26 February 2022
Healthwatch Reading, produce regular helpful and interesting information on local health issues.
The latest Newsletter includes: Covid booster information, the new Government plan on GP access and also a request to those who have had hospital care in the past 18 months or are still waiting to be seen, to complete their survey.
We developed this page to provide sources of help and advice at the start of the lockdown, when things were changing frequently. Now, as nearly all restrictions have been lifted, we have removed and edited sections that no longer seem relevant.
Most of the organisations referred to provide useful support not simply related to Covid. For example: our local Reading Voluntary Action has a wide range of useful information for individuals and groups, and nationally we like the information provided by the Eden Communities Project.
We will continue to post new information and help on our Facebook page, for which you don't need a Facebook account to view.
The Council's response and details of how their services are affected can be found at: https://www.reading.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/
Public Health Berkshire, covering Reading and neighbouring Local Authorities, have set up a Dashboard of useful Covid-19 information.
Healthwatch Reading have provided this helpful Local Guide to Health & Care Services during the pandemic.
The ZOE COVID Symptom Study is a not-for-profit initiative launched in March 2020 to support vital COVID-19 research. The app was launched by health science company ZOE with scientific analysis provided by King’s College London. With over 4 million people logging information across the world, the study is the world’s largest ongoing study of COVID-19 and is led by ZOE Co-Founder, Tim Spector who provides a helpful weekly video of their latest research and their view of the current situation, which you can register for.
For those who are able these groups may be of interest
Other ways to help
RVA have put together information about how to keep in touch: http://rva.org.uk/keeping-in-touch-online/
The Facebook community group Champions To End Loneliness - North Reading posts and comments help bring people together.
This is a stressful time for many of us, so we hope these websites will be helpful.
If you would like to make a donation, then you might consider these organisations:
Local
National
International
Here's what various celebrities and others are offering you and your kids for free daily to help with their education while schools are closed: Home Education
The British Psychological Society - https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/schools-really-out
Gruffalo illustrator, Axel Scheffler has produced a book about Covid-19 Coronavirus just for children - available as a FREE download at:
https://nosycrowcoronavirus.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Coronavirus-ABookForChildren.pdf
Donations requested in lieu of payment, to www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/
Reading Chronicle https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/18333718.readings-snow-princess-parties-deliver-free-entertainment-children-facebook-live/
If you know or are a vulnerable person who has no support, then the One Reading Community Hub action line can connect people in need of help with: volunteers, organisations and services that can support them during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Please only contact the hub for urgent welfare needs, when no family member or trusted friend can help. Their telephone no. 0808 189 4325 is open 9am-5pm, five days a week.
Sport in Mind is a Reading based independent multi-award winning mental health charity, whose mission is "To improve the lives of people experiencing mental health problems through sport and physical activity".
https://www.futurelearn.com has a huge range of fascinating and free on-line short courses, from Universities all over the world. Typically, they take 4 or 5 hours a week.
Read about WEA courses on the RVA website. The Workers's Education Association is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult education in England and Scotland. It's first volunteer-led branch was opened in Reading in 1904.
There are many different videos and online classes available for all levels, which we will list here, as hear we about them.
