Riccall Parish Council (RPC) has received formal complaints about posts it made on Facebook and the RPC website on 11^th June. These complaints have been considered and, on balance have been justified. RPC is sorry for any offence caused by the wording of these posts. These posts have now been deleted. No offence was intended. However, the wording used was perhaps clumsy in what was a stressful situation.

 This week we find ourselves remaining on step 3 of the Government’s road map out of pandemic restrictions, with step 4 delayed for a month.

We can see the sense in this when we consider cases across North Yorkshire almost doubled in the last week to 45 per 100,000. While none of us wanted this delay, we must respond, as before, with confidence and care for each other.

Be confident in the vaccine. Please, when offered your first or second jab, take it. This is our best defence against Covid-19. Also keep practising the basics – hands, face, space and fresh air – which are vital in keeping us safe.

That said, we can still enjoy ourselves. Sunshine is here and so is the European Football Championship. England made a good start, as did Wales. Scotland less so, but let’s hope they progress.

If you watch the Euros in a bar, be Covid-safe and consider the staff, who are trying to keep us all safe, too. Let’s celebrate and support our businesses and visit the shops and businesses that go the extra mile to be Covid-safe.

The news that those over 21 can now get the jab reminds us of the impact of the pandemic on our young people. At our press conference today, we heard about work to support and to listen to them.

Caroline O’Neill of Community First Yorkshire shared research that revealed 76 per cent of young people feeling lonely during the pandemic. The organisation’s Stand Up To Youth Loneliness campaign, created in consultation with young people across the county, addresses the social isolation affecting young people.

David Watson, of North Yorkshire Sport, highlighted the North Yorkshire Together partnership’s FEAST project to provide holiday activities for children eligible for free school meals. As summer holidays approach, organisations interested in providing activities are invited to apply for funding.

We value young people’s views. The press conference heard from James Koppert, a youth voice and participation officer, about our support for young people through the pandemic and the role of our youth voice executive, which ensures we listen to young people.

This work with and for young people is another example of the community connections that will help us through the rest of this pandemic.

North Yorkshire Coronavirus Data

At 14 June 2021, there have been 30,781 positive tests since 3 March 2020, with 480 new cases reported in the past two weeks. The weekly rolling average of new cases is 34 cases per day, allowing for incomplete data in the most recent days. The seven-day rate for North Yorkshire is 45.1 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England seven-day rate of 74.7. Work continues to ensure effective monitoring of all areas, with support for incidents being provided across a range of settings, which are reviewed daily.

Find further information on North Yorkshire data provided at county, district and local area level.

Four-week delay to lifting of restrictions

The Government has announced the decision to delay the lifting of all legal restrictions on social contact by four weeks, from 21 June to 19 July. England will remain under Step 3 restrictions beyond 21 June, with the exception of weddings and wakes, which will be allowed to go ahead with more than 30 guests if social distancing is maintained.

Vaccination update

The Covid-19 vaccine rollout in England has been extended further to include the following groups:

·         people aged 21 and over

·         people who will turn 21 before 1 July 2021

Find further information on vaccination.

Testing Update

If anyone has symptoms, they must book a PCR test. Testing sites across North Yorkshire, as elsewhere in England, are operated and managed by the Department of Health and Social Care and private contractors employed by them. We try to help the Department by promoting the testing site locations and hosting information on how people with symptoms can book a test via the national government portal.

Find information about where you can get a PCR test on our website.

Everyone is encouraged to test themselves twice a week with home testing kits and report the results to NHS Test and Trace. You can order rapid lateral flow device (LFD) tests online or collect them from participating pharmacies or testing sites.

Find out how to order or collect free LFD tests.

With the lifting of restriction delayed until 19 July, it is vitally important that we continue with the key messages:

·         Get your first and second dose of the jab when it’s your turn.

·         Continue to think about the vulnerability of loved ones.

·         Outdoors is always safer than indoors.

·         Keep getting tested regularly, even without symptoms.

·         Continue to follow social distancing when out with friends and family, including work places, pubs, restaurants etc.

Hands. Face. Space. Fresh Air.

Safeguarding Week 21 to 25 June 2021: LAST CHANCE to sign up for online sessions

A virtual, online conference will take place next week (Monday 21 and Friday 25 June), to mark Safeguarding Week 2021. Everybody has a part to play in keeping themselves, friends and family, employees and our wider community safe.

Partners from Safeguarding Adults Boards, Children’s Safeguarding Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships across North Yorkshire, the City of York and East Riding have come together to develop an extensive programme of learning events, seminars and interactive sessions which all underpin this year’s theme, ‘Safeguarding is everybody’s business’.

