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Latest News
Ox All In Bulletin
We hope you enjoyed the beautiful blue skies across our county at the weekend. It certainly lifts the spirits.
In today's bulletin:
- Join our OAI webinars - range of topics
- Volunteers needed in Bicester, Witney and Oxford
- Active Reach - funding received
- Importance of registering for GP services
- Free Mental Health Aware course
- Maps demonstrating Covid in our county
- Keep up to date through our Facebook group
- Link to all previous CSG Bulletins here.
The Oxfordshire All In Team
OAI Webinars
OAI are hosting several important and exciting upcoming meetings and training events; take a look below for more information!
Friday 5th March, 2pm
Our next cross-sector meeting will focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion, and is aimed at community leaders but open to anyone.
Many organisations that were set up as an emergency response to Covid-19 are now looking to sustaining themselves long term and assessing their governance arrangements. Oxfordshire All In will be piloting a community-wide standard of competence and sharing existing best practices to support organisations – big and small – on their equality, diversity, and inclusion journeys.
This session will explain the proposed pilot and how you can be involved!
Join us on Friday 5th March at 2pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89913781029
Friday 19th March, 2pm
Here, we will be sharing the exciting plans for this year's social action festival, Marmalade (https://www.marmalade.io/)!
Usually a face to face event, this year OAI will be working with Arts at the Old Fire Station and Oxford Hub to take the event online and to get our step count up too by facilitating conversations around community work.
We'd love to have as many community groups involved as possible, so join us on Friday 19th to find out more: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89913781029
Thursday 25th March, 1pm
Free online 1-hour training session for staff and volunteers to gain knowledge, skills, and confidence to talk about being more active with their neighbours and community.
We can all play a role in encouraging and empowering others to become active. Whether that's through signposting to resources, talking about the benefits, or simply encouragement. This hour will teach you:
• The benefits of being physically active
• National guidelines
• Common barriers and practical tips
• Key signposting resources
• How to have positive conversations about being more active
If you have any questions about any of these events, please message this page or email community@oxfordshireallin.org.
Volunteers needed in Bicester, Witney and Oxford
As part of the roll out of School Streets across Oxfordshire, Sustrans are recruiting volunteers to support implementation and to enable families to travel to school safely and healthily.Why become a Sustrans volunteer?
As a schools volunteer, you will:
- make a difference in the health and wellbeing of young people
- help reduce congestion and pollution around schools
- be active, meet new people and give something back to your community
- receive free training and support
- gain experience in planning and running events.
Changing Lives - the power of Active Reach
Active Oxfordshire is delighted to have received £155,000 in funding from Sport England's Tackling Inequalities Fund.
This fund means that we can work with partners in areas of greatest need across Oxfordshire, helping people to get more active and protect their health and well-being, at a time when it's never been more critical.
You can find out more about Active Reach and our community led approach here: https://www.activeoxfordshire.org/news-and-events/2021/02/changing-lives-the-power-of-active-reach.
Everyone is welcome in General Practice – blog by Dr Kiren Collison
Oxfordshire GP Dr Kiren Collison, Clinical Chair of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and the interim Deputy Medical Director for Primary Care for NHS England and NHS Improvement, has written a blog about why being registered with a GP is so important and how people can be supported to get registered.
In her blog called, Everyone is welcome in General Practice, she writes:
This is absolutely true. Sadly, we know that many people, including those who are most vulnerable or suffering, can feel excluded from accessing care.
People who experience homelessness and those in other inclusion health populations experience some of the worst health inequalities; the average age of death for women is 42 and men 44 for people who experience homelessness.
While we know the reasons for this are many and largely lie outside the remit of the NHS, we know too that it is these same groups who are the least likely to be registered with a GP.
This is far from ideal in normal times, but right now it could also significantly reduce the likelihood of them having the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
Registering with a GP and getting access to the holistic and person-centered care offered in General Practice is often a life changing experience for many.
