The programme See, Hear, Respond is run by Barnardos (in partnership with the Department for Education) to refer children adversely affected by lockdown/exposed to harm to receive support to prevent escalation of difficulties. The funding from government is aimed at families where there is increased parental conflict or DV and children experiencing anxiety, bereavement, self-harm and online grooming as a result of lockdown. Their referral portal is currently active and you can submit referrals by visiting their site here. Barnardos and partners (Voluntary Sector organisations have been brought into deliver this including Action for Children, NSPCC, Relate and many more), can support reintegration into education where children have anxiety about returning to school. 47,000 emails went out to heads in every school and Barnardos were expecting a flood of referrals before schools closed. They have had just 3 referrals from schools in the whole of the South West. The ‘See, Hear, Respond’ programme aims to intervene and find the most vulnerable children and young people who are hidden from view; who are not currently receiving support and those who are at risk and/or experiencing adverse impact to their health and wellbeing. It’s a fast moving project starting in June and delivering till the end of October and is a crises response to children and families. Barnardo’s aims to deliver 30% of the interventions with the remaining 70% being delivered by partners. Barnardos would welcome contact from organisations that wish to find out more information about becoming delivery partners and/or organisations that may be able refer into this programme. The referral portal is currently active and you can submit referrals by visiting their site here.

Run by registered nutritionist Alison Preston, this cookery course has been designed to look at ways of eating that will help you not only physically but also mentally - something that has possibly never been as important as it is currently. As well as providing you with the energy to run a busy life and maintain focus, healthy eating may also balance your mental health helping you to stay happy and motivated. Moderation, healthy goals and making simple changes will all be covered in this course as you learn how to make healthy versions of food that you love, as well as giving you some ideas for meal planning. This course is taking place on Wednesdays from the 16th of September until the 21st of October, from 10:00-13:00 at the Bath City Farm. It is free for anyone over the age of 19 who is in receipt of benefits, unemployed or earning less than £17,004 per year. (If you do not fit into these categories, please contact Bath College for costings). For more information, to enrol or refer please call us on 01225 328822 or email acl@bathcollege.ac.uk

Bath & North East Somerset Council has been commended in the prestigious MJ Awards for its regeneration of Keynsham’s former civic centre. The annual MJ Local Government Achievement Awards recognise best practice amongst local authorities across the country, with the council commended for Innovation in Property and Asset Management. The challenging redevelopment of the 1960’s civic centre building to deliver modern, affordable, sustainable homes was carried out by the council’s property company Aequus Construction Ltd (ADL). The company supports the council’s objectives to improve the supply, quality and quantity of homes available in the district, and to repurpose buildings in innovative and imaginative ways that improve people’s lives. Profits from Aequus are used to deliver services for residents and therefore reduce public costs. 95 contemporary studio, one and two bedroom apartments were created, at the renamed Riverside View, with all but 17 now sold. Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for Housing, Planning and Economic Development, said: “To be commended in the prestigious MJ Awards is a fantastic achievement. Aequus has done some excellent work in redeveloping this important site that supports Keynsham’s wider regeneration. This development exemplifies the aims and values of the council in providing great energy efficient sustainable homes through the repurposing and redevelopment of disused properties.” Redevelopment work is still continuing at Riverside View with the South Block due to be completed this Autumn. The commendation in the MJ Awards is the second time the council has been recognised for its exemplary redevelopment of the Keynsham site. Last year Aequus scooped the Developer Award at the Bath Property Awards. More information about Aequus can be found at https://www.aequusdevelopments.co.uk/ Find out about Riverside View at www.riversideview.co.uk

