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Welcome to the latest issue of my weekly newsletter.
Parliament remains in recess, so for this week’s newsletter I’ll be talking about what that means in reality for MPs. Although we will be using this period for our holidays where possible, it’s not just a 6-week vacation and lots gets done - albeit in a slightly different way to when we’re travelling to London every week. Before that though, a follow-up on Emily Campbell’s Olympic adventure...how did she get on I wonder?
As always, if you have any questions or need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me at alex.norris.mp@parliament.uk.
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 Hopefully I’m not breaking the news to many of you, but on Monday afternoon Bulwell’s Emily Campbell became the first female British weightlifter EVER to win an Olympic medical, taking the Silver medal in the +87kg class.
This was such a tremendous achievement, and testament to both her talent and her hard work and determination throughout the most difficult time. She’s made the whole country incredibly proud, with our city the proudest part, no doubt right down to her parents and sister in Snape Wood.
Great job Emily!
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At the end of July, Parliament adjourned for its Summer recess. Until September, there are no votes or debates in Parliament to attend, meaning that for the next five weeks or so, the green benches in the House of Commons will be empty as MPs have returned to their constituencies.
This gives me lots more time back home in Nottingham North. I have more time to spend catching up with constituents and seeing the important work which is happening in Nottingham North and across the City, discussing the issues with which I will be returning to Parliament.
MPs all take different approaches to recess, but my first priority was to be out on the streets of Nottingham North talking to residents across the constituency, which I outlined last week. I’ve also got plenty more activities to look forward to, among other things, the chance to visit Nottingham’s Wolfpack Project, a men’s games night at St. John’s Church, and visiting the summer holiday camp at Melbourne Park.
As we have all experienced, things have been non-stop since the pandemic first broke out, so on top of everything else, I am also very much looking forward to seeing my friends and family – many of whom I haven’t had the chance to see in person since pre-pandemic.
However, one eye is also already on Parliament’s return in September. As a Shadow Health Minister, I will be sitting on the Bill Committee for the Health and Care Bill, a large piece of complex legislation which will determine the path of our NHS for years to come, so work has already begun to ensure that it is not used to further privatise the NHS whilst ignoring key issues like social care. Throughout the summer I will continue to meet with health experts and charities to ensure that when we return, I can do my bit in ensuring our Health Service is supported to provide the high-quality and accessible care that we all rely on.
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As you will know, on July 19th, further relaxations to the rules took place. Although most legal restrictions have been lifted at step 4, and many people have been vaccinated, it is still possible to catch and spread COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated, and we are still in the third wave of this pandemic in the UK.
COVID-19 will be a feature of our lives for the foreseeable future, so we need to learn to live with it and manage the risk to ourselves and others.
Most legal restrictions to control COVID-19 have been lifted at step 4. This means that:
- You do not need to stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with. There are also no limits on the number of people you can meet.
- However, in order to minimise risk at a time of high prevalence, you should limit the close contact you have with those you do not usually live with, and increase close contact gradually. This includes minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
- You should meet outdoors where possible and let fresh air into homes or other enclosed spaces.
- The Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can. However, the Government expects and recommends a gradual return over the summer.
- The requirement to wear face coverings in law has been lifted. However, the Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport.
- There are no longer limits on the number of people who can attend weddings, civil partnerships, funerals and other life events (including receptions and celebrations). There is no requirement for table service at life events, or restrictions on singing or dancing. You should follow guidance for weddings and funerals to reduce risk and protect yourself and others.
- There are no longer restrictions on group sizes for attending communal worship. COVID-19 has not gone away, so it’s important to remember the actions you can take to keep yourself and others safe. Everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious.
While cases are high and rising, key protections do remain in place:
- testing when you have symptoms and targeted asymptomatic testing in education, high risk workplaces and to help people manage their personal risk.
- isolating when positive or when contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
- border quarantine: for all arriving from red list countries and for those people not fully vaccinated arriving from amber list countries.
- cautious guidance for individuals, businesses and the vulnerable whilst prevalence is high including:
- whilst Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, Government would expect and recommend a gradual return over the summer
- Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport;
- being outside or letting fresh air in
- minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
- encouraging and supporting businesses and large events to use the NHS COVID Pass in high risk settings. The Government will work with organisations where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household to encourage the use of this. If sufficient measures are not taken to limit infection, the Government will consider mandating certification in certain venues at a later date.
The full list of rules can be found here.
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In line with national guidance, you can now receive the Covid-19 vaccination if you are:
- A resident in a care home or long term residential facility
If you or someone you know is a resident in a care home, you will be vaccinated by our vaccination roving team or a GP. Your care home will have information on when this will be.
- Frontline health and social care worker
If you are a frontline health or social care worker, the organisation you work at will have details on how you can book your Covid-19 vaccination appointment.