Unfortunately, the misconception remains for many that you need photographic ID, such as a bus pass, driving licence or passport, and/or proof of address, as a prerequisite for registration.
This is why, supported by the RCGP and GPC, as well as many inclusion health charities and groups, this week we launched our GP 'Access Cards' registration campaign.
Working with the groups who know these communities the best, we're encouraging people to register, and reiterating this is possible even without ID documentation. These messages are encapsulated on bright yellow 'access cards' and accompanying campaign materials which will be distributed locally – you can view and download these on the FutureNHS platform.
You can read this blog in full here. https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/everyone-is-welcome-in-general-practice/.
Healthwatch Oxfordshire has produced its own Access to Health Card, which you can download or request copies of here. https://healthwatchoxfordshire.co.uk/information-and-advice/posters-and-leaflets/.
Free Mental Health Aware course
Here is a good opportunity to learn about mental health on this free, half day training course on Zoom.
The course, funded by Public Health, Oxfordshire County Council, is open to all frontline staff and volunteers and will be held on Tuesday 6th April.
You can book on to the course here:
https://mhfaengland.org/course-booking-form/?id=3c7a5ffd-2275-eb11-a812-000d3ab205a8#/update
The deadline for forms is 1st April.
Covid in Oxfordshire: maps show areas with no cases
Maps have revealed the areas of Oxfordshire with the least amount of coronavirus cases.
The interactive data, which is part of the Government's Covid data dashboard, shows where the positive cases have been in the county since August.
On the map, lighter colours like white, yellow and green, show low infection rates per 100,000 people while blue and purple colours show the highest rates of infection.
The graphic shows 26 areas (in white) where there are fewer than three cases in the week leading up to February 23 (the latest data available).
The areas are:
- Wolvercote & Cutteslowe
- Osney, Jericho & Port Meadow
- Summertown
- Oxford Central
- Grandpont & New Hinksey
- Beckley & Horspath
- Hanborough & Cassington
- Charlbury & North Leigh
- Chadlington & Wychwoods
- Cropredy, Wroxton & Shennington
- Sibford, Hook Norton & Milcombe
- Kingham, Enstone & Middle Barton
- Moreton & Stow-on-the-Wold
- Leafield, Minster Lovell & Duckington
- Eynsham & Stanton Harcourt
- Witney East
- Carterton North
- Carterton South
- Bampton, Clanfield & Standlake
- Faringdon & Stanford
- Wantage Town
- Henley North
- Shiplake & Binfield Heath
- Watlington & Nettlebed
- Benson & Crowmarsh Gifford
- Bicester North
Here's another image of the map that shows coronavirus cases in the same area a month ago (the week up to January 26):
And when lockdown started (5th January)
Join our Facebook Forum for Community Support Group Organisers
Our Facebook forum continues - sharing info, ideas, resources, successes, and challenges. Please do join if you can.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/203238324315692/
If you're not on Facebook, fear not, we'll be sharing a selection of the most useful content in this bulletin and you can always email us on community@oxfordshireallin.org with feedback and queries.
» LessPosted: Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:54 by Joanne Myers
Councils looking into the possibility of a joint South and Vale Local Plan
Released 2 March 2021
The two district councils in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are looking into the possibility of developing a joint Local Plan for the area to significantly reduce costs and help the councils meet their ambitious targets for making the two districts carbon neutral.
Local Plans are used to help determine planning applications and set out how and where new housing developments should take place, along with identifying the infrastructure needed to support them. They also set out policies on what kind of housing is appropriate and acceptable; what the local requirements for affordable housing are; and can even set requirements on the energy-efficiency levels of new developments. More »
These are all key themes and aspirations that are addressed in both councils' recently adopted new Corporate Plans, which set out their visions for their districts. Both councils have also committed to do everything they can to address the climate emergency. According to reports being seen by the councils' Scrutiny Committees next week, the significant consensus on these issues makes this a rare opportunity to create a joint Local Plan.
