IRU - Monday 10th January 2022

Hello and welcome to the first Stockport Information Round-up of the year! 

Remember if you want to receive the link weekly then you can sign up here and you will get an email every week with the link as soon as it is public. 

If you ever want to promote your work, event or you would like any information circulated please contact Liam at comms@healthwatchstockport.co.uk.

Please feel free to share far and wide!

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The latest Statement from the Director of Public Health

Message from Emma Ferguson (Stockport Council)

First, so firstly Happy New Year to you all.

In Stockport Covid cases have risen dramatically and are at the highest ever detected over the pandemic. We now have the ninth highest rate of cases of any Local Authority in England. This brings our case rate to 975 cases a day or 2,325 per 100,000.

See the latest published data online. (* the latest figures for Stockport validated on 7.1.22)

This week the DPH statement focuses on changes to testing so if you test positive you can now take lateral flow tests daily from the sixth full day of your self-isolation if negative for two days in a row (with tests at least 24 hours apart) and if no high temperature, you can end your self-isolation on the day of your second negative test and from 11 January people with a positive LFT should self-isolate immediately and will no longer need a confirmatory PCR test, apart from a few exceptions.

With no changes to Plan B guidance we are encouraging people to stick to the rules around face coverings, working from home and the NHS Covid Pass, as well as the general hygiene and ventilation messaging.

We are also still encouraging everyone to get their booster jab and test regularly.

You can take a look at the latest statement from Director of Public Health, Jen Connolly, here.

The ‘Stockport Safe and Well this winter’ campaign is continuing so keep sharing these on your own channels and with your employees. There’s also lots of information and top tips on our dedicated webpages

Stockport Libraries - New Year Newsletter

Update from Stockport Libraries

Open Plus is coming to Great Moor and Edgeley Libraries

Great Moor Library is closing for two weeks on Saturday 9th January 2022 at 2pm and will re-open on Monday 24th January 2022 at 10am. Edgeley Library is closing for two weeks on Saturday 22nd January 2022 and will re-open on Monday 7th February 2022 at 10am.

This is to allow for building works to allow installation of Open Plus. Open Plus will allow for longer opening hours for residents who have registered to use the service. For more information, please click the link below:

https://www.stockport.gov.uk/opening-times-libraries/open-plus-libraries

Build A Business in GM Libraries

Setting up your own business? Recently started? Got a brilliant idea? Get the skills and confidence you need to succeed.

For more information go to Build a Business, register your interest by pre-registering or click on the links below to book your place for any of the FREE courses at Stockport Central Library.

Power Up Your Business on 25th January 2022 9:30am - 4:30pm

Covering the practicalities of starting up a business e.g. business planning, managing finances, finding funding etc. These two 3-hour workshops cover the essential ‘nuts and bolts’ of starting up and running a successful enterprise, including: Legal structures, Business planning, E-commerce, Cashflow, Finance and Tax, Marketing, Finding funding and Pitching.

Know Your Market, Get Competitive on 26th January 2022 10:00am - 1:00pm

Giving valuable insights into unlocking the Business & IP Centre Manchester’s £5 million collection of UK and global business databases (including market research and company and financial information) to assess market potential and develop a viable business plan, upskilling you to ‘know your market’.

Intellectual Property – Protecting Your Assets on 2nd February 2022 10:00am - 1:00pm

Find out the basics of Intellectual Property (IP) and how it can be important to a new business. Make sure your product, service, website and brand are protected from would be copycats or do not infringe others’ rights.

You’ll also be able to book an appointment to see the local SME Champion, who will provide one to one support and create a business information plan for you, researching your business and market using the industry-standard database and resources available as well as signposting to other specialised help.

Build a Business in GM Libraries is part funded by the European Union, with a grant of £1.3 million from ERDF funding, and managed by Manchester City Council. The project will run from January 2021-June 2023.

Shiny new phone, PC, laptop or tablet for Christmas?

Did you, or someone you know, get a new device for Christmas? For help doing basic searches, job hunting, emailing etc, take a look at the council Help Doing Things Online site. It is full of resources to help you or someone else develop the skills needed along with events and classes being held. Also visit the #Digital Stockport blog for more on the Digital Stockport programme.

