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Businesses that have been required to close as part of the new coronavirus restrictions can now apply for a Government support grant from Bath & North East Somerset Council. The Government’s Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum, supports businesses which had been open as usual, providing services in person to customers from their business premises, but which were then required to close due to national lockdown restrictions imposed by government. The grant is for businesses that pay business rates on their premises and: occupy property on which they pay business rates have been unable to provide its usual in-person customer service from their premises The types of business that may be eligible include non-essential retail, personal services, or cafés and restaurants that usually operate as an in-person venue but have been forced to close those services and provide takeaway only. Eligible businesses will receive one grant for each property liable for business rates within the lockdown zone for the period 5 November 2020 to 2 December 2020. The LRSG(C)A will be: £1,334 for properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under £2,000 for properties with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000 £3,000 for properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over The grant will not be paid automatically and so applications should be made online here https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-information-and-advice/help-businesses The Government is also introducing a new Additional Restrictions Grant for businesses not eligible for the LRSG(C)A grant. This will be a discretionary payment for businesses that don’t pay business rates or are not required to close but are severely impacted by the restrictions. Businesses, including those self-employed or sole traders, may be eligible if they were open as usual on 4th November 2020 and have 49 or fewer employees. The West of England unitary authorities (Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council) are working together to ensure the grants are consistent across the wider area. The scheme will be launched next week across the area but applications should be made to the council where the business is trading. You may be eligible for the Additional Restrictions Grant if: You are not a business rate payer of the premises you trade from, or occupy, and are required to close (this includes businesses registered for Council Tax); Your business is not required to close and has closed due to a significant impact on trading; Your business is continuing to operate, but with significantly reduced demand due to social distancing rules. Councillor Richard Samuel, deputy leader and cabinet member for Resources, said: “Our local businesses are once again facing difficult times and it’s important they access all the support they can. These grants will help businesses towards surviving this second phase of lockdown restrictions so I urge any business who thinks they might be eligible to apply as soon as possible. Please note that grants will not be paid automatically and you need to apply via our online form. Our Invest in Bath team can provide individualised help and advice to help you with your application.” For more information on the LRSG(C)A grants and eligibility criteria, visit the Government webpage https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support Visit www.investinbath.co.uk to find out about the range of support and advice available to local businesses. Find all council services updates at https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/coronavirus

Weston Welcome Café and Food Club are remaining open during this lockdown in November (with the Café serving takeaway meals). They are based at Weston Hub on Penn Hill Road, which is well placed for everyone living in the Weston and Newbridge area. They welcome families and individuals every Monday between 12 noon and 2.00pm for a free cooked lunch (takeaway in November) and to go shopping in the Food Club (£3 for families, £2 for individuals). Do please pass this information on to families and individuals who you think might appreciate coming.

Over £55,000 in donations has been directed to charities tackling holiday hunger in Bath and North East Somerset. Two weeks ago 3SG and Wera Hobhouse MP ran a successful Localgiving campaign which saw 400 generous people donating to prevent holiday hunger. In order to distribute these funds rapidly and effectively, 3SG worked with St John’s Foundation and Welfare Support to identify community-led food projects serving communities of high-need across Bath and North East Somerset. This funding will build the capacity of an emerging network of affordable food pantries, as well as supporting the infrastructure around the distribution of surplus food to charitable projects across the area. FareShare South West, Mercy In Action - Action Pantry, Oasis Hub, Weston Welcome Cafe and Food Club, Southside Family Project and Family Action - FOOD Clubs and other members of the BANES Affordable Food Network have benefited from increased funding to support their work providing more affordable food to families and young people in Banes. James Carlin, Director of 3SG said “I've been involved in fundraising for 15 years and never seen such a rapid public response to an appeal. 3SG is an independent charity that supports community activity and we are pleased to have been able to direct this money to where it’s needed most. Holiday hunger is not an issue that will be solved overnight which is why this much needed funding has been directed to projects making a long term impact on providing more affordable food to families and young people in Banes.” St John’s Foundation said “As funders of a number of initiatives tackling the long-term drivers of food insecurity in B&NES, we are delighted to have been invited to support 3SG to distribute these much-needed funds. We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the public for their generosity and to all of the organisations who are working so hard to ensure that local families have access to nutritious food all year round. We are delighted that the importance of their work is being recognised and strongly supported.” Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath added: “It’s a testament to the caring nature of our communities that there are so many quality local organisations who are working to tackle food poverty.” “I am pleased that the money that we raised is being delivered to these groups so rapidly, and that food will be available where needed. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the B&NES Holiday Hunger Appeal, and to every single person who so generously donated." "Let’s keep looking after one another through this difficult period.”

