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Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and Season's Greetings!

We've got a bumper edition for December!

Visit the Advent Calendar on Reading Live.

Choose between 'A Christmas Carol' and 'A Christmas Karen', the 'FairyTale of New York' by the Woodley Concert Band and many more FREE listings

https://www.readingculturelive.co.uk/events/

Christmas Meet and Greets for little ones

Choose between Bella of the Christmas Ball, the Snow Princesses, Santa and his Elf or Santa and his Signing Elves, all via Zoom to ensure a safe and relaxed environment.

Each session will be 5 minutes long and will be for one family group only - so you will have this time entirely for you and your family to enjoy!

Tickets for this event are on a donation basis. All of the money raised from this event will go directly towards the work that local charities do in Reading to support vulnerable families.

Santa and his Elf - 9,10,11,16,17,18 December, 4pm-7pm

Bella of the Christmas Ball - 15 December, 4pm-7pm

The Snow Princesses - 21 December, 4pm-7pm

Santa and his Signing Elves - 21 December, 6pm-8:30pm

(please note that this is an accessible event for families who use BSL please do not book this event if you or your family do not sign)

https://whatsonreading.com/venues/reading-uk/whats-on/magical-christmas-meet-and-greets

The government has placed Reading and all of Berkshire into Tier 3 restrictions from 00:01 on Saturday 19th December.

For more information visit:

https://www.reading.gov.uk/news/council-leader-on-tier-3-restrictions/

https://www.reading.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/tiers-from-2-december-coronavirus-covid-19/

For information on the Covid vaccine visit:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/

Visit the Earley Crescent Centre for details of this course and many more! https://www.earleycrescent.org/courses

Covid and Christmas

The Royal Society of Medicine have put together a short programme with Kate Garraway on how you can keep your family safe and well during the holiday season.

https://www.rsm.ac.uk/resources/covid-the-festive-season-expert-advice-for-staying-safe/

If you have any questions about the Covid vaccine visit the NHS website

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/

Keep warm!

Dress warmly if you're going out.

Indoors, make sure that you keep your heating to the right temperature.

Heat your home to at least 18°C and wear suitable clothing.

If you know anyone who might be at special risk, for example, an older person living on their own, make sure they know how to stay warm and are well stocked with food and medications.

You can contact Winterwatch for advice:

0118 937 3747 winterwatch@reading.gov.uk

If you are worried about your health or that of somebody you know,
ring NHS 111

More information is available on the winter health pages at NHS Choices www.nhs.uk

FREE Christmas Day Activities

WEA will be providing FREE online activities on Christmas Day for everyone.

The short activities will run throughout the day and provide fun and a chance to chat.

If you are feeling lonely, or are just need a moment away from the busy family, there's something for you.

Activities will take place on Zoom, so you can engage in a safe space with friendly faces from the comfort of your own home.

09:00-10:00 - Christmas (virtual) Walk in Dorset/Sussex

10:30-11.30 - Christmas carols – join in with some of your favourite Christmas carols

11.30-12:30 - Christmas Games – participate in a variety of fun games

13:00-14:00 - Christmas cooking through the ages - a discussion

14:30-15:30 - The Queen’s Speech - watch and discuss with a drink and mince pie

16:00-17:00 - Funny poems – share your funny poems or listen to others

17:30-18:30 - Festive Crafts – learn how to make a festive wreath

19:00-20:00 - Christmas quiz – participate in a fun festive quiz

20:30-21:30 - Christmas songs sing-a-long and guess– join in to some of your favourite Christmas tunes

Join us any time on Christmas Day

https://the-wea.zoom.us/j/98837998348?pwd=dFNRWWduWTVPZW1ydldCd2JrWFlvUT09

Meeting ID: 988 3799 8348

Passcode: 248931

Opening Times over Christmas:

All libraries will be closed from December 22^nd and will reopen on the January 4^th, 2021.

Reading Libraries’ ebook and emagazine service will remain available though - including the

Christmas Radio Times for free!

www.reading.gov.uk/elibrary

There is still time to request a particular book or selection online at library.reading.gov.uk

or email info@readinglibraries.org.uk or talk to a real person on 0118 937 5950.

If you’re not sure what to go for, then ask for ‘a selection of…’ or 'a bag of crime’, or anything really!

The library staff quite like the challenge of picking books that will work for you.

Once the books are ready, you will be contacted to arrange a time to collect.

Christmas & New Year 2020/21 Local Services & Support

Find all the information you need on the Reading Services Guide.

This includes pharmacy opening times, council services and support for families over the Christmas period.

https://servicesguide.reading.gov.uk/kb5/reading/directory/site.page?id=F4OV2NB6XtU

Shop Local and Support Reading

Local stores and centres such as the Orcale have introduced a range of measures to keep

everyone safe. These include:

A one-way system and signage to guide your journey.

Clear signs reminding everyone of the need to social distance, and to avoid

shopping in large groups.

Hand sanitiser stations around the centre.

Enhanced cleaning procedures throughout the centre.

Compulsory face coverings throughout the centre, including in all the stores.

Only card or contactless payments are accepted at the Pay on Foot machines in the car park.

Restrictions on how many people can enter the centre and individual stores at any one time.

Please be advised that to support this, queue systems will be introduced near entrances during

busy periods.

Crowd Checker on the Oracle website and PLUS app.

Crowd Checker allows you to see how busy the centre is in real time.

Compass- Stay connected for wellbeing

Compass Recovery College continues to run FREE mental health and wellbeing courses.

It is increasingly important to take care of ourselves and our wellbeing in these challenging times.

Everyone is welcome and everyone is a student. So whether you are looking for some mental

wellbeing yourself, or perhaps you are a carer, family member or professional who would like to

know more about mental health and wellbeing, we can help. From yoga or mindfulness, to

gardening or storytelling, there is something for everyone.

There are new courses for January – April 2021!

Aside from outdoor sessions, most courses continue online on Zoom or Teams.

In person courses will re-start when it is safe to do so. More courses will be added in before the

end of term, so do stay in touch.

Mental Health Courses: To help you understand mental health challenges and teach skills for

self-management.

Lunch & Learn Wellbeing Courses: Designed to improve wellbeing and fit in a lunchbreak too.

Creative Courses: To explore your creative side through a variety of different art forms

Social Sessions: Informal, drop-in sessions to chat about how we are, meet new people or old

friends.

Make sure you enrol so that you can register onto your courses, it’s all free!

0118 9373945 compass.opportunities@reading.gov.uk

https://www.compassrecoverycollege.uk/

Don't Give the Gift of Flu this Year

If you have children aged 2-3 years; you're pregnant, over 65 years old or at risk due to a health condition, talk to your GP or pharmacist about getting the free flu jab.

If you are worried about catching Covid or don’t want to burden staff, please be assured that all GP surgeries and pharmacies are operating very strict social distancing and infection control measures so they are safe places to attend.

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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