There are a number of different ways you could be contacted in order to receive a vaccination:
- Local hospital services – you might be contacted either to have the vaccine as an inpatient or at an outpatient appointment.
- Local vaccination services – practices in your area are working together to contact and offer the vaccine to as many people as possible. This may be at a different surgery than you usually go to, or at a venue we have set up specially to deliver vaccines.
- Through your care home – GPs and their teams are also arranging to vaccinate care home residents directly, in their homes.
- A letter from the NHS Covid-19 Vaccination Booking Service to book online or by phone. Booking through this service will give you the option of having the vaccine at a large-scale Vaccination Centre, or potentially a community pharmacy depending on whether these are available locally. You will only receive a letter from the NHS Covid-19 Vaccination Booking Service if they live within a 45 minute drive from one of these sites. Our nearest site is the Wickes site in Mansfield.
It is also important to note that should you receive a national letter, you can wait for your local letter if that is more convenient.
To help the NHS deliver their largest ever vaccination programme, there are a few way you can help.
- Unless you are eligible for your vaccination, please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, we will contact you.
- When you are eligible, please book your appointment as swiftly as possible and attend.
- If you know someone eligible for their vaccination, please help them to book. There is a step-by-step guide on how to help someone else book their appointment online here.
- Please continue to follow the advice on “hands, face, space” and adhere to all other restrictions to help control the virus and save lives.
More information can be found on the CCG website here, but if you have any questions that are not answered by the information there or the links below, you can also email enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk or call 0300 80 80 50.
For more information about the vaccine, please visit www.nhs.uk, read the FAQ or view the patient information on the following topics;
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First of all, here are the two main sources for public health advice, from the Government and the NHS:
These are ever-changing, so rather than typing them out, I recommend checking the links regularly, but one piece of advice that does stay constant is to wash your hands regularly, with soap, for 20 seconds. The virus can live on surfaces for up to 3 days, so this is essential to both reduce your own risk of catching, as well as transmitting it to others through contact with other surfaces/people.
It is important that we all play our part in helping to prevent the spread of this virus. The measures that the UK Government have put in place are there to protect us all – and particularly elderly and vulnerable people whom we may unknowingly pass the virus onto. Strong adherence to the latest public health advice will also help to ensure that our NHS can cope with the likely increased demand over the coming days, weeks, and potentially months.
If you believe you may have contracted Coronavirus, you can check your symptoms via NHS 111’s online symptom checker and request a test to check here.
The Government’s test and trace system is now underway. If you have been informed that you are a contact of a person who has had a positive test result for coronavirus (COVID-19), medical advice is clear: you must immediately self-isolate at home for 10 days from the date of your last contact with them.
Stay at home for 10 days and follow the self-isolation guidance found here. Do not go to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis.
You are at risk of developing COVID-19 for the next 14 days. Since we now know that people can become infectious up to 2 days before symptoms begin, you could spread the disease to others if you do not go into self-isolation. Even if you never develop symptoms, you can still be infected and pass the virus on without knowing it.
Nottingham City Council’s ever updating local advice and information can also be found here.
You can also get a regular free lateral flow test if you are asymptomic to be sure you are keeping your family safe:
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Nottingham City Council are publishing regular updates on their website, including information about changes to council services while social distancing measures are in place. For the latest updates, please click here.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an extensive package of measures to help businesses cope during the Coronavirus pandemic. If your local business needs support during this period of uncertainty, please contact Nottingham City Council, with the information found here.
You can also read an overview of the UK Government’s support here.
The Government also announced a package of support for the self-employed, details can be found here
Please note that the Government has indicated that the package of support available will be reviewed as the outbreak continues.
For employees, the Government have changed the rules regarding Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in light of the Coronavirus outbreak. The latest changes are available here.
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As well as following the Government’s public health advice, found above, here are some steps we can take to help in this tough time.
Local food bank demand has increased in light of the current uncertainty. If you feel able to make a donation to your local food bank to help others, you can find your nearest one here.
It’s amazing to see that lots of local community groups are gearing up to help others during the Coronavirus disruption. If you’re able to lend any of your time, it would be great if you could get in touch with your local group, while always being conscious of the need to adhere to the most recent public health advice. You can find a handy list of groups offering support here.
Nottingham City Council have also started a Robin Hood Fund, where donations will be used to support the vulnerable during this crisis and fund vital projects to help individuals in need every day in Nottingham. 100% of any donation will go to those who need it in our city, so if you’d like to donate what you can, please visit the website here.
All local authorities in the D2N2 area have now established community hubs: single portal go-to places for people who:
- Are self-isolating and need help with essential items
- Are vulnerable in the community and need assistance
- Want to volunteer in their local community
City residents will need to call the City Council Customer Hub on 0115 915 5555 between 9am and 5pm or go to www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/coronavirus.