Businesses in Bath and North East Somerset are being encouraged to check if emission charges will apply to their vehicles ahead of the launch of Bath’s Clean Air Zone. The Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which will not charge private cars, is being introduced to urgently improve air quality in the city. It was due to be switched on in November but has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic and a new launch date is expected to be agreed shortly. Bath & North East Somerset Council has begun writing to all registered businesses in the district to ask them to check their vehicles online at www.bathnes.gov.uk/checkyourvehicle and explain how they can get financial support to upgrade their fleet if needed. If charges do apply, businesses could be eligible for the council’s financial assistance scheme to help them upgrade to compliant vehicles or could qualify for a range of exemptions. The council will also be calling companies by telephone wherever possible to make sure they are aware of the CAZ, help them assess the impact on their businesses and offer an appointment with a travel and transport advisor. The CAZ will operate in the city centre 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Charges will apply to pre-euro 6/VI diesel and pre-euro 4 petrol vehicles, except private cars and motorbikes. Councillor Sarah Warren, joint cabinet member for Climate Emergency, said: “Now is a really good time to check your vehicles against Bath’s new emission standards to see whether charges will apply. It’s quick and easy to do the check online and you’ll be getting a letter from us to encourage you to do this at the earliest opportunity. We’ll also be giving you a call to make sure you’re aware of the financial assistance and exemptions available. “We are also mindful of the fact that many businesses are currently adapting to new and challenging conditions due to lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic. If this applies to you, as well as asking for help from one of our CAZ travel advisors you can get support from our business teams. Visit www.investinbath.co.uk for more details.” CAZ charges only apply to non-compliant HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, minibuses, LGVs and vans including pick-ups and campers. Private cars and motorbikes will not be charged, regardless of their emission standard. There is also a range of exemptions available, including a means-tested exemption for businesses that are eligible and have applied for the financial assistance scheme but are unsuccessful in their application. For full details on the CAZ, visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathCAZ

A temporary bus gate at the junction of Milsom Street and George Street in Bath is to be monitored by cameras and enforced by issuing of fines to make sure the zone is safe for pedestrians and cyclists. The bus lane restriction which came into force on July 6 allows only buses to travel along the one-way Milsom Street up to the junction with Quiet Street between 10am and 6pm, providing more space for people to keep their distance and enjoy the health and environmental benefits of a traffic-free zone. Until now, Bath & North East Somerset Council wardens have been on site to monitor the temporary restriction and barrier to prevent access, but automatic number plate recognition cameras (ANPR) have now been installed in line with the other bus gates in the city and will be switched on at the beginning of October when the barriers are removed. Anyone in contravention of the restriction will receive an automatic Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £60 (reduced to £30 if paid in the first 14 days) which will also contain details of how they can appeal if they believe the PCN has been incorrectly issued. The order can be viewed here All vehicles are also prohibited from parking, loading and waiting except for in the authorised and designated loading bays between the hours of 6pm and 10am. The temporary measure is part of the council’s response to the government directive to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists in busy locations and encourage active travel. Councillor Joanna Wright, joint cabinet member for transport services, said: “Milsom Street is a busy and well-used route for motorists and although the temporary restriction came into force in July, we chose not to carry out enforcement until now while people adjusted to not using the route. However, we must now make sure that people can safely enjoy the benefits of walking and cycling and are able to social distance more easily without having to dedicate a full-time warden to monitor this. “Signs will be put up at the junction and on the route leading up to it to warn drivers about the cameras, so please make sure you continue to use an alternative route.” The council has put in place temporary traffic restrictions in other parts of Bath and in Keynsham to protect public health, make walking and cycling safer and encourage active travel. Residents have also been asked to put forward locations for longer-term improvements designed to reduce the use of vehicles on our roads. Views can shared on the Liveable Neighbourhoods website https://bathnesliveablestreets.commonplace.is