Also, take a look at the FREE online resources you can access provided by Stockport Libraries at our Online Resources page and our eBooks and eAudio book provisions on our catalogue pages. More information is available here.

Poland Syndrome Community Register is LIVE!

Message from Sam Fillingham (PIP-UK)

Your Poland Syndrome Community Register is LIVE!

We are so happy to announce that your Poland Syndrome Community register is ready for you to sign up to and compete the initial surveys!

Registration is secure & done in 4 simple steps

1. Complete the registration form
2. Check your inbox, create & activate your login
3. Sign your electronic consent
4. Complete your surveys

Sign up for National Kidney Federation Newsletter

Sign up to receive The National Kidney Federation (NKF) Newsletter.

Kidney Life is a FREE magazine for kidney patients keeping you in touch with the latest news, information and events and is produced four times a year.  Our most recent and older issues are available to view online by clicking here.  An email will be sent to you when the latest issue is available to view online.   However, if you wish to receive a paper copy of the magazine together with its inserts such as draw tickets and Christmas card brochure, please reply with your name and full postal address and we will update your mailing preferences.

We also distribute a monthly e-newsletter called In Touch.   This will be sent direct to your inbox on the 15th of every month.   Older issues of In Touch can be found by clicking here.

We are a charity run by kidney patients, for kidney patients, which relies totally upon the generosity of those who support us by way of donations, fund raising and subscription support.  If you would like to make a regular donation to the charity please contact us and enquire about becoming a Friend of the NKF.

Dementia United Update

Message from Dementia United

Dementia Carers Groups Bounce Back Fund

Dementia United want to support grass roots dementia carers organisations to get back on their feet after this difficult time.  We aim to help as many people as possible across all ten localities in GM, as well as supporting special interest groups such as BAME, LGBTQ+ and others.

We have a limited fund of £30,000 to offer one-off grants between £750 - £1200 to dementia carers organisations across Greater Manchester.  Successful applicants will receive their award in March 2022 and will need to update DU on their project progress in June 2022 and Sept 2022.  Application deadline: 5pm on Friday 21 January 2022

Please encourage your local groups to apply for this as we want to help as many diverse organisations as we can.  This might be paying for transport for day trips out, making a new venue covid secure or funding arts materials.   We want to fund small projects that will make a big difference!  For any questions or support applying, please email sarah.kirkland@nhs.net

An application pack containing (1) Application Form.doc (2) Guidance.pdf  and (3) Flyer.pdf can be downloaded here

We will also be holding an informal drop in session on Microsoft Teams for questions between 11am – 1pm on Wednesday 29 December and again between 2-4 pm on Friday 7 January and 2-4 pm on Monday 10 January.  If you would like an invitation to one of these sessions, please email sarah.kirkland@nhs.net

Greater Manchester

• Greater Moments - Supporting People Living with Dementia and their Carers through winter: We will be starting the Greater Moments winter pilot (January-March) to explore working with localities in more depth (increasing app content and recruiting more users), to get more data on and from the app. We have got localities in the process of signing up for this, so if there’s any opportunity for your area to join too that would be amazing! We’re looking at an initial investment of £5,000-10,000. The deadline for this opportunity is Monday 10 January. Please contact stacey@socialsense.co.uk for more information.
• Age-Friendly Neighbourhoods: Opening up during Covid-19 & managing risks – Ambition for Ageing. Resources from the webinar held on Tuesday 30 November attached here. This event was for those who run community activities for older people, who wanted to hear more about delivering in a Covid-safe way and how you can support older people to return to in-person activities.
• Greater Manchester ageing hub newsletter. Please find link here.

Events

• The Ardwick & Longsight engAge partnership are working in collaboration with Playlist for Life, a music Dementia charity, to hold a free informational session on how music and memory can help to support and benefit older people, with or without Dementia. We would like to invite you along to this session which will take place from 10.30am to 12pm on Thursday 13th January 2022 at Longsight Library. Please find here an Eventbrite link where you can obtain tickets for the event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/music-mood-memory-how-personalised-playlists-can-benefit-older-people-tickets-227647859877

Please note that this event will be subject to the government Covid-19 guidance and may be postponed. All participants will be notified of any changes. Please contact zainab@mbwo.org.uk if you have any queries.