Once they have been discussed at Scrutiny, the reports will then be considered by both the South and Vale Cabinets. Any proposals or recommendations on creating a joint Local Plan would then need to be agreed at full Council meetings.
The reports set out the advantages of a joint plan. The Planning issues in the two districts are quite similar, like the need for carbon reduction, issues of affordable housing and the need for infrastructure, and so a joint plan would be able to address these issues in a co-ordinated way. There would also be significant cost-savings by producing one plan for both districts.
However, a joint plan would also provide new challenges that would need to be overcome, including the councils having separate democratic processes. It would also be important to find a way of retaining a local outlook for a plan working across a bigger area.
Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson, Cabinet Member for Planning at South Oxfordshire, said: "We all know how important Local Plans are to our communities, and I'm looking forward to a good democratic debate about the idea of creating a joint one with our colleagues in the Vale."
Cllr Debby Hallett, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning Policy said: "Councils in other areas have successfully adopted joint Local Plans and so while we have the opportunity, it's important we give this idea serious consideration."
Other council areas that have successfully adopted joint Local Plans include one at North Devon and Torridge, and another at Plymouth and South-West Devon.
The reports will be discussed by the two councils' Scrutiny Committees on 8 and 9 March in South and Vale respectively and will then be debated at the Vale's Cabinet on 17 March and South Oxfordshire's on 18 March. Any recommendations from the Cabinets would then be debated and voted on at the full Council meetings on 24 and 25 March at Vale and South respectively.
CommunicationsSouth Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils01235 422400www.southoxon.gov.uk | @southoxonwww.whitehorsedc.gov.uk | @whitehorsedc » LessPosted: Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:31 by Joanne Myers
Ox All In Bulletin
In today's bulletin:
- Go Active Get Healthy – Diabetes resources
- Join our OAI webinars
- Volunteers needed in Bicester, Witney and Oxford
- Together with Music webinar
- Create a short video for Marmalade
- Rapid symptom-free testing for local public-facing workers
- Care home residents - visitors from 8th March
- New Psychological First Aid training
- Local mosques support 'Every Mind Matters'
- Keep up to date through our Facebook group
- Link to all previous CSG Bulletins here.
The Oxfordshire All In Team
Go Active Get Healthy – Diabetes
Did you know people can self-refer to the GO Active Get Healthy – Diabetes service? The GO Active Get Healthy team are here to help them make small changes that could make a big difference to their health. Find out more here or to download the new Get Healthy at home resource pack, follow the link:
https://www.getoxfordshireactive.org/about-go-active-get-healthy
Join our OAI webinars
Oxfordshire All In (OAI) are hosting several important and exciting meetings and training events; take a look below for more information!
Friday 5th March, 2pm - Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Our next cross-sector meeting will focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion, and is aimed at community leaders but open to anyone.
Many organisations that were set up as an emergency response to COVID-19 are now looking to sustaining themselves long-term and assessing their governance arrangements. Oxfordshire All In will be piloting a community-wide standard of competence and sharing existing best practices to support organisations – big and small – on their equality, diversity, and inclusion journeys.
This session will explain the proposed pilot and how you can be involved. Join us on Friday 5th March at 2pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89913781029
Friday 19th March, 2pm - Marmalade plans
Here, we will be sharing the exciting plans for this year's social action festival, Marmalade. https://www.marmalade.io Usually a face to face event, this year OAI will be working with Arts at the Old Fire Station and Oxford Hub to take the event online and to get our step count up too by facilitating conversations around community work.
We'd love to have as many community groups involved as possible, so join us on Friday 19th to find out more:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89913781029
Thursday 25th March, 1pm - training session
Free online 1-hour training session for staff and volunteers to gain knowledge, skills, and confidence to talk about being more active with their neighbours and community.