As well as learning events for safeguarding professionals, there will be online sessions for which anyone is welcome to register. These cover a range of topics, including using online banking in safety (by North Yorkshire Police) and reducing loneliness and isolation (East Riding Safeguarding Adults Board, East Riding Council).

View the full conference programme and register. Read more here.

Loneliness Awareness Week

We are marking Loneliness Awareness Week, a national campaign hosted by the Marmalade Trust to get people talking about loneliness. For people of all ages, just having someone to talk to during long and lonely months of lockdown and shielding made all the difference.

Working alongside partners with the voluntary sector, the Team North Yorkshire effort coordinated through community support organisations has seen countless prescriptions collected, many cupboards stocked with food, telephone calls made to check in on people, library books supplied and meals delivered. Whatever duties they have performed, volunteers have been highly aware of the importance of their contact with residents even when it has been at a distance.

Find more information about Loneliness Awareness Week and the Marmalade Trust.

Find information about community groups and voluntary organisations in your area to increase your social connections.

We continue to have confidence that our schools remain safe places for children to learn and meet their additional needs. The use of lateral flow tests by pupils and families appears to be picking up asymptomatic cases early on and preventing the spread of the virus through schools, without the need for closing the school.

Organisations still have time to apply for a grant to deliver healthy holiday activities for young people in North Yorkshire this summer. A wide-ranging programme of sports coaching, creative and performing arts sessions and healthy eating are already set to be rolled out across the county for children and young people during the summer holidays.

We have commissioned North Yorkshire Together, a partnership between North Yorkshire Sport, Rural Arts and North Yorkshire Youth, to oversee a diverse programme of holiday activities.

North Yorkshire Together is inviting other organisations to join them in providing the FEAST holiday activities programme and is encouraging voluntary groups, sports coaching organisations, arts organisations, village hall groups and schools to apply for a grant to provide summer holiday activities.

The clubs will be available to all pupils in North Yorkshire, but will be free-of-charge to families eligible for free school meals and will include the provision of a meal during the session.

The funding for the programme has come from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme. The activities must be a mix of engaging activities and also teach children about health and nutrition, as well as provide them with healthy food. North Yorkshire Together can support organisations to access healthy food options, if needed.

Any organisation interested in taking part needs to apply by June 7. Find information on applying and download an application form. If you have questions, email grants@northyorkshiretogether.co.uk

5 July: Start your business today with a free online course from the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub:

Do you want to start your own business, but are not sure where to begin? Have you started trading but need a guiding hand? The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub has teamed up with Rebel Business School to offer free places on their acclaimed workshop to help you turn your dreams into a real business. Run over two weeks, the workshop explores a new topic every day, including how to start with no money, sales and marketing, legal, networking, and keeping motivated, as well as provides live business coaching.

Find out more and how to secure your place here.

York Business Week 2021:

Businesses across the city are invited to provide feedback on what should be included in this year’s programme of events. Feedback will be invaluable in shaping this year’s programme.

Complete the survey here.

 Keep up to date with Covid-19 news for North Yorkshire.

Follow us on social media: @northyorkscc on Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

  This week we are raising awareness about the crucial role of carers across our county’s communities who day in day out carry out critical, often behind-the-scenes work to look after loved ones in their family, friends or neighbours. There are 60,000 carers in North Yorkshire, one in 10 of us, who carry out caring duties as part of their everyday lives. Support for carers is therefore a priority for us at the county council. Many carers have found themselves caring more than ever during the pandemic with emotional and practical support for loved ones, who became increasingly isolated.

At today’s North Yorkshire press conference, we heard the moving and powerful story of Christine who cares for her mum and who continued to do so through the pandemic and through her own breast cancer.

She described how her mum, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, deteriorated due to the isolation of the pandemic but is now improving as she receives visits from the wider family and trips out.

Christine found she needed to look after herself too, and she told us how she did Pilates and went on lots of walks and lost weight in order to maintain both her own health and caring duties.  Christine’s story is a reminder of how demanding life can be for carers and we have plans to extend the help available. We already provide funding for carers centres, sitting services, respite care and short-term breaks, but we are now teaming up with North Yorkshire Sport to help carers improve their own physical health as they tell us this is critical to their own sense of well-being.

We are also asking people to remain vigilant and continue to remember hands, face, space and fresh air as Covid infection rates increase across the county.  Although North Yorkshire’s rate is still well below the English average, numbers are rising as the highly transmissible Delta variant of Covid continues to push up cases. So we must all remain cautious, meet people outside where we can and avoid large crowds. Mindful of the upcoming Euros – let’s all be careful that we watch them in a Covid-safe way. And with a heat wave on the way this weekend let’s remember to use our sun cream, too, and remain safe in the sun!