Residents are being asked for their views on Bath & North East Somerset Council’s ambitious proposals for liveable neighbourhoods which will improve air quality and health, encourage more walking and cycling and reduce vehicles in residential areas. Liveable neighbourhoods are an important part of the council’s plan to tackle the climate and ecological emergency and to improve health and wellbeing across the area. It has developed three strategies which it now wants people’s views on. The three strategies would form the basis for liveable neighbourhoods. They are: Low traffic neighbourhood strategy Residents’ parking schemes strategy On-street electric vehicle charging strategy Residents are now being asked what they think about the plans in an online consultation that will run until Wednesday 14 October. Liveable neighbourhoods aim to reduce the dominance of vehicles in residential areas - particularly through-traffic - while maintaining vehicle access to homes and businesses and prioritising residential parking. This can be done through a range of measures including vehicle restrictions, traffic calming and one-way streets. Councillor Joanna Wright, joint Cabinet Member for Transport Services said: “We saw during lockdown what a difference less traffic made to our communities. We saw air quality improve, we saw more people walking and cycling, and we saw more people supporting local shops. “This proposal for liveable neighbourhoods supports our vision to create better conditions for walking and cycling so that people rely less on their cars, especially for short car journeys. This is particularly important if we’re to meet our climate emergency targets by 2030. “By re-considering how road space is used, improving access to public transport and enhancing community spaces, we can create lively residential areas that foster community pride and help local businesses to prosper. “We recognise that private cars are still necessary for some trips and some users. For this reason, alongside our liveable neighbourhoods strategy we’ve outlined plans for improving on-street electric vehicle charging that will encourage the uptake of electric vehicles where there is limited off-street parking, and where public charge points are required for residents wishing to swap to cleaner, ultra-low emission vehicles “These are transformational proposals that will be developed in collaboration with local communities, so it’s really important that residents and local businesses have their say on the approaches we’ve set out.” Liveable neighbourhoods usually group residential streets together across a 1km2 area around key amenities, such as schools, shops and surgeries, and bordered by a main road. To reduce through traffic and rat-running, a range of vehicle restrictions can be used. This ranges from modal filters such as bollards and attractive planters to one-way streets, traffic calming, speed restrictions and also residents parking schemes to reduce commuter parking. Residents will have already seen changes to some city and town centre roads. Access restrictions and barriers were installed to encourage social distancing to deal with the immediate impact of Covid-19. They were funded from the Government’s £250 million Emergency Active Travel Fund which was announced in May. Councils were then encouraged to bid for a second ‘tranche’ of government funding to promote more walking and cycling and ease pressure on public transport. In Bath & North East Somerset ten schemes have been identified for this potential funding. Given the timescales for preparing bids, they have not yet been subject to consultation and could be introduced as Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders. Councillor Dine Romero, council leader, said: “We need to be clear about the difference in our long-term policy for liveable neighbourhoods and the schemes proposed under the Emergency Active Travel Fund which is a direct response to Covid-19. Our liveable neighbourhood strategy is asking for people’s views on the principles and policy and is not about promoting individual schemes, these will come later once the strategy is in place.” There will be opportunities for communities to request individual liveable neighbourhoods once all three strategies are finalised and the project is launched. Residents can read a summary of the council’s plans for liveable neighbourhoods and take part in an online survey before Wednesday 14 October at www.bathnes.gov.uk/liveableneighbourhoods. Those with no internet access can request paper copies of the summary and survey by calling council connect on 01225 39 40 41. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there will be no public events in this instance.

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The Fawcett Society, Women's Budget Group, Queen Mary University of London and the London School of Economics have joined together to produce a briefing which looks at how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting parents. It sets out the experiences of parents at the height of lockdown. It comprises analysis of data from a survey of 1,424 parents of under-11s conducted in mid-April, and qualitative data from weekly diaries shared with Fawcett by 70 to 100 women each week. In the briefing they explore the implications of these findings for Government policy, including support for mothers to remain in work, changes to lockdown policy, and support for parents’ financial wellbeing and mental health. Click here to view the briefing in full.