We can all play a role in encouraging and empowering others to become active. Whether that's through signposting to resources, talking about the benefits, or simply encouragement. This hour will teach you:
- The benefits of being physically active
- National guidelines
- Common barriers and practical tips
- Key signposting resources
- How to have positive conversations about being more active
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/active-oxfordshire-free-online-training-helping-people-become-active-tickets-142098872553
If you have any questions about any of these events, please email community@oxfordshireallin.org
Volunteers needed in Bicester, Witney and Oxford
As part of the roll out of School Streets across Oxfordshire, Sustrans are recruiting volunteers to support implementation and to enable families to travel to school safely and healthily.
The link to volunteer is here:
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/volunteer-vacancies/school-volunteer-oxfordshire-cowley-witney-bicester/
Together with Music webinar
Intergenerational Music Making (IMM) invite you to celebrate the launch of their national, intergenerational campaign, Together with Music. They will be hosting a free webinar on Thursday 4th March at 2pm - 3pm. They will be discussing intergenerational practice, music in health, care and education and will be answering any questions you may have alongside an esteemed panel of guests.
Together with Music is a virtual, intergenerational music programme; a partnership between IMM and Care England, that builds connections between care homes, residents, older people and their local schools and youth groups.
The process is really simple! Organisations and groups can sign up to the free membership site. Once you are a member, your own personal 'Together with Music Connector' will be in touch and will be there to support you - starting with finding and connecting you with a local group.
To find out more go to:
https://www.imm-music.com/together-with-music
Book tickets for the webinar at:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/141698958399
Create a short video for Marmalade
Would anyone like to do a very short video (30 seconds to 2 minutes) on why it is important to empower local groups and communities (like your own)? It's part of the Marmalade project. More details here:
https://www.marmalade.io/
OAI have been tasked with getting the conversation going on why it is important to empower and give agency to local groups, communities and volunteers. Ideally, we'd like 2 or 3 groups to come forward to do a short video clip for us (landscape, on a phone is fine), so if you feel passionately about why your group and your volunteers are important, here's your chance to say why.
It could be about grassroots engagement with the community, e.g. hearing things that other agencies (councils etc) don't hear, the benefits for the volunteers themselves, giving the more 'hidden' members of our communities a voice, making friends across the village, or whatever you think. It doesn't have to be brilliant, witty or original - or long! Just "I'm x and I think it's important to empower local groups/volunteers because..."
Any questions, do get in touch with us.
Rapid symptom-free testing available for public-facing workers in Oxfordshire
From Tuesday this week, workers and volunteers in public-facing roles are able to get a free rapid COVID-19 test as part of Oxfordshire County Council's symptom-free testing programme.
The county council is working in partnership with the city and district councils to provide regular rapid testing for people without COVID-19 symptoms who work and volunteer outside the home.
The free tests are for people who do not have access to workplace testing through their employer. This includes the self-employed and people who work for small businesses, for example taxi drivers, independent retailers, and tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians.
People can book a free test online and go to one of three locations:
- Spiceball Leisure Centre in Banbury (OX16 2BW)
- The Beacon in Wantage (OX12 9BX)
- King's Centre in Oxford (OX2 0ES)
To book:
https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/coronavirus-covid-19/controlling-local-coronavirus-outbreaks/rapid-symptom-free-testing#no-back
More information:
https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/symptomfreetesting/
Care home residents to be allowed one regular visitor from 8th March
Care home residents will be able to be visited indoors by a single, named individual from 8th March as part of the Prime Minister's roadmap to ease lockdown restrictions. A single visitor will be allowed to hold hands indoors with their relative or contact in a care home, and make repeat visits under carefully designed conditions to keep residents, staff and visitors safe.
Every resident will have the opportunity to name one individual, who will be required to have a test beforehand, wear PPE during the visit and avoid close contact.
Read more about this here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/care-home-residents-to-be-allowed-one-visitor-as-part-of-cautious-easing-of-lockdown
New Psychological First Aid: supporting children and young people
Public Health England has launched a new psychological first aid (PFA) online training course to help support children and young people that have been affected by emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is available for all frontline workers such as teachers, health and social workers, charity and community volunteers and anyone who cares for or is regularly in contact with children and young people aged up to 25, including parents and caregivers.