 North Yorkshire Coronavirus Data

At 6 June 2021, there have been 30,458 positive tests since 3 March 2020, with 274 new cases reported in the past two weeks. The weekly rolling average of new cases is 15 cases per day, allowing for incomplete data in the most recent days. The seven-day rate for North Yorkshire is 25.7 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England seven-day rate of 47.1. Work continues to ensure effective monitoring of all areas, with support for incidents being provided across a range of settings, which are reviewed daily.

Find further information on North Yorkshire data provided at county, district and local area.

Testing Update

Testing sites in North Yorkshire, as elsewhere in England, are operated and managed by the Department of Health and Social Care and private contractors employed by them. We try to help the Department by promoting the mobile testing site locations and hosting information on how people with symptoms can book a test via the national government portal.

Booking a coronavirus (Covid-19) test if you’ve got symptoms

Anyone who is showing coronavirus symptoms is eligible to book a test to find out if they have the virus. You can also book a test if you are self-isolating after being in contact with someone who has tested positive. 

Find further information on our website.

You can also book a test via this link.

People who don't have access to the internet, or who have difficulty with the digital portals, can call 119 to book their test.

Get a coronavirus (covid-19) test if you don't have symptoms

If you do not have symptoms, you are still encouraged to test yourself twice a week, using rapid lateral flow tests for you to conduct at home. There are several ways you can get a test. Find full information.

You should report every result to NHS Test and Trace on the same day as you take your test.

Important vaccination update

The Covid-19 vaccine rollout in England has been extended to under-30s for the first time, with everyone aged 25 or older now invited to book a jab. Find further information and book your jab.

As the roadmap continues to allow us to get back to normal, it is important that we remember the key messages:

·         Get your first and second dose of the jab when it is your turn.

·         Continue to think about the vulnerability of loved ones.

·         Outdoors is always safer than indoors.

·         Keep getting tested regularly, even without symptoms.

·         Continue to follow social distancing when out with friends and family, including work places, pubs, restaurants etc.

·         Hands. Face. Space. Fresh Air.

Let's keep going. Everyone can play their part... together, we can beat this.

Safeguarding Week 21 to 25 June 2021: Sign up for virtual Safeguarding Week sessions

A virtual, online conference will take place between Monday 21 and Friday 25 June, to mark Safeguarding Week 2021. Everybody has a part to play in keeping themselves, friends and family, employees and our wider community safe.

Partners from Safeguarding Adults Boards, Children’s Safeguarding Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships across North Yorkshire, the City of York and East Riding have come together to develop an extensive programme of learning events, seminars and interactive sessions which all underpin this year’s theme, ‘Safeguarding is everybody’s business’.

As well as learning events for safeguarding professionals, there are a number of online sessions during the week, for which anyone is welcome to register. These cover a range of topics, including using online banking in safety (by North Yorkshire Police) and reducing loneliness and isolation (East Riding Safeguarding Adults Board, East Riding Council).

View the full conference programme and register.  

Read more here.

We have now completed an extensive engagement on outdoor learning in North Yorkshire to gather the opinions of hundreds of adults, children, stakeholders and organisations on how it should look in the future.

The pandemic has had a significant financial impact on the County Council’s two residential sites at Bewerley Park in Nidderdale and East Barnby near Whitby, after they were closed in line with Government guidance in March 2020.

The review of the outdoor learning service is looking at bringing back the service after the pandemic in a way that places it on a sustainable footing, makes the best use of the sites and offers a range of facilities and experiences to schools, children and young people.

In recent weeks, we have engaged extensively with individuals and organisations. Questionnaires were sent to members of the public, staff and schools in North Yorkshire, as well as groups and schools situated outside of the county that use the centre. We also met parish councils and other groups, including staff groups, NY Sport, the Head Teachers Network and school governors. A user group involving representations from schools was also set up.

We had a high response to questionnaires and the engagement exercises and thank everyone who took the time to give their feedback.

The council also worked with nine schools in North Yorkshire on an art project to get them to draw up plans and illustrations of what they would like to see from outdoor learning. It resulted in more than 300 drawings, which have been included in the review.

Over the coming weeks, the results of the engagement will be used in helping draw up several different options for the future of the Outdoor Learning Service, which will then go before the executive for a decision in autumn.

Both sites are currently now open and 1,563 students from 71 schools will be using the sites this summer. In addition, 176 groups will be using the facilities for day activities. Both sites will remain open for the next academic year, while the review takes place.

LEP News: Working with partners to bid for a Greener, Fairer and Stronger future

Earlier this year, Government launched the UK Community Renewal Fund (CRF) for pilot projects that support local skills, employment, businesses and places. The response from our partners has been excellent, and has led to a range of innovative projects being submitted – both via ourselves, or direct by our partners – by the 13 May deadline to North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC). These projects build on our vision and strategy for a greener, fairer and stronger economy in York & North Yorkshire.

