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Love Parks? Love the Grounds Maintenance Team
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Instead of the usual annual Love Parks campaign, Keep Britain Tidy have decided to run a summer-long national promotion aimed at reducing the amount of litter and other anti-social behaviour in parks. Barnet’s very own Grounds Maintenance Team share what their challenges are – just in time for peak summer season. Martin Goodwin, Parks and Open Spaces Operations Manager speaks on behalf of his team:
The Government announced that outdoor play parks, outdoor gyms and playgrounds could re-open on 4 July. What preparations did you have to do to get these spaces ready to reopen?
"Obviously, we have never come across a situation like COVID-19 before, so as the pandemic cases increased, we prioritised our workload to three daily tasks – playgrounds, litter and grass-cutting. Our own workforce numbers were initially affected due to COVID-19, as we had members of the team who couldn’t work because they were self-isolating or had underlying health issues. With the play areas, even when we chained them off that didn’t stop people jumping over fences, or even cutting through the chains, to get into them. But we didn’t have any serious incidents. We inspect every piece of equipment on a regular basis, making sure items like the safety surfaces (soft flooring found under play equipment and other parks apparatus) are fully repaired and safe for use."
What have been some of your biggest challenges in parks up until now?
"With the weather being nice (up until now), we’ve had to manage extremely high levels of litter during this period, so we’ve put extra resource on to manage the situation. The supervisors, and the team, worked through weekends alongside the Park Patrols team to make sure everything ran smoothly. As well as the whole Grounds Maintenance team, the supervisors, Ian Hudson, John Vickers and Martin Campbell did an amazing job."
The summer months are the busiest times for your team, but what other areas of maintenance does your team cover?
"People think Grounds Maintenance is just about covering the parks, but there are other maintenance jobs to be done all year round - such as highways sites and some Barnet Homes sites. Once the current hedge-trimming season is over, before you know it we’re preparing for winter – winter is underrated as the works carried out during this time are key in terms of preparing for the following summer/growing season. We also have all the shrub beds, rose beds, winter sports, ornamental bedding, responsive maintenance and emergency works."
How do you feel generally about how the Grounds Maintenance Team have managed during