Wellbeing Newsletter

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Silly Squad Reading Challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge launched in Reading on Thursday 16 July and runs until Saturday 5 September.

Every year, the Summer Reading Challenge encourages children aged 4 to 11 to enjoy the benefits of reading for pleasure over the summer holidays, providing lots of fun and enjoyment as well as helping to prevent the summer reading ‘dip’.

For this year's digital challenge we're inviting kids to join the Silly Squad! It's all about funny books, jokes, happiness and having a laugh!

Go to the Silly Squad website to find out more - and to click on the blue 'join the challenge' link to sign-up.

Kids, you can read any book you like to complete your challenge. You don't need to wait for your local library to open - you can read funny books online.

We have plenty of books (silly and sensible ones, too) ready to download from CloudLibrary and Borrowbox. You should be able to find enough free books to keep you and your children reading right through the summer. Have fun!

Tell us what you think

Your ideas for shaping the future of Reading are really important. Don't just tell your friends and family what you think, share your thoughts with the council and it's partners.There are two surveys for you to have your say:

Reading's recovery from Covid-19
Future priorities for health and wellbeing

Reading's Recovery from Covid 19 - planning for our recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is underway.
We'd like your views on Covid-19: how Council services have been provided during lockdown, where support is needed now and what matters most to you.

The deadline for the Covid-19 survey is 5^th August. To take part, please click on this link

Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021 - work has started on setting out what our local priorities will be for health and wellbeing from 2021.
Your initial thoughts are being collected now, and the responses will shape a wider public consultation in the autumn.

We want to make sure we hear from black and minority ethnic groups, vulnerable residents and those whose voices may not have been heard in discussions like this in the past.
Please tell us what you think, and share this link with others who could contribute at this stage.

Kooth Online Counselling Service for 11 – 18 years (up to 19^th birthday)

For a brief overview of Kooth please click here: Kooth Video

Kooth is a free online counselling and emotional support service for young people, providing safe and secure access to professionally qualified counsellors.

Kooth is accredited by The British Association of Psychotherapy and Counselling (BACP).

Kooth has no referrals, thresholds or waiting lists. Young people can access this service anonymously by signing onto the Kooth site. Kooth provides out of hours’ provision and is open every day, all year, from noon until 10pm weekdays and from 6pm until 10pm on Saturday and Sundays.

Kooth helps to reduce waiting times for young people seeking help and removes the stigma around mental health and accessing services. Kooth integrates with face-to-face local services to ensure a seamless transition for young people.

For more information visit: https://www.kooth.com/

To discuss booking a presentation for young people or to discuss how to integrate Kooth into your service please email Berkshirewest@xenzone.com.

Cervical Screening

GPs are starting to contact patients who were due a routine cervical test and had this postponed due to Covid. The test lasts just a few minutes and regular screening can help stop cervical cancer before it starts.

To make the test more comfortable you can:

Talk to your nurse – they are trained and experienced in how to make your test comfortable.
Wear a loose skirt or dress – you may feel more covered during your appointment.

The tests are carried out by very understanding and professional healthcare staff, and they really can be a matter of life and death.

It’s estimated that cervical screening saves around 5,000 lives each year, but one in four women in the UK have not attended their test in the last year or so.

Cervical screening is offered between the ages of 25 and 64, every three or five years depending on age.

For more information visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/

National Careers Service

The National Careers Service is completely free and accessible to anyone aged 13+ and living in England.
To access the service call 0800 100 900 or visit https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

Support is available to everyone whether in employment, on furlough or unemployed.

If you are unemployed or furloughed, this free service can support you to:

Update your CV
Develop online interview skills
Get new qualifications
Plan your next career step

August Webinars

Wednesday 5^th August, 2pm - 'CVs, application forms and cover letters'

Monday 10^th August, 3:30pm - Executive Job Club 'How to answer difficult interview questions'

Wednesday 19^th August, 11am - Virtual Job Fair in the Construction industry in association with Balfour Beatty

Wednesday 26^th August, 2pm - 'How to shine at interviews'

To book a place e-mail: ncsberkshire@adviza.org.uk or phone Sandra Reynolds 0741 524 0695 for more information

Have you lost a loved one or have to distance from someone who is unwell?

We're moving out of this period of lock down and adjusting to the "new normal", but for those who have been bereaved in recent months, have loved ones in hospital or other care settings and for key workers and NHS staff, this is still a worrying and difficult time.

Cruse have introduced a new online chat service as well as their telephone helpline. To find out more visit: https://www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/crusechat

There are also tips and ideas for those who have lost loved ones and may need a bit of extra support in the weeks and months to come.
https://www.cruse.org.uk/ or call 0808 808 1677

The National Bereavement Partnership have set up a helpline to provide advice and support with empathy and compassion.

The helpline is open 7am - 10pm, 7 days a week. It is a secure system and can be accessed by phone, SMS, email or chatroom.
For more information visit: https://www.nationalbereavementpartnership.org/helpline

Email: helpline@nationalbereavementpartnership.org or call 0800 448 0800

Central Library Re-opened

Please only come to the library if you have booked an appointment.

For your safety, you will not be able to browse shelves, use toilets, access WIFI or use study spaces. We hope to reintroduce services as soon as it is safe to do so.

To find out more, view the new opening times and use the click and collect service, visit www.reading.gov.uk/libraryrestart

You can also call 0118 937 5950 to place an order or book a computer.

Watch a video about what to expect when you visit

Keeping Cool During Covid

If you don't receive the hot weather alerts from the Public Health and Wellbeing Team you can sign up: wellbeing.service@reading.gov.uk

For advice visit: NHS heatwave

Wellbeing Tip: Try to eat cold foods, especially salads, and fruits like watermelon. Make sure you wash fruit, salad and vegetables thoroughly and keep food in the fridge.

For anyone who is already receiving support from Reading Borough Council’s social care teams call: 0118 937 3747

For anyone not in receipt of support from adult social care contact the One Reading Community Hub:

Fill in the online coronavirus support form or call 0808 1894325

For information in British Sign Language https://www.reading.gov.uk/BSL

Please only contact the Hub for urgent welfare needs so that resources can be directed to the people that need it most.

On behalf of us at Reading Borough Council and the Voluntary sector & Community services, please stay safe.

If you have any queries, contact Wellbeing.Service@reading.gov.uk

Links with additional information:

http://rva.org.uk/article/safeguarding-resources-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

http://rva.org.uk/ready-friends/

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care/nhs-111/

Copyright © 2020 Reading Borough Council, All rights reserved.

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