On Hold - Gardening sessions are cancelled during lockdown. - Guitar group not able to meet up at present - Sewing Workshops (in person) are on hold (BUT see below) - Feelgood Walks not taking place in groups of six (BUT see below) Continuing as before - Southside Food Co-op still running - Borrow It still open on Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday mornings - Zoom Groups running as normal WhatsApp groups still active Phone calls offered to anyone who’d like a chat New activites Scrabble: Wendy, one of our volunteers, is hosting Zoom Scrabble sessions on Wednesday evenings starting at 7pm. Email us for the link. 1:1 Walks: although we can no longer lead walking groups, we may be able to arrange for 2 people to walk together. Email us for further details. Online Sewing: We are offering Zoom workshops, making face masks. You can borrow a sewing machine from Borrow It, if you need one. Email us for the link. Online Cookery & Fermentation Workshops: Rachel, one of our volunteers, is running a Zoom session on making sauerkraut this Tuesday (10th Nov) at 2pm. Alex, another volunteer has offered to run Greek Cookery online sessions. Email us for further details and the link. Take care & keep well Time Bank Plus team timebankplus@gmail.com

The Roman Baths will close temporarily from Thursday 5 November, in line with Government advice. All tickets purchased for Thursday 5 November onwards will automatically be refunded. Customers do not need to contact the Roman Baths to request a refund. Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: “Although we are disappointed to be closing the Roman Baths once again, our number one priority is the safety of our residents, visitors and staff. We look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Roman Baths when it is safe to do so.” The Roman Baths was one of the first major attractions in the country to reopen its doors to the public on 6 July, with strict hygiene and physical distancing measures in place. All booking was carried out online and allowed for no more than 30% of the normal capacity. During the closure, people can continue to enjoy the Roman Baths from home by: Taking a Google Street View tour: www.romanbaths.co.uk/walkthrough Watching the Roman Baths on video: www.romanbaths.co.uk/videos Having a go at Roman-themed online games: www.romanbaths.co.uk/online-games Trying out fun activities for all ages: www.romanbaths.co.uk/learning-life Following the Roman Baths on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

As the country enters a second national lockdown the Community Wellbeing Hub, previously known as the Compassionate Community Hub, stands ready to support vulnerable people across Bath and North East Somerset. The hub, which is a collaboration between Bath & North East Somerset Council, Virgin Care and 3SG, was formed in March to provide a range of support to residents during the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past seven months the hub has received 8,700 calls, delivered 394 emergency food parcels and supported hundreds of people with help from a volunteer for shopping and medication pick-ups. With residents now facing another four-week lockdown, the hub’s team are ready to step up support once again. Jo Scammell, Head of Commissioning and Wellbeing Services, Virgin Care, said: “The hub has supported residents right across Bath and North East Somerset over the past seven months, from providing emergency food deliveries to advice on housing support and maintaining good mental health during these most challenging of times. As residents enter a second lockdown, the Community Wellbeing Hub will continue to provide critical support for vulnerable people who are self-isolating or who have no access to local social support networks.” Dine Romero, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, added:“We saw during the last lockdown how vital the support services the Community Wellbeing Hub provides are. As well as direct support, the hub now also provides wider wellbeing services for all our residents. These include mental health support, advice on home from hospital provision, money matters, housing, maintaining good physical health and much, much more.” The hub can call on thousands of volunteers across the district who have signed up to support vulnerable and elderly people by for example delivering food, collecting medication or just picking up the phone for a chat to help prevent people from feeling isolated. One of the benefits of the Community Wellbeing Hub is its central location as it is physically based in Peasedown St John. Although there’s no drop-in service, residents can access a range of services by contacting the hub either by phone or online. These services are delivered by a number of organisations and charities including B&NES Council, Virgin Care, 3SG, Bath Mind, Curo, Citizen’s Advice BANES, DHI, Reach, Age UK BANES and Cleanslate are amongst a few. James Carlin, Director of the 3SG said “The Compassionate Community movement provides a framework for organisations to work together with the shared aim of supporting people in need and building strong local communities. The hub has been at the heart of that work and we welcome the integration with the wider wellbeing services that is reflected in the new name. The last eight months have shown just what a Compassionate Community we have in Bath and North East Somerset with thousands of people being inspired and supported to look after each other”. Residents across Bath and North East Somerset can contact the Hub or organisations can refer someone who is in need of help by: Calling: 0300 247 0050 Emailing: BATHNES.thehub@virgincare.co.uk Texting: 07870 868368 Visiting the Website: www.communitywellbeinghub.co.uk Following on social media: Twitter - @CWHBANES The Community Wellbeing Hub is open from Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm.

