Winton East Councillors reach out with video during Coronavirus lockdown

6 April 2020

Chris Rigby and Simon Bull Councillors Simon Bull and Chris Rigby have released a video which has reached 14,000 residents across Winton as a replacement for the next door-to-door newsletter which they have had to shelve. You can see the video here, and below there are links to organisations and activities they mention.

In the video they say they want to reach out to you, from their homes, during this difficult time that we're all going through at the moment. As your councillors for Winton East, they are both available and here for you. If you need anything at this time, whichever way you'd normally choose to get into contact, please feel free to do so.

At the moment BCP Council have organised a 'Together We Can' programme which is putting people in need in touch with volunteers who can help.

So if you're a person in need, if you need some support, if you need someone to chat to, if you need someone to do some shopping for you, or to get your medicines from the chemist - register on 'Together We Can'.

On the other hand if you're a volunteer and you want to help, you want to do something for your community, you want to be able to respond to the people who need support - then also register on there. It's in conjunction with the Community Action Network. Simon recommends if you can volunteer, that you do, and also suggests that if you need some support, that you register on there as well. He has registered there himself. He hasn’t yet been asked to do anything, but he’s ready when the call comes!

Chris says he knows this is a difficult time for us all at the moment, and none of us have really seen anything like this. And a lot of us, we're all stuck at home, whether self-isolating or we're unable to go out because we're being protected as vulnerable people as part of the shield programme. So if you do need anything, even if it's just a chat, or someone to give you a hand or signpost you in the right direction to get a little bit more assistance, then please just let him know.

For everyone who is involved in this, it's important at this time to know that we are all still together, even though we might be alone. And it's good practice to just take care of your mental health as well. There are a few links below showing where you can go for a bit of help, get some ideas about what you can do when you're at home alone, where you can reach out to if you need to. And also just some basic advice on little breathing techniques, or exercises, or things that you can do for yourself, to just really make sure that you're staying in the best mental health as well as physical health, while we are all in our homes.

Simon asks that you do look after yourselves, please heed the Government guidelines, please do stay in as much as possible, don't make any unnecessary journeys. Get out there for a bit of exercise if you can, but don't travel anywhere to do your exercise - do your exercise from your front door. Go for a walk, or a jog, or whatever you feel able to do or you want to do for a bit of exercise. Do try to avoid other people - even family members at this time.

Your Winton East Councillors, Simon Bull and Chris Rigby are here, so if you do need anything then please just give them a shout, and they'll see what we can do for you.

Mostly, look after yourselves and stay safe.

Useful links:

WINTON EAST COUNCILLOR CALL
during coronavirus lockdown - 30th March 2020
from Simon Bull - Green Party Councillor for Winton East
and Councillor Chris Rigby - Green Party

"TOGETHER WE CAN" PROGRAMME FOR BOURNEMOUTH, CHRISTCHURCH & POOLE (BCP)
- Local helpline now open 8am-8pm seven days a week if you need help: 0300 123 7052
- Sign up online with BCP Council if you can volunteer:
https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/…/help-and-support-in-your-co…

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNCILLORS IF YOU NEED ANYTHING
simon.bull@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
https://www.facebook.com/SimonBullbournemouth/
https://twitter.com/CllrSimonBull
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chris.rigby@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
https://www.facebook.com/ChrisRigbyGreenParty/
https://twitter.com/_CJR_
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- #WintonEast ward map: https://www.facebook.com/…/a.7922019141502…/2138602452843529
- If you live in a different ward, find your local councillors' details on the BCP Council website at https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

MENTAL HEALTH TIPS FOR THIS TIME
- Mental Health Foundation, "Looking after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak" https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/…/looking-after-your-mental…
- Mind, "Coronavirus and your wellbeing" https://www.mind.org.uk/inf…/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/
- Mental Health UK, "Managing your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak" https://mentalhealth-uk.org/…/covid-19-and-your-mental-hea…/
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- Mind, "Relaxation" https://www.mind.org.uk/…/tips-…/relaxation/relaxation-tips/
- Mental Health Foundation, "Stress and relaxation: quick-fix breathing exercise" https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/…/stress-and-relaxation-qui…

POINTERS FOR STAYING CONNECTED TO OTHERS AT THIS TIME
- BBC News, "Coronavirus: Ways to stay social online while in self-isolation" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51966087
- BBC News, "Coronavirus: How can we stay in virtual touch with older relatives?" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51933618
- Sky News, "Coronavirus lockdown: The streets may be silent but the fun isn't over" https://news.sky.com/…/coronavirus-lockdown-the-streets-may…
- The Guardian, "Dinner parties go digital during coronavirus outbreak: 'We lock in every Saturday night'" https://www.theguardian.com/…/dinner-parties-go-digital-dur…

TIPS FOR EXERCISING WHILE STAYING AT HOME
- NHS, "Gym-free exercises" https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/gym-free-exercises/
- BBC News, "Coronavirus: How to exercise while staying at home" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51933762
- Al-Jazeera, "Your coronavirus emergency kit: Five workouts to do at home" https://www.aljazeera.com/…/coronavirus-emergency-kit-prepa…

TRUSTED WEBSITES FOR LATEST NEWS AND ADVICE UPDATES
- NHS webpages on coronavirus https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
- BCP Council service changes https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/…/Ch…/Changes-to-services.aspx
- #Bournemouth Daily Echo news section https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/
- UK Government weboages on coronavirus https://www.gov.uk/…/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-res…
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control webpages on coronavirus https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/novel-coronavirus-china
- World Health Organisation (WHO) webpages on coronavirus https://www.who.int/emergen…/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019