If you'd like to add your volunteering service to the local community hub, please contact Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service to register your interest. Please see this information on their website here and email them at volunteercentre@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.
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In line with the current public health advice, I have postponed upcoming advice surgeries and face-to-face community engagements. My team and I are still working hard to respond to constituents’ concerns as quickly as possible, although we will be prioritising cases relating to the Coronavirus outbreak.
If you need further advice or support, please get in touch by emailing alex.norris.mp@parliament.uk or by calling 07305 682481.
I hope that you and your family stay safe during this difficult time – please don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you need it. The community response to this situation has been heartening and I have no doubt that this will continue. Together, we can ensure that we support those who need help.
You can also register as needing assistance on the City Council Website here, or if you are considered extremely vulnerable, register here for additional government support.
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I want these emails to be as interesting as possible. That means there’ll be some politics – it’s important that I am held accountable. But I also want to offer information about what’s on locally. So, if you have an event you’d like me to advertise, let me know.
If you would like your events advertised here once the crisis has passed, or further information on those advertised, please email me at alex.norris.mp@parliament.uk.
That’s all for now! Details of how to get in touch or to have a look at the things I’m doing are below…
All the best,
Alex
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Robin Hood Youth Orchestra
To mark one year of being an 'online' orchestra, Robin Hood Youth Orchestra have created a 16-minute film marking the anniversary.
Narrated entirely by members of RHYO, it is absolutely stunning – uplifting, thoughtful and deeply moving.
The film can be watched here. Please do check it out, it's wonderfully impressive.
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Jamie - Forever12, Charity Ball
Jamie - Forever12 are hosting a charity Ball on November 20th, at Colwick Hall.
Great chance for staff night out and to support an amazing event at the same time!
Their charity support children of the East Midlands with severe or terminal illnesses.
They are a completely non profit organisation.
They set up this charity in 2019 after Jamie passed away of Ewing’s sarcoma (cancer) at just 12 years old.
They are always looking for sponsors, volunteers and donations of all kinds to help achieve this.
For more info, please contact Kerrie at:
kerrie_ann_brown@icloud.com or by phone on 07557903795.
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Futures for You
Futures for You offer a number of sessions set up focusing on CV, Interviews, Transferrable Skills, etc which can be booked onto via Eventbrite.
Additionally, they offer one to one telephone appointments offering a wide range of services and referrals to a more intense, one to one support team – Way2Work or Step into Work for those aged between 16 – 29 living within a Nottingham City postcode.
If this is something that interests you, please visit their website at: https://www.futuresforyou.com/.
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What's Up With Everyone?
Aardman has joined forces with leading researchers, led by Professor Paul Crawford of our own university of Nottingham, and mental health charities on a campaign developed to encourage young people to become more aware of the factors that may be having a negative impact on their mental wellbeing. Called ‘What’s Up With Everyone?’, the campaign sees the launch of a series of short films aimed at young people aged 17-24, and has been uniquely co-created with the young audience it sets out to support, ensuring it has an authentic voice and is genuinely representative of the challenges to mental wellbeing faced by the demographic.
The campaign was led by the Professor of Health Humanities, with research teams at The University of Nottingham, Loughborough University, the London School of Economics and Political Science; the Mental Health Foundation and mental wellbeing charity, Happy Space; and with young people’s mental health expert, Dr Dominique Thompson.
You can find more information about the campaign and the films themselves here: https://www.whatsupwitheveryone.com/.
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Going Places and Parents Matter
These initiatives are funded and run by Nottingham Trent University, are specifically for Bulwell and are another step towards getting more Bulwell children into university and high skilled careers.
This is a place to access advice and guidance on progression into high skilled careers, and higher education. You will be able to access:
- Information on courses and careers
- Academic tutoring
- A network of students and successful professionals
The Facebook page can be found here:
Here is the Facebook page for Going Places and Parents Matter:
Https://www.facebook.com/BulwellGoingPlaces
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Nottingham - For The Love Of Scrubs
Local volunteers have been doing a wonderful job sewing scrubs for our hard-working frontline workers, with over 28,000 items made so far, but now they need help to keep making more.
It costs approximately £15 per set of scrubs, so they're now raising £10,000 to be able to continue, with help from Tiger Community Enterprise CIC.
If you would like to help, you can donate here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/nottingham-for-the-love-of-scrubs, with rewards for generous donations.
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Online talks and guided tours:
We are currently commemorating 150 years since rebuilding work was completed on the Houses of Parliament, following the devastating fire of 1834 – and the Speaker of the House would like you to join in the celebrations.
As part of the 150 celebrations, the Speaker's Office will be running a series of online talks, on 6th, 13th, and 20th August, and online guided tours of the Palace of Westminster. Tour guides will take constituents on a virtual tour through the Palace of Westminster, recreating the on-site experience online. The tours will run throughout August and September.