A special workshop is being held to support parishes across Bath and North East Somerset on their journey to carbon neutrality. Bath & North East Somerset Council is hosting the free, day-long, online event to help town and parish councils develop an action plan to reduce carbon emissions and tackle the climate and ecological emergencies in their local area. Representatives from twelve parishes in B&NES have already signed up for the event on Thursday 26 November, but more places are still available. Councillor Sarah Warren, joint cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services, said: “When the council declared a Climate Emergency last year, we pledged to provide leadership to enable the district to become carbon-neutral by 2030. If we are to achieve this aim, we must support organisations to take action and embed change. Town and parish councils will play a key role, not only by setting an example and providing leadership themselves, but also by providing a focal point to stimulate practical, grassroots action in their area. “This workshop is a great opportunity to understand what the climate and nature emergency means at a local level and will provide parishes with tools that will help support positive change in their communities.” Nine parish and town councils in Bath and North East Somerset have formally declared a Climate Emergency and others are rising to the challenge of helping reduce area-wide carbon emissions: Keynsham Town Council has formed an Environment and Sustainability Committee, formed from town councillors, members of Keynsham community groups, traders, businesses and Churches Together that all have an interest in climate emergency issues. This Committee will work together to develop and oversee action. The Chew Valley Forum has established a Climate and Nature Emergency working group, involving around 20 people from nine parishes, to share best practice and work out where they can work together to drive down carbon emissions more effectively. Freshford Parish is about to hold a series of online climate sessions. All parishes are invited to take part in the workshop which will include an introduction to the Climate Emergency and the scale of action needed to address it. Discussion will focus on local impacts, communicating with residents and building an action plan. There will also be on online ‘Exhibition Hall’ with stalls from local providers, projects and schemes. The workshop is being delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) on behalf of Bath & North East Somerset Council as part of the council’s climate emergency programme. Bradford on Avon Town Council, who have also declared a Climate Emergency, are supporting the event so that the parishes neighbouring Bradford on Avon and B&NES can join the workshop and benefit from working together on the challenge of meeting the carbon neutral target. Councillor Dom Newton, Leader of Bradford on Avon Town Council, said:“The Bradford on Avon area shares a long boundary with Bath and North East Somerset, and many travel between these towns and villages every day, sharing a river valley and habitats. Climate change and the loss of biodiversity are at a critical point, and do not recognise county borders; they affect the whole planet. While the task can seem daunting, if we work together and share ideas, we can have a hugely positive impact.” To take part in the workshop parishes should register on Eventbrite.

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Bath & North East Somerset Council has responded to the Government’s lockdown announcement on Saturday by highlighting the challenges the area faces in reducing the rate of infection, which have been rising rapidly in recent weeks. The council has also committed to supporting the most vulnerable and to keeping public and staff safe, whilst maintaining services wherever possible within the restrictions that are finally adopted by central government. The Council will provide updates in line with further government guidance, expected over the coming days but is already planning to close the Roman Baths from Thursday November 5, with refunds made automatically. Christmas events planned for the city by Visit Bath and partners are also now being reviewed in line with Government guidance and further updates will be announced. Councillor Dine Romero, council leader, said: “For the first time the rate of infection in Bath and North East Somerset is higher than the national average with 234.77 cases per 100,000 recorded. Crucially we are now seeing infections across all age groups not just young people. Covid-19 kills. All ages can catch it and anyone can spread it. More than ever it is vital we all play our part to stop this rapid rise and protect the NHS, not least our own Royal United Hospital, and to save lives. “Even with the measures proposed by central government, reducing the rate of infection will not be easy and is not assured. The proposed government lockdown will also take its toll and we will provide support to the vulnerable or isolated through our Community Wellbeing Hub which can be contacted on 0300 247 0050. Details about the hub and other useful information was contained in a letter sent to all households this week. Please keep hold of the letter so you know how and where you can get the latest updates about our services. “Although the government are proposing that schools, colleges and Universities remain open, we know that any lockdown will hit our communities hard, including local businesses and in particular hospitality and shops deemed “non-essential”. The measures announced on Saturday will also impact on the council’s budget with loss of revenue from Heritage and Parking services. We have all been through a great deal already and we now face the very hard challenge which is to get numbers down over the next four weeks. Please play your part, stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.” The Government announcement proposes: From Thursday 5 November, everyone must stay at home, and may leave only for a limited set of reasons. These include: For education; For work, if you cannot work from home; For exercise and recreation outdoors, with your household, support bubble or on your own with one person from another household; For all medical reasons, appointments and to escape injury or harm; To shop for food and essentials; And to provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer. Non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues will be closed. Click and collect services can continue and essential shops, including supermarkets, will remain open. Pubs, bars, restaurants must close, except for takeaway and delivery services. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, known as the furlough scheme, will remain open until December, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500. Guidance on the new measures is available at: bit.ly/guidance5nov Details of the extended furlough scheme and other economic support, can be found here: bit.ly/economicsupport