Chair of York & North Yorkshire LEP Helen Simpson OBE said, “It has been great to work with our partners and communities on the UK Community Renewal Funding bids – between us we have a clear understanding of what is needed at a local level and how we might make best use of the funding, so you have been key in this process.  We really appreciate all the time and effort that you have contributed to this, in challenging timescales, and are hopeful that the region will benefit significantly if we can secure a good share of CRF funding. We expect to hear the outcome of the NYCC final bid to Government later this summer and will let you know the outcome when we hear.”

 Keep up to date with Covid-19 news for North Yorkshire.

 Follow us on social media: @northyorkscc on Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

My name is Andy Fox and I am the Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer attached to the Economic Crime Unit at North Yorkshire Police.

With fraudsters continuing to target victims with ever more sophisticated scams which involve the victims giving access to their online accounts or being persuaded to transfer money, this is an opportunity to learn about the tricks the scammers use and how to spot them.
North Yorkshire Police are hosting an online event in partnership with HSBC Bank which will be your opportunity to learn about the types of online banking fraud currently operating, how to spot them and how to stay safe.

HSBC Bank will be giving a presentation and then there will be a panel of experts to answer all of your fraud queries. This is not restricted to online banking but may be about any fraud concerns you may have
 
My primary role in the unit is to visit victims of fraud and offer safeguarding advice in order to reduce the likelihood of that person becoming a repeat victim. I often see first-hand the misery that being such a victim of fraud can bring.

I have on previous occasions organised information evenings, either here at Police HQ here in Northallerton or at Aviva offices in York, however due to current restrictions this is not possible. The evenings would have taken the format of a short presentation followed by an opportunity for attendees to discuss in small groups their experiences and fears. These groups were normally facilitated by an officer who is experienced in dealing with fraud. These events were well attended indicating how concerned residents of North Yorkshire are about fraud.

I am keen for these events to continue and I have organised this online event.  This will be conducted over Microsoft Teams. Do not worry if you do not have Teams installed on your computer. All attendees will be sent a link and you will join the meeting through your web browser. Full details will be circulated to all those attending prior to the event.

This is the fourth of these types of events I have organised. They are very well attended and attract positive feedback.

This online event will take place on Tuesday 22nd  June 7pm – 9pm.
 
If you wish to attend please click on the link below.
 
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ask-the-experts-using-online-banking-safely-tickets-150866783611

I hope you are able to make it
Andy Fox

Citizens Online has been working in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council, and all seven district councils in the county, to support as many people as possible with digital skills and access to technology. We have conducted research to find out where people in need are in North Yorkshire — England’s largest county — and started connecting a local network of organisations working on digital inclusion. By recruiting and training Digital Champions who can offer one to one support, we are helping residents build the confidence and motivation needed to use technology and the Internet.

Building a community of support

We know that working with local organisations makes the difference in digital inclusion work. So far, we have connected with over 50 organisations, charities and community groups to facilitate sharing of expertise and resources. This also ensures learning from innovative approaches is shared, such as the project trialled by Beyond Housing in Scarborough, where access to free smart speaker devices is helping vulnerable residents connect with others.

Providing vital access to technology

We know that lack of access to devices and data is a barrier for people. There are several organisations, including Reboot North Yorkshire, that are encouraging residents to donate old technology so it can be refurbished and distributed to those in need. Anyone who would like to donate can find out more by visiting the Reboot North Yorkshire website.

I am also working with North Yorkshire County Council on the Reboot project https://rebootny.co.uk/ which your residents may benefit from.

Support with digital skills

Access to devices and data is only part of the solution. It’s essential that people are supported to build confidence, motivation and skills as well to get the most of technology to improve their lives. We’re training Digital Champions in North Yorkshire to provide this support.

So far, over 110 Digital Champions have been recruited that are working within organisations. We call these ‘embedded’ Digital Champions. We also have 10 volunteer Digital Champions who have been providing support remotely, via our free digital support helpline. The patient and friendly DCs have helped people to set up email addresses, access digital services and local history archives, and use Zoom to video call loved ones.

Recently we launched a new free helpline 0808 196 5883 and I wondered if you had anyone in your parish who would benefit from some 1:1 help remotely with digital skills?  If they phone the helpline and leave a brief message with details of the help they need, we will assign a friendly volunteer to call them back and assist them. There is no charge for this service. We all recognise how isolating the pandemic has been for many within our society. Accessing our basic needs from ordering groceries, making doctors’ appointments and claiming benefits has all moved online. Being online can also mean chatting with your loved ones and being lifted by the smile of familiar faces. Once online you can also explore your hobbies and open up a whole new world in a safe environment