This workshop delivered by Wesport staff, provides support and advice to employees on how to improve mental health and reduce stress through physical activity, particularly within the workplace. This course covers: Mental health and physical activity quiz What is mental health discussion Stress Health benefits of exercise Five ways to wellbeing Being active at work Click here for more information

Bath’s Parade Gardens has scooped a coveted Trip Advisor Travellers' Choice Award. The awards recognise the best visitor attractions across the world and are based on traveller reviews and ratings. Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: “This is a wonderful accolade for Parade Gardens and our dedicated Park’s team who maintain the gardens and ensure they look stunning year-round. To be rated by Trip Advisor as one of the top ten per cent of visitor attractions in the world is a fantastic achievement and means a great deal to us because it’s based on visitor reviews. “Our Parks team has worked hard over recent years to breathe new life into Parade Gardens, transforming it into a glorious jewel in Bath’s crown. All our heritage parks and green spaces are precious and have been designed to fit in with the cityscape and Bath’s culture. It was of course previous generations who made Bath a green city and we owe it to not only them but also current and future generations to retain our historic parks and green spaces, nurture them and enhance them.” Laid out in 1933/34 on the site of the 18th and 19th century pleasure gardens, Parade Gardens sit in the heart of Bath and are a wonderful place to relax and people-watch. Much loved by residents and tourists alike the gardens help support the city centre economy. In recognition of this, over the past five years the Parks team have worked hard to revitalise the gardens. They created a new narrative for the gardens as a 1930’s style village green, complete with a bandstand, stripy deckchairs and an air of quiet sophistication within a beautiful Cotswold setting. Once re-imagined, incremental improvements were made including: replacing all the wooden benches with brand new ones buying stripy deckchairs for visitors to relax in, to create a more vintage atmosphere taking over the Café from the previous external lease holder enabling the council to extend the season and control the standard of catering finding sponsors for the 3D flower bed which is renewed annually renovating all borders and the Pets’ Cemetery working with the Community Payback team to regularly repaint benches and railings opened-up more of the park for recreational enjoyment reduced anti-social behaviour by selectively reducing shrubberies and replanting This summer one of the borders in Parade Gardens has been dedicated to the NHS workers in recognition of their frontline-work during the pandemic. It’s now decorated with multi-coloured pebbles. Painting and planting has continued throughout the summer months with the Parks team now focusing on welcoming visitors again in 2021.

Residents and community groups across Bath and North East Somerset are being encouraged to get involved in the Great British September Clean. The campaign, organised by Keep Britain Tidy, brings people together to clear up litter in towns, villages and the countryside. Usually held in the spring, this year’s Great British Clean was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and will now take place between Friday 11 and Sunday 27 September Councillor David Wood, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services said: “There is no excuse for littering, it is a blight on our communities and the countryside and pollutes the environment. Sadly, since the easing of lockdown restrictions we’ve seen a big rise in the amount of litter in our parks and open spaces, verges and hedgerows – everything from takeaway containers to plastic bottles, bags of dog foul and now used face masks. “Quite honestly there couldn’t be a better time for the community to get involved in a big clean-up as over the years this campaign has had a huge impact locally with hundreds of bags containing tonnes of litter collected. “This is the country’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign and by getting involved you’ll help to create cleaner streets and open spaces, protecting wildlife and the environment.” To become a #litterhero by joining or hosting a litter pick event in your area register at https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean Litter picking equipment is available on loan from the volunteer litter picking group The Keynsham Wombles. For more information email Erica at womble@transitionkeynsham.org To find out how you can do more to reduce waste and help address the climate emergency visit: www.bathnes.gov.uk/climate-emergency