The Prime Minister has announced tougher national restrictions in England from Thursday. Until then, the current local COVID alert level restrictions apply. The implications of the new restrictions for volunteering are outlined below: Where possible, people should volunteer from home. If they cannot do so, they can volunteer outside their home if they follow the social distancing guidance and no one in their household has symptoms of coronavirus or has tested positive for coronavirus. Voluntary and charitable activities are exempt from a number of the new restrictions. This means that, where volunteers are able to volunteer outside their home (see above) they can: - Meet in groups of any size indoors or outdoors while volunteering - Travel to volunteer or while volunteering As always, it should be a volunteer’s personal choice whether they wish to volunteer, including outside their home, and they should not be compelled to do so by their organisation or group. Volunteer-involving organisations must ensure their workplaces meet coronavirus safety standards. People over the age of 60 and those who are clinically vulnerable do not face any specific restrictions on volunteering and should follow the same guidelines as above. However, as this group could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus, they may need additional support to follow social distancing rules and minimise contact with others. There is a further group of people who are defined, on medical grounds, as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) to coronavirus – that is, people with specific serious health conditions. Clinically extremely vulnerable people can volunteer from home; they are advised not to volunteer outside their home. As set out on GOV.UK, the full new (general coronavirus rather than volunteering-specific) guidance for CEV people will be published today and the Government will write to everybody who is clinically extremely vulnerable to set out detailed advice while the new restrictions are in place. Existing GOV.UK coronavirus volunteering guidance pages will be updated in line with the new announcements later this week when the new rules come into effect. If a venue / site has not been told to close and the volunteering that happens there cannot be done from home, then it is permitted to continue at the venue/site. This is the same as for paid work. However, of course organisations may themselves choose to close or stand down volunteers even if they haven't been legally compelled to. Source: COVID-19 Volunteering Policy, Volunteering Team, Office for Civil Society Last updated: 3.11.20

