 414 and 6 is a bus every 7-8 minutes. At the busiest point of the routes, Edgware Road, eight buses per hour are required to meet the current passenger demand. We are providing 15 currently. The number of passengers does not warrant this number of buses. For the number of people traveling through the area only buses every 7-8 minutes are required. Route 6 already runs with buses every 7-8 minutes. All current journeys taken by passengers on route 414 can be completed by changing buses to route 6.”
TfL would like to know what impact the proposed changes may have on your journey. Please complete the online survey below by Friday 20 November 2020.
https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/route-414/consultation/subpage.2017-09-07.2118848556/
You can also email TfL at: consultations@tfl.gov.ukor write to TfL at FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS (Ref: Route 414 changes)
North Paddington Foodbank
If you can help the foodbank or are in need of emergency support please see the information here: https://www.npfoodbank.org.uk/
Blood Donors
The NHS Blood and Transplant service is appealing for donations from people who have recovered from coronavirus to help save lives as London moves from “medium” to “high” alert. Donating blood plasma is a simple procedure and very similar to giving a normal blood donation but the red blood cells are returned to the patient and the process takes a little longer.
The nearest donor centre is at 26 Margaret Street, Fitzrovia. W1. Anyone who has had coronavirus, either a test result or the symptoms, can offer to donate by calling 0300 123 23 23 or visitinghttps://www.nhsbt.nhs.ukto arrange an appointment to donate.
Warm Homes Discount Scheme
You could get £140 off your electricity bill for winter 2020 to 2021 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2020 to 2021 will open on 12 October 2020. The money is a one-off discount on your electricity bill, between September and March. See here for more details https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme
Jobs and Skills
Microsoft and LinkedIn have produced a free programme to help those looking for a job and learn new skills
Cycle Mechanics
If you’re between 18-24 and looking at building a new skill that is in high demand, Westminster Wheels offers a paid six-month programme in cycle mechanics. By joining the project, you will be able to (1) learn how to refurbish unwanted bikes and provide affordable high-quality bikes for Westminster residentsand (2) get a training and employment experience to help prepare you for a career in the growing cycle industry. https://www.westminster.gov.uk/westminster-wheels-programme
Bus and Tube fares
We have started a petition to call for the reinstatement of free travel for under 18s https://action.labour.org.uk/page/s/keep-free-travel
Voting by post
Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting. You can use this form to apply to vote
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/postal-vote-application-form.pdf
You can email your completed form to electoralservices@westminster.gov.uk or post it to Electoral Services, Westminster City Council, 14th Floor City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP.
‘Westminster Extra’
You can now read the ‘Westminster Extra’ online
Refuse collection and Recycling collection times
Recycling bags can be ordered from https://webforms.westminster.gov.uk/order-recycling-bags/
Bags will be delivered within approximately 48 hours of order.
You can check when refuse and recycling is collected from your street here http://transact.westminster.gov.uk/env/streetsearch.aspx
The doorstep recycling service concentrates on the recyclable materials most commonly produced by houses so that these can be easily separated into the different material types. The link below summarises what can be put in recycling bags
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/what-can-i-recycle-home#can-recycle
Lots of other materials can be recycled but not through the doorstep collection service. The A-Z list below gives details of what and where items can be recycled or re-used:
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/a-z-recycling
Also, here are details of 9 companies that reward you for donating unwanted things, from H&M to M&S https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/worklife/g15049323/brands-reward-throwing-things-away/
Report It
You can report rubbish dumping, graffiti, broken street lights and more at https://www.westminster.gov.uk/report-it
You can register here https://www.fixmystreet.com/alert for alerts of everything reported in your area (just use your post code and it will offer you options).
Coronavirus (Covid-19) UPDATE
Test and Trace Support Payments
You may be entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment of £500 if you are self-isolating because of COVID-19 and you are either employed or self-employed. The payment is to support people on low incomes who are unable to work from home if they are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and lose income as a result.Get full details on how to claim a Test and Trace Support Payment
Volunteer to help find the vaccine for COVID-19
You can be part of the fightback against the virus by volunteering to be contacted by researchers to take part in COVID-19 vaccine research. There are a number of vaccines being identified and safety-tested at the moment, but only large-scale studies can give researchers the information needed about how effective they are.
The NIHR is working with the NHS and aims to recruit half a million people onto the registry by October, which will allow people to be put in touch with the vaccine studies in the coming months. Researchers are looking for people from all backgrounds, ages and parts of the UK – including both people with or without existing health conditions – to take part in vaccine studies, to make sure that any vaccines developed will work for everyone.
The service is available to anyone aged 18 or over, living in the UK. There is no obligation to join in any study, if you are contacted. But by taking part, you could help researchers find vaccines to protect us all more quickly – which in turn could help the NHS and save lives. You can sign up herehttps://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/research/coronavirus-vaccine-research/
Health advice
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Westminster Council’s advice and response website:
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-and-information
Westminster Connects COVID-19 phone line– 020 7641 1222
Beware the Coronavirus scammers
https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/03/27/beware-the-coronavirus-scammers/
Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.
Keep well, take care and look after yourself and your neighbours in these difficult times.
Regards
Councillors Aicha Less, Matt Noble and Aziz Toki
Your Church Street Labour Councillors
aless@westminster.gov.uk
mnoble@westminster.gov.uk
atoki@westminster.gov.uk