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Bath & North East Somerset Council has joined local authorities across the South West in calling on the government to urgently provide funding to safeguard the future of leisure centres. Members of the South West Leisure Group are asking ministers to help local councils meet the increased costs of reopening and operating leisure centres caused by lockdown and the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services for Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “While I’m delighted we’ve been able to start a phased reopening of some of our leisure centres, they are facing substantial increased costs as a result of putting Covid-secure measures in place - including limiting customer numbers and reducing opening hours. “We’ve already had to provide significant financial assistance to our leisure providers GLL (a not-for-profit social enterprise) and, at time when Covid has placed a severe strain on our finances, this is not sustainable.Until confidence and demand grows, the government needs to ensure the sector gets the funding it so desperately needs.” Across the South West many leisure centres remain closed, others which have reopened or partially reopened say they’ve seen their income drop by 50 per cent and predict the situation may not improve for up to two years. It’s led the South West Leisure Group to warn the government it needs to act now before the furlough scheme ends this autumn, or it may be too late for the sector. Government funding announced last month will enable around a quarter of councils to recover a proportion of the income they’ve lost from leisure services as a result of the pandemic. But many other local authorities such as B&NES have been asked to financially support the private companies, charitable leisure trusts and other organisations contracted to run leisure facilities on their behalf to keep them financially viable. David Worden, Leader of North Devon Council said: “The leisure facilities provided by local authorities are vital to our communities as councils provide the facilities that the private sector is not generally interested in such as swimming pools etc. Councils that outsourced management of these facilities are now being penalised by the government because they cannot recover the vast sums of money now being required to effectively prop up their external providers and enable them to open facilities.” Sport England and Community Leisure UK have been leading cross sector support on the challenges facing local authorities’ leisure provision due to Covid-19 and have also made the government aware of their serious concerns about the impact on public leisure provision and the need to secure additional financial support. Community Leisure UK’s £1bn funding campaign #saveleisure is calling on the government for a leisure sector bail out similar to that offered to the arts and hospitality sectors. Mike Eathorne-Gibbons, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for customers, said: “Cornwall Council is one of those authorities that is being asked to financially support its leisure providers to enable facilities to re-open. The cost of keeping centres in hibernation for four months with no income, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and how services will be delivered, has resulted in a total funding shortfall for our leisure provider GLL of around £5m.” “We are not alone and most councils across the South West, and we have been told nationally, are in similar positions. While the government has recognised that some councils have lost income from leisure facilities and has decided to compensate them, many others have not by virtue of who is providing them. This just doesn’t make sense; these centres really need some help now. This is a crisis that will not go away.” John Hart, Chair, South West Councils, said: “The position is pretty simple really. Councils are being asked to financially support companies purely to enable public facilities to re-open. Councils cannot afford to do this and so there is now a real risk that facilities in some areas will not be opening. That will undermine national initiatives to reduce obesity and make the nation healthier and more resilient. It is vital that the government holds firm to its promise to do whatever is necessary to support councils’ efforts.” Through the Fit for Life Strategy, leisure contributes to many critical council priorities including tackling obesity, improving physical health and wellbeing; addressing mental health and reducing our impact on climate change through walking and cycling.

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Previous Item Next Item Ian Pembridge, Senior Researcher at DSC (Directory of Social Change) has used his and DSC's years of experience of studying grant-making charities to publish his top ten tips on landing a grant. Click here for the full ten.

Transition Bath Food Group has initiated a project with the multi-agency Food Poverty Steering Group set up by B&NES Council. Many allotment growers and gardeners have surplus vegetables and fruit during the summer glut period from August to October. This project directs the abundance to local charities and organisations like children’s centres which have set up food clubs and school holiday food provision. The Council’s intention is to help families on low income access affordable food. Partners include the Allotment Association and the Sustainable Food Partnership. If you have surplus crops, or if you can lend a hand with transporting crops from the collection points to the food centres that need them, please get in touch. There’s a dedicated email address for the co-ordinator, Sam Rudd: transition.surpluscrops@gmail.com. He’ll be pleased to hear from you with any offers of crops or of help.