Because We All Care Healthwatch England has joined the Care Quality Commission to launch a year-long campaign in response to the coronavirus. Because We All Care aims to encourage more people to share their experiences of health care to help the NHS and social care services identify and address quality issues. The team believe by working together they can increase responses and create change across all the health and social care services. The campaign which was launched in July this year has already attracted the support of over 240 partner organisations and reached over 1.6 million people. Speaking of the campaign, Vanessa Scott, Portfolio Project Manager, Healthwatch Swindon, and BANES, said, “We have received a fantastic response so far with over 1150 people nationwide sharing their experiences. “However, we want to hear from more of you. The more feedback we receive the greater power we have to influence change.” It is a well-recognised fact that COVID has had a huge impact on health and social care services. The team is keen to remind the public that their feedback is vital to ensure that services in Bath and North East Somerset know what is working well and what needs to be improved. Emma Smith, Communications Administrator, Healthwatch Swindon and BANES, said, “The wonderful feature of the campaign is how broadly it applies. Healthwatch and CQC want to hear about all aspects of health and social care from everyone. It is rare that a survey can be so wide-reaching. “We listen to what people like about services from GP’s to dentistry, and what could be improved. We then share these views with those with the power to make change happen. We can also help with advice and information to access the support people need.” Although the campaign has attracted much feedback the team is asking for more feedback specifically from men and the younger demographic. Vanessa Scott, Portfolio Project Manager, said, “We cannot highlight enough how this campaign applies to everyone. So many people think they do not use health services but go on to visit pharmacies or access health services at university. “We want to hear from everyone about all the experiences good or bad.” Because We All Care will run into 2021. If you would like to have your say visit https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/tell-us-about-your-experiences-nhs-and-social-care-services. Additionally, if you are interested in supporting the campaign, please contact emmasmith@thecareforum.org.uk Campaign Q&As Why have you launched this campaign? We’ve launched this campaign to help bring together organisations across the health and social care sector to encourage more people to share their experiences to improve care for all. Feedback on services is an essential asset to help services improve the quality of care. By encouraging people to feedback on their own experiences of health and social care services, or those of a loved one, we aim to help services in England find and address quality issues and find ways to improve in response to COVID-19. Over time, the campaign aims to normalise the act of giving feedback on care to increase the rate of feedback provided by service users. This will provide a better picture of what’s working and what isn’t, so we can work with services to help improve care for everyone. What will the campaign activity involve? “Because We All Care” is largely a digital-led campaign. We will be using a range of social media approaches, including an animation, case studies, and social media support, to raise awareness of how people can feedback on their care, and why this is important. We are also making the campaign available to other partners and providers in the health and social care sector and will be supplying a range of communications resources which they can use to collect feedback directly for their own service. How does feedback lead to improvements in health and social care? Whether good or bad, feedback helps services understand what’s working and what isn’t when it comes to health and social care. This vital insight enables services to either learn directly from those they support, or for Healthwatch and CQC to support care providers in making necessary changes to ensure the delivery of good care. We also want to hear about positive experiences and examples of best practice that can then be replicated across other services where needed. Feedback works. For example, feedback helped CQC to support 71% of health and social care providers to improve services in 2018/19. In the same year, feedback also enabled local Healthwatch to make over 7,200 recommendations to services about the improvements people want to see How can people give feedback? There are lots of ways that people can share feedback on their health and social care services. Here are just three: • You can tell the service that supports you • You can tell Healthwatch so they can make sure services hear what’s working and what can be done to improve support. They can also help you with advice and information, accessible via this link: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/because-we-all-care • You can tell CQC to support their ongoing monitoring of services and know when, where and what to inspect, accessible via this link: https://www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care You can share feedback quickly with CQC or Healthwatch online or by phone. How has COVID-19 impacted the capabilities of acting on feedback? It’s now more vital than ever that we understand people's experiences of care. CQC routine inspections are currently paused but we are continuing targeted inspections based on intelligence. Healthwatch has also paused visits to services and events to find out people’s views, this means we are more reliant on people contacting us, on-line and by phone, to provide feedback to provide the crucial insight we need into the standard of care across the country. Throughout the response to COVID-19, CQC and Healthwatch have used people’s feedback extensively to help services adapt during this difficult time. What is CQC’s role in the feedback process? CQC is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. CQC inspects health (NHS and independent) and social care services across the country and produces free, independent inspection reports to help individuals make an informed decision their or a loved one’s care. Throughout this process, CQC gathers and listens to individuals’ experiences of care to inform improvements to services. We work with national charities, our ‘Tell Us About Your Care’ partners and Experts by Experience to gather feedback. What is Healthwatch’s role in the feedback process? There is a local Healthwatch service in every area of England, which are supported by Healthwatch England. On a national and local scale, Healthwatch seeks out the views of individuals and communities on their experiences of care. Healthwatch has the power to ensure that decision makers are aware of this information and make the changes necessary to raise the standard of care. Local Healthwatch also play a key role in helping service users to raise concerns about care and access advice and information. What happens when you receive reports of bad care? Everybody has the right to receive safe, high-quality care. If we find that care has fallen short of this, we use our powers to take action against those responsible. CQC has powers to investigate claims and work with the service to help them to take steps to improve the quality of the care they provide. We use this information to inform our ongoing monitoring and depending on the severity, would inspect the service in question. If required, we might take further action including: • Issuing requirement or warning notices to set out what improvements the provider must make and by when • Making changes to a provider's registration to limit what they may do • Placing a provider in special measures where we closely supervise the quality of care while working with other organisations to help them improve within set timescales In the worst-case scenario, if severe issues persist and the standard of care does not improve, CQC can close the service in question. Local Healthwatch share the views and experiences of people using health and social care with those involved in the commissioning, provision, management and scrutiny of services. As part of their work they also produce reports and recommendations about how a service could be improved. If local Healthwatch are concerned about a service or area of care they can make a recommendation to Healthwatch England to advice CQC to carry out a special review or investigation into the service. Healthwatch England can also provide advice to the Secretary of State, NHS England and NHS Improvement and local authorities, all of whom are required to respond. Why are you encouraging people to criticise health and social care services who have been working hard throughout COVID-19? It’s important to highlight that we value every piece of feedback that we receive, whether it’s good or bad. Both sides of the coin are equally important for the improvement of health and social care services. Good feedback gives insight into what’s working, so that we can share good practice across other services. Constructive feedback tells us about patients’ needs and what services could be doing to improve care for them, as well as highlighting more serious situations that require immediate action. We know that providers appreciate this feedback, and understand that trust, openness and transparency lead to a culture of improvement and learning. COVID-19 has placed an immeasurable strain on the NHS and social care providers, and feedback will be crucial to supporting these services to recover and improve care for the future. When will NHS and social care services return to normal? COVID-19 is one of the greatest health challenges our nation has faced in modern times. During lockdown a lot of routine treatment and care had to be either delayed or delivered in a different way so services could respond to the pandemic. NHS and social care services are trying to get back on track but with restrictions in place it is difficult to predict when services will overcome all the challenges they face. What we can say is that feedback from the public can help - supporting services to address issues and understand if any of the new ways of working (such as providing more digital healthcare) are better than the old. Research Specific Q&As Why have you released this data? We’ve released this data to support our new campaign “Because We All Care”, which aims to help services identify and address quality issues, as well as support patients in response to COVID-19, by encouraging people to share feedback about their experiences of health and social care services in England. How has the research been analysed? The research has been analysed from a national survey conducted by Opinium looking at people’s experiences and attitudes of health and care services in the context of COVID-19. It is a representative national sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ in England, with 50 respondents with long term health conditions and carers in each region. The research was implemented between 11th – 16th June 2020. Why is the focus only on England – what about the rest of the UK? CQC is the health and social care services regulator for England and Healthwatch England is the independent national champion for people who use health and social care services. It is therefore of most value to these organisations to gain greater insight into the public perception of the communities that they serve. Why do you think COVID-19 has increased people’s willingness to improve health and social care? COVID-19 has highlighted just how essential health and social care services are to this country and that they shouldn’t be taken for granted. Prior to the pandemic, our health and care workers were always working behind the scenes, however they have now been brought centre-stage for their incredible work. Our research suggests this heightened awareness and the increasing need for health and social care has generated greater feelings of gratitude and a willingness to help support these services and those who need them. Why has the sentiment to support NHS and social care services been strongest among young people? Young people are often the group most eager for change, which has been confirmed by this research, but why this might be is a harder question to answer. It may be that they are more open to the idea that change is possible, or they may have more time to dedicate to these causes. The important thing, however, is that we harness this desire to help create the future health and care system that works for everyone, supporting people to stay well and manage any health issues they face. Is feedback more effective than donating? We see giving feedback on your care as a form of donating to NHS and social care services. You can donate in several ways, including: • Donating your time to share your experiences of care • Donating your time to volunteering for your local Healthwatch or other health organisations • Donating money to a health-related cause. Campaign partner Q&As Can any health or care organisation adopt this campaign? Yes, we have produced a campaign toolkit you can use to run your own campaign to get feedback for your service. To access this visit: https://spark.adobe.com/page/rx3i61mxD9KEx/ Or you can talk to your local Healthwatch if you are interested in supporting their locally run campaigns. To find your local Healthwatch visit: www.heallthwatch.co.uk