Those completing the training will be equipped to better identify those children that are in distress and provide support to help them feel safe, connected and able to take steps to help themselves during the pandemic or other crisis situations. The course is free, takes up to three hours to complete (that the learner can complete at their own pace) and no previous qualifications are required.
PFA is a globally recognised training programme for emergency situations and PHE has developed this new course with input and advice from a range of experts, government and charitable organisations via an advisory group which includes NHS England, the Department for Education, British Red Cross and in partnership with FutureLearn.
To find out more about the course, or to book a place, see here. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/psychological-first-aid-for-children-and-young-people
Local mosque leaders supports 'Every Mind Matters' mental health campaign
Banbury Mosque have joined forces with Oxfordshire County Council to back the Public Health England's Every Mind Matters campaign. With local places of worship, recreation and community centres remaining closed, many people have lost an important source of one-to-one contact and are experiencing mental health issues as a direct result of the pandemic.
Leaders at Banbury Madni Mosque are doing their bit and encouraging their members to stay connected online, keep to a routine, and support each other during these difficult times.
Abu Hassan Hanif Chairman of Banbury Madni Mosque said:
"This lockdown has been a disaster for many people, but to support them and to keep our community mentally, physically and spirituality well, we have had ongoing activities such as daily talks online as well as continuing with our calls to prayer throughout the day.
"Although mental wellbeing can be somewhat of a taboo subject, our Imams at Banbury Madni Mosque speak to people of all walks of life and have seen an increasing need for support for issues such as disputes between spouses, family members and panic attacks.
"We've found that keeping with a regular routine and remaining in daily contact with others, has been so important spiritually and mentally when so much seems out of your control."
Nisha Sharma, Project Lead for PHE South East's Population Health Team said:
"There are simple things you can do to help stop things escalating and you should try if you feel your mental wellbeing is suffering under the current lockdown.
"If you are noticing a change to your moods, sleep or ability to enjoy the things you usually would, I would urge you to reach out to someone you trust, or an organisation in your community. Many are still very much active and would be very happy to hear from you.
"The Every Mind Matters campaign includes free tools and resources to help you reflect on what might help you. A good place to start is the NHS-approved Mind Plan."
The mind plan is available through the NHS one you website: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters
The Every Mind Matters campaign focuses on mental wellbeing as well as the four most commonly reported concerns linked to mental health – anxiety, low mood, stress and trouble sleeping.
A separate survey carried out jointly by Healthwatch Oxfordshire and Oxford Community Action, working with community volunteers from Oxford's diverse and multi-ethnic communities explored community views on wellbeing. It showed that friends, family, faith and community were most important to supporting wellbeing, but also revealed that there were barriers faced to accessing and using support services.
Of the 152 people who responded to the survey, 60% said they would like help with managing their stress, and yet only 4% said they would seek mental health support. The report highlighted that culturally appropriate, locally delivered and practical support, developed with input of communities themselves was key.
For local support with mental health and further information about other community and faith groups supporting people through the pandemic visit Oxfordshire County Council's website:
https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/social-and-health-care/health-recovery-and-wellbeing/mental-wellbeing
Download the full report Oxford's New and Emerging Communities views on Wellbeing:
https://cdn-hwoxfordshire.pressidium.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20210119-Wellbeing-in-the-community-report.pdf
Download the summary report:
https://cdn-hwoxfordshire.pressidium.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20210119-Oxfords-new-and-emerging-communities-views-on-wellbeing-summary.pdf
Join our Facebook Forum for Community Support Group Organisers
Our Facebook forum continues - sharing info, ideas, resources, successes, and challenges. Please do join if you can.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/203238324315692/
If you're not on Facebook, fear not, we'll be sharing a selection of the most useful content in this bulletin and you can always email us on community@oxfordshireallin.org with feedback and queries.
Need to contact us? Just email our friendly team at community@oxfordshireallin.org and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
» LessPosted: Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:02 by Joanne Myers