Another busy month for the team at Time Bank Plus in Twerton... Sewing Workshops This is a new activity which we are offering to up to 2 people per session. We will be using sewing machines to make face masks. These sessions are taking place on Tuesday afternoons. Please get in touch if you would like to come along. Southside Food Co-op The Food Co-op provides boxes of fresh, locally grown veg every week (or fortnightly if preferred) on Wednesdays, and delivers them to your home. This is available to anyone living in South or West Bath (eg Twerton, Whiteway, Odd Down, Oldfield Park, Newbridge & Lower Weston). The quality of veg is fantastic at this time of year – it’s all freshly picked and is grown mostly on the edge of Bath near Solsbury Hill. The price, for those people on a lowish income (below £18,000 pa for a single person, £25,000 for a couple or £30,000 for a family), is £4.50 for a small box, £5.50 for a medium box and £7 for a large box. For those who are better off, we charge £6 for a small box, £7 for a medium box and £9 for a large box. All these prices include the cost of delivery. We trust people to let us know and won’t be asking anyone for evidence of income! We use any income raised to provide veggies to those in urgent need. Please email timebankplus@gmail.com if you’d like to order a veggie box and please provide a phone number for us to contact you. We will need at least 2 days’ notice. Payment needs to be in advance by bank transfer or direct debit. Feelgood Walks These walks are taking place every week on alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They are gentle walks, suitable for all levels of fitness. We practise social distancing and there is currently a maximum of 10 people per walk. The dates this month are: Tues 1st Sept 12.30 – 1.30 Weds 9th Sept 2.30 – 3.30 Tues 15th Sept 12.30 – 1.30 Weds 23rd Sept 2.30 – 3.30 Tues 29th Sept 12.30 – 1.30 There are normally plenty of spaces but if possible please let us know beforehand if you would like to come along. We’d also love to hear from anyone who’d like to volunteer to assist or lead a walk. Borrow It The Borrow It Library of Things is open on Tuesday afternoons from 2 – 6pm and Wednesday mornings from 10am – 12noon. Please ring beforehand on 01225 442813 or email timebankplus@gmail.com to let us know what you’d like to borrow, so we can prepare it for you. We have a wide range of gardening equipment, DIY tools, camping gear, sewing machines, carpet cleaner, kitchen items and more. Click here for further info and our catalogue of things: http://timebankplus.co.uk/wp/?page_id=586 Sustainable Gardening & Food Growing Our gardening team is up and running and we are able to take on a small number of suitable gardening jobs on Tuesday mornings. Gardening is a great way to meet others in a safe, outdoor environment and to learn useful skills. Please get in touch if you’d like to help out. Our allotment at Bath City Farm is also available for volunteers to help with food growing. Guitar Group The Guitar Group are currently meeting outdoors in Twerton every fortnight on a Wednesday lunchtime. This is a small, friendly, peer-led, beginner level group, which meets up to strum simple songs together. We would love to hear from anyone who could help with assisting or leading the group. Online groups With the easing of Lockdown, we have reduced the number of Zoom groups we are running and there are some changes to the meeting times. However, in future, as the weather gets cooler, we are open to the possibility of increasing online groups again depending on demand. Please email us if you would like the joining link to any of the following groups: Mondays (fortnightly) 12.30 – 1.30pm Knit & Natter Group. Get out your wool and knitting needles or crochet hook, make a cup of tea and sit down for a friendly online session with a small group of others. Expert advice is available if needed. The next 2 sessions will be on 7th September & 21st September Thursdays 10.30 – 11.30am Creative Writing Group. This is a very friendly and supportive group of people who are writing and sharing short pieces of prose or poetry. There is a different topic each week and we have an online forum where members of the group can post up their writings. (See below for a poem from one of our members). Fridays 2 – 3pm Time Bank Social Café, Games & Quizzes. This is an opportunity to meet up socially on Zoom for a chat and to play games. The Tuesday group has now been incorporated into this session. WhatsApp Groups The Time Bank WhatApp group helps people to stay connected, share information, exchange ideas or ask for help. Please email us with your mobile number if you would like to join. Keeping in touch In addition to the above activities, we are continuing to keep in touch with our members and offer regular or occasional phone calls to anyone who’d like a friendly, supportive chat. This can be particularly helpful to those people who don’t have a smartphone or internet, such as members of our Lunch Club . We’d also really like to hear your thoughts on what other opportunities, groups or activities you’d like us to run. Volunteering opportunities We are currently looking for assistance with Gardening & Food Growing, helping with the Guitar Group, running Zoom groups and Online Games & Quizzes, assisting with Walks or other outdoor activities and joining local Litter Picks. We are also looking for a Treasurer for our Management Committee. Please get in touch if you can help. Free Training Opportunities These free training courses are now held online via Zoom and can be attended by any member of Time Bank Plus. Upcoming topics are: Dementia Awareness; Mental Health & Wellbeing (3 sessions); Safeguarding; Boundaries; Supporting People with Mental Health Needs. Please follow this link for further details: https://www.wellbeingcollegebanes.co.uk/Volunteers