Healthwatch England has joined the Care Quality Commission to launch a year-long campaign in response to the coronavirus. Because We All Care aims to encourage more people to share their experiences of health care to help the NHS and social care services identify and address quality issues. The team believe by working together they can increase responses and create change across all the health and social care services. The campaign which was launched in July this year has already attracted the support of over 240 partner organisations and reached over 1.6 million people. Speaking of the campaign, Vanessa Scott, Portfolio Project Manager, Healthwatch Swindon, and BANES, said, “We have received a fantastic response so far with over 1150 people nationwide sharing their experiences. “However, we want to hear from more of you. The more feedback we receive the greater power we have to influence change.” It is a well-recognised fact that COVID has had a huge impact on health and social care services. The team is keen to remind the public that their feedback is vital to ensure that services in Bath and North East Somerset know what is working well and what needs to be improved. Emma Smith, Communications Administrator, Healthwatch Swindon and BANES, said, “The wonderful feature of the campaign is how broadly it applies. Healthwatch and CQC want to hear about all aspects of health and social care from everyone. It is rare that a survey can be so wide-reaching. “We listen to what people like about services from GP’s to dentistry, and what could be improved. We then share these views with those with the power to make change happen. We can also help with advice and information to access the support people need.” Although the campaign has attracted much feedback the team is asking for more feedback specifically from men and the younger demographic. Vanessa Scott, Portfolio Project Manager, said, “We cannot highlight enough how this campaign applies to everyone. So many people think they do not use health services but go on to visit pharmacies or access health services at university. “We want to hear from everyone about all the experiences good or bad.” Because We All Care will run into 2021. If you would like to have your say visit https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/tell-us-about-your-experiences-nhs-and-social-care-services. Additionally, if you are interested in supporting the campaign, please contact emmasmith@thecareforum.org.uk

A New, free guide from Getting on Board COVID-19 showed us the power of community support, and now more and more of us are giving back to the causes we love. Volunteering as a charity trustee is a great way to make a difference. But how do you become a trustee? Getting on Board’s new, free guide How To Become A Charity Trustee shows you how. Generously sponsored by Ecclesiastical, the guide launches on 2 November.