The tickets page can be found here.
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We are an education charity supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve a meaningful level of academic attainment, helping them to progress to further education, employment or training.
How can you get involved?
We are looking to engage as many volunteers as we can now to be our future tutors and ensure we can help these pupils get back to where they should be. At Action Tutoring, we already offer face-to-face tutoring in our partner schools where our volunteers commit to tutoring maths or English for just 1-1.5 hours a week, for a minimum of 8-10 weeks. However, with the social distancing rules in place, we have put face to face tutoring on hold. We will resume this as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, we have another very exciting opportunity coming up. We will be able to deliver our tutoring online from September, to support disadvantaged young people to catch up and make meaningful progress, so you can get involved even if you’re not currently based in Nottingham.
You can apply straight away (for both in person and online tutoring) via our short online application form: our help will be needed more than ever to support these pupils to make up for the time they have lost.
We’re looking for volunteers to join us for the 2020-21 academic year (a weekly commitment for 8-10 weeks). More information can be found here.
We will provide you with online training to ensure that you feel confident tutoring. We are a growing charity and are constantly looking for new volunteers. Please do share the word with your team and colleagues at work. We all need to strive for change to help young lives and volunteering through Action Tutoring is the perfect opportunity to do this.
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Call for Stories: History of anti-Apartheid activisim in Nottinghamshire
The year 2020 marks 30 years since Nelson Mandela was freed from Victor Verster Prison. This was a defining moment for the liberation struggle in South Africa and its international supporters. By 1994 Mandela became the country’s first democratically elected president.
In the decades preceding Mandela's release, the British Anti-Apartheid Movement played a prominent role in the fight against Apartheid. The British AAM was headquartered in London, but it had vital networks of regional groups in the UK who co-ordinated action locally.
Studies of the British AAM have produced a rich literature and extensive archives. Many of the local groups, such as Bristol or Leeds, are well documented. Comparatively little, however, is known about the history of anti-Apartheid activism and solidarity in the Nottingham region.
This study, by the University of Nottingham, hopes to uncover and narrate that Nottingham history using archival research as well as public engagement to capture stories and reflections from Nottinghamshire people.
To find out more, or share your stories, please visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/anti-apartheid All stories welcome, no matter how small. Whether you were a seasoned activist, or took part in just one demo or protest, or changed your spending to boycott South African products, we'd love to hear from you.
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CARE WORKERS TO GET SHOPPING BOOST
MORE than 153,000 Yorkshire care workers providing vital help through the Coronavirus crisis will be able to cut their shopping bill following a proposal from MP John Healey.
Mr Healey had the idea to extend membership of Company Shop – which is usually open NHS, emergency services and FMCG workers – to care staff and took the proposal directly to Company Shop Group’s founder and chairman, John Marren.
The Company Shop team were pleased to work with the MP and shortly afterwards confirmed they would extend their membership from Monday (April 6) to care sector workers. The offer will be open to all care workers, from staff in residential homes to those doing home care visits.
Company Shop has seven superstores – including one at its head office in Tankersley, South Yorkshire – already providing discounts of up to 70 per cent on food and household products.
There are 153,000 care workers in Yorkshire and the Humber, with most - 115,000 – working for independent providers. One in four of those providing direct care is on a zero hours contract and sector average pay for this type of work in the independent sector is £8.33 per hour.
Company Shop Group is the UK’s largest redistributor of surplus food and household products.
It is scaling up operations during the Coronavirus crisis to give more support to key workers on the frontline and provide immediate access to food to those who need it most. It is calling for the support of the food and drink industry as it extends its reach to even more people.
Company Shop Group also supports people most in need, through its social enterprise Community Shop. Community Shop has stores in Goldthorpe and Athersley and has launched an emergency food box delivery programme to provide food for vulnerable communities.
Membership has been extended to care workers working for local authorities and private providers. They can apply for membership on the website: https://www.companyshopgroup.co.uk/
Company Shop is doing all it can to ensure members can shop safely, implementing all measure advised by the Government including social distancing and two-metre markings on the floor, screens at checkouts and a restriction on the number of shoppers in store at one time.
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D2N2 Announce Redeployment Triage Service for employees affected by Coronavirus Redundancies
Scheme matches recently redundant workers with new jobs in sectors experiencing demands for new staff.
D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire is working with partners to create a triage service to help those made jobless as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, back into employment.
Whilst the Government has created the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, designed to help businesses retain their staff during the current outbreak by paying 80% of an employee’s salary, there are redundancies currently being made by businesses across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
This is occurring whilst simultaneously large gaps in the labour market are appearing in sectors vital to the ongoing fight against Coronavirus...
Read more here.
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