Unsung heroes in Bath and North East Somerset who have made a positive contribution to their communities will be championed in a series of online awards announcements. Every year the Bath and North East Somerset Community Awards celebrate volunteers, charities, carers, community leaders, staff and businesses. This year the event was due to be held at the Assembly Rooms, however it was cancelled due to the coronavirus and so the award announcements are being made virtually instead. Councillor Dine Romero, council leader, said; “Like all events the Community Award ceremony has been affected by the impact of coronavirus. The annual event is an important celebration of the people who are most dedicated to our community but whose work often goes unrecognised. “Over the past six months the importance of volunteers and community champions has really risen to the forefront. So many people have stepped up and helped out during the lockdown and continue to do so as we adapt to a ‘new normal’. “The council has also had to adapt and in this case it means holding virtual award announcements. We will be sharing news of the winners over the coming weeks so please look out for updates on the council’s social media pages and in out weekly e-connect newsletter.” 117 nominations were received this year and 19 awards will be presented by a surprise visit, virtual meeting or telephone call over the next few weeks. Councillor Dr Eleanor Jackson, Chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council 2019-20, declared that it was a great privilege to participate in these award ceremonies. She said: “Time and again I encounter people who would describe themselves as ‘quite ordinary’ and modestly talk about what has been achieved by their project, rather than what they personally have done. They are ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary things for the benefit of others. Some are outstanding young people, and we ask what they will go on to do next, others have laboured for a lifetime, often with little thanks or reward. So it is a delight to honour them now.” The Community Awards are organised in partnership with B&NES Clinical Commissioning Group, CURO, Sirona Care and Health, B&NES Virgin Care, Student Community Partnership, Bath College and a new partner for this year, 3SG. The awards to be announced are as follows: Volunteer of the Year Award Young Volunteer of the Year Beryl Dixon Community Leader Award Young Volunteer Leader of the Year Award Volunteer Team of the Year Award Young Volunteer Team of the Year Award Peter Duppa Miller Lifetime Achievement Award Foster Carer of the Year Award Young Carer of the Year Award Charity of the Year Award Business in the Community Award Green Business of the Year Award Employee of the Year Award Employee Team of the Year Award Special Award Winner Special Award Winner Special Award Winner Special Award Winner Special Award Winner For details of all the award winners follow this link Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and sign up for our residents’ newsletter e-connect here to find out about our amazing award winners. Two of last year’s winners, Training at the Trough at Bath City Farm and Guide Dogs for the Blind, had short films made about them as part of their award. Watch the videos here: Training at the Trough Guide Dogs for the Blind