Local charities and community groups offering food across Bath and North East Somerset this half term week include: Southside Family Project can help with food parcels or frozen meals from the supplies we currently have - please ask families to call 01225 331243 First Steps will continue to fund free nursery meals for children from low income families who attend their nurseries. Mercy in Action will be open Monday and Friday as usual (outside of those days by appointment) This week SWALLOW Café would like to offer free children’s meals to take away to help our local community. We will be able to make up a lunch box to take away consisting of a sandwich, fruit and a snack. Please pop into the Café anytime between 11am and 2pm Tuesday to Friday this week, if you could ring to book a slot beforehand that would help us on 07565 752350. If you or anyone you know would benefit from this then please get in touch and we would be more than happy to help, email cafe@swallowcharity.org Southside café is open and can seat up to 18 adults and children at anyone time, you can at the moment just turn up to the café, you don’t need to book. They are offering free meals and packed lunches to families who receive free school meals. The soft play area is open and can be booked through Eventbrite. this is for a maximum of 6 adults and children from 2 households at anyone time. Make Lunch Bath are delivering approx 50 food parcels and children's activity packs to families in Southdown, Whiteway, Twerton and Snow Hill during half-term and will continue the food parcel project in the Christmas holidays to families struggling with food poverty. Kids eat free at the Mulberry Park Hub with any single adult food item purchased over £3 this week. Food Cycle Bath are providing hot takeaway meals every Wednesday from Nexus Church garden at 7.30pm. You can take as many as you need, we have free ingredients too, usually bread, fruit & veg. Open to all. Just turn up. Café Bombero, Paulton Library Hub High Street, Paulton, BS39 7QG (Two free childrens meals per 1 paying adult) There are also a group in Radstock who have set up delivering packed lunches to anyone who needs it. You send a pm to the admin via their facebook group to request https://www.facebook.com/groups/1513511778832836 or join the group to help. Somerset Live have also curated list of businesses helping out here

Power of COVID-19 volunteers shown in new University of Hull research Volunteers around the country who helped serve their local communities during the recent lockdown formed a crucial part of the national response to the coronavirus pandemic Informal volunteering and ‘good neighbourliness’ have been key to providing support and serving communities during the COVID-19 pandemic – according to new research from the University of Hull. From helping to collect shopping and medication for shielding residents, to befriending and transporting patients home who have been discharged by the NHS – thousands of volunteers have been mobilised across the UK – often through informal channels such as WhatsApp and Facebook. The 18-month research project, titled: Mobilising Volunteers Effectively (MoVE), has brought together experts from the universities of Hull, Sheffield, and Leeds. The initial findings published this month – from the first phase of the project which started in June – have shown the necessity to ‘free’ local communities to respond quickly to need in their area, empowering volunteers and taking a less bureaucratic approach. At the start of the project – which is supported by £382,000 of funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of the UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19 – local authorities and voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations in England, Scotland and Wales, were interviewed and asked to reflect on key lessons from the national lockdown period and to help researchers identify the next phases of the research. Professor Joe Cook and Dr Fiona Walkley from Hull University Business School are co-investigators on the project. Professor Cook said: “During the national lockdown we witnessed a surge of people offering help by volunteering. By working with local authorities and the VCS, the new research helps to understand the important role played by volunteers and maximise learning as we head into a second wave. In particular, how can we harness the less structured, more informal approach to volunteering, embedded in good neighbourliness, reciprocity and mutuality”. “This flexibility was crucial to the speed and effectiveness of responses, and in many cases challenges the more conventional notions of volunteering.” Dr Walkley said: “The research on enabling social action argues for an ecological perspective to understanding communities, which recognises the intrinsic value of networks, connections and infrastructure that underpins communities, rather than their measurable value. “Areas that undertook a whole community approach, had spent years pre-COVID investing in community engagement models that built the trust within and between communities. These authorities had worked hard to actively shift decision-making and resources towards the local, which was critical to their response to Covid-19.” The findings are significant following the recent publication of a UK Parliamentary report by Daniel Kruger MP: Levelling up our communities: proposals for a new social covenant commissioned by the Prime Minister. In his introduction to the report, the PM & former political secretary states that it “sets out a vision for a more local, more human, less bureaucratic, less centralised society in which people are supported and empowered to play an active role in their neighbourhoods”. The findings from MoVE project’s first phase offer important insights and caveats around the government adopting such an approach. Stories of volunteers have hit the headlines on countless occasions since the outbreak of COVID-19. Nationally, public commitment to volunteer was highlighted by the NHS responder scheme quickly recruiting 750,000 volunteers onto its register, while national platforms in Scotland and Wales were equally inundated with people eager to join the “army of volunteers”. However, participants in the University of Hull research have reflected on the frustration that many of these volunteers were under-utilised and often never called upon. Dr Harriet Thiery, MoVE researcher from the University of Sheffield, said: “Underpinning many of the concerns about the national volunteer schemes has been a perception that these processes represented a top-down, centralised response to local challenges. Consequently, they were unable to understand and reflect the unique needs, assets and resources of different communities.” Consequently, Professor Cook argues: “As we seek to capitalise on the flurry of good neighbourliness that we’ve seen during the pandemic, it is important that we do not simply 'offload' responsibility onto communities. “The findings of this research hold significant implications for policy; if we are to harness the energy and goodwill that communities have shown in the last six months, we will need to invest in our communities. This should not be about simply the discharging of responsibility into the community sector nor a return to ‘business as usual’.” A summary of the first findings of the research include: - Local level measures and not national volunteering platforms, have proved vital to responding to community needs during the pandemic. - Responses have accelerated existing models of community engagement and built stronger community relations. - Existing local infrastructure and community support networks have underpinned successful community responses. - Key to these successes are “freeing communities” to respond to local need, and their resourcefulness during the pandemic. - The pandemic highlights the need to rethink volunteering so that more informal volunteering and ‘good neighbourliness’ momentum can be harnessed. - This is a complex task – which must avoid reverting to type and seeking to formalised this swell of community action. - Arguably suggestions emerging around training, passports, paid work are the very mechanisms that discouraged community action pre-COVID, and that actually what is needed is an entirely new approach. - Foremost, LAs “who get it” are engaging with communities by respecting their autonomy, and seeking to support rather than institutionalise. - Mutual aid group perspectives reflect the centrality of relationships and relational working within informal personal spaces. Others reflect the need for this engagement to be supported and not seen as a quick or free fix for gaps left by services. - The VCS has been vital to mobilising volunteers and meeting needs during the pandemic and has proved its worth ten-fold. - VCS participants talked widely about their newfound respect and voice in decision-making achieved through their emergency response role and that the challenge now was how to build upon this. - One of the great leaps forward from coordinating community responses has been the breaking down of systemic bureaucratic barriers to working collaboratively. Including reducing risk averseness, flexibility in finance/funding and sharing data. - Recovery must not therefore be simply a return to “business as usual” and requires an approach to capitalise on the energy of volunteers, not simply to “offload” responsibility and accountability onto communities themselves. Read their blog series about the research here.