Schools and academies in Bath and North East Somerset are set to open their doors next week after making a range of changes to make sure pupils can return to school safely. The schools have received advice and support from Bath & North East Somerset Council to help them achieve safe reopening in line with Government guidance to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. The council reports that all schools, including those maintained by the council and those run by academy trusts, are responding positively to the challenges of reopening and have been looking creatively at how they are ensuring all pupils can return safely. The council has offered advice on completing risk assessments, which will be available to view on each school’s website so that parents are reassured their child’s school has been individually assessed and made safe. Schools are making their own arrangements for managing the school day, but across the district the changes to practices include: Staggered start and end times for the school day Staggered lunch times and break times Making best use of all available entrances and exits where possible to keep year groups apart Defining ‘bubbles’ by year group Enhanced cleaning regimes Risk assessments for each school or academy Councillor Kevin Guy, cabinet member for Children’s Services, said, “Local schools and academies have worked incredibly hard to prepare for the new term and adapt their sites to change how pupils move around them, to ensure that any risk of Covid-19 spreading between pupils is minimised when they return to school. This has not been a simple task. Every school site is unique and brings its own particular challenges. “Parents should be able to see the risk assessments on their school’s website and schools will be communicating with parents directly about specific local arrangements for children attending. We would ask that parents support schools to help minimise the risk of infection spreading, by following their advice and guidance. We anticipate that all schools will be fully open in September, which is a massive achievement on their part.” Parents who may have questions about their child’s particular school should in the first instance contact the school directly. The council has supported schools with their risk assessments by providing information on how to reduce the risk of infection, ensuring schools are aware of how to manage any cases of COVID-19 and putting them in touch with services that support the mental health of staff and pupils. Adequate bus provision for the start of the term has also been addressed by the council by working with First Bus, Faresaver, and the transport authority WECA to ensure there are enough bus spaces available. All the latest NHS information and guidance on coronavirus can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

A well-loved green space with commanding views of Bath is to be managed under licence by the local community. Lyncombe Hill Fields lie just above Beechen Cliff and comprise ten acres of undulating pastureland crossed by footpaths. The land is owned by Bath & North East Somerset Council and until 2018 was grazed by horses. From Tuesday 1 September the site will be managed under licence by the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields, a newly formed not-for-profit Community Interest Company (FLHF CIC) working with the council. The company aims to enhance the land’s biodiversity while managing it for quiet public enjoyment, outdoor exercise and educational activities. Richard Samuel, cabinet member for Resources said: “During lockdown I think most of us gained renewed appreciation of the green open spaces on our doorsteps, but sites such as Lyncombe Hill Fields do need careful management. I’m therefore delighted that local residents have risen to the challenge and agreed to take on responsibility for the site.” Lyncombe Hill Fields contribute to Bath’s distinctive green setting, giving residents access to the countryside - crucial components of the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The land commands fantastic views of the city and Bath’s wooded skyline and public footpaths link with a wider network giving access to Bath’s southern slopes and valleys. Pedestrian access is via Alexandra Park, Alexandra Road and directly off Greenway Lane. Councillor Alison Born, ward member for Widcombe & Lyncombe, said: “Lyncombe Hill Fields are a fantastic community resource and I’m delighted to see that the land is now going to be managed by the community for the benefit of the community. I am excited by the group’s plans, which will encourage biodiversity and improve access for walkers.” Following the transfer to community management, work will get underway to clear debris from the land and cut back overgrowth before the winter sets in. Maurice Tennenhaus, director of the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields said: “There is some hard work ahead of us, but we will hopefully reap the rewards with many years of pleasure for local residents and visitors, and huge benefits for wildlife. We are looking for volunteers to give us hand though, particularly over the autumn months in the run up to winter.” To become involved or to follow progress on the site you can register your interest at lyncombehillfields@gmail.com This is a community supported initiative. The three unpaid directors of the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields live locally, and the newly formed company is sponsored by Greenway Lane Social Committee, Greenway Lane Area Residents’ Forum, Widcombe Association and Bear Flat Residents’ Association, with support from Friends of Alexandra Park.