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Catalyst are providing funding and support to enable charities to co-design digital tools and/or solutions which will bring value to their services and communities at this time. DOT PROJECT are supporting this programme by developing a set of digital briefs which focus on responding to urgent and priority needs within the following two sector areas: - Mental health and wellbeing sector - Abuse and domestic violence DOT PROJECT would like to ensure that they develop these briefs based on the real needs that charities within this sector are experiencing, especially as those may be evolving and changing continuously. Therefore they are running ‘conversation sessions’ where you are invited to join and share your insights. DOT PROJECT appreciate that your time is very valuable at the moment, therefore there are a few conversation session slots, you can join the one most convenient for you (sign up by clicking the link): - Wednesday 28th October - 10 - 12 pm - Mental Health & Wellbeing - Thursday 29th October - 10.30 - 12.30 pm - Abuse & Domestic Violence - Friday 30th October - 10 - 12pm - Mental Health & Wellbeing - Monday 2nd November - 10 - 12pm - Abuse & Domestic Violence

3SG is working with Wera Hobhouse (MP for Bath) and B&NES Council to support a Holiday Hunger Appeal. This is to ensure ensure that no child goes to bed with an empty stomach over the coming weeks and months. James Carlin (3SG Director) showed his support "3SG is an independent charity who's mission is to promote charitable activities and facilitate co-operation between community organisations and statutory bodies in B&NES. We are hosting this appeal and will work with local charities and partners to ensure the funding reaches the people that need it most." Please support this appeal by donating via this page: https://localgiving.org/hhbanes

Bath & North East Somerset Council is encouraging residents to safely enjoy Halloween within the rule of six and avoid trick or treating to reduce the spread of coronavirus. To avoid people mixing unnecessarily, the council is calling on people to consider celebrating without the traditional trick or treating and to try a safer alternative this year. Some local areas have arranged pumpkin trails or scavenger hunts to replace trick or treat, where children look out for Halloween objects from a distance while walking outside instead of being encouraged to touch buckets of sweets. The council is also highlighting other home-based activities for children to enjoy such as trick or treating using the doors within your home, hosting a virtual Halloween party or a dance contest on Zoom. Dr Bruce Laurence, the council’s Director for Public Health, said: “Halloween is an exciting time for many families and with everything that 2020 has thrown at us, it’s important to seize opportunities to have fun. However, to minimise the spread of coronavirus it’s best to avoid people mixing unnecessarily whenever we can. While the number of people who have COVID-19 in B&NES is comparatively lower than other parts of the country, our rates are unfortunately rising, so we can’t allow ourselves to get complacent. “Please avoid trick or treating if possible and at all times follow the rule of six as well as the hands face and space guidance. Please avoid knocking on doors in order to reduce the risk of transmission and protect vulnerable residents who may be shielding, but best of all find alternative Halloween activities within your own home. Stay safe and enjoy the evening within your bubble.” Other ideas to celebrate at home include: Carve a pumpkin Make spooky snacks Watch a scary movie Decorate your home and doorstep Hold a Halloween costume contest Face painting Mix a spooky cocktail or mocktail The latest advice on coronavirus can be found at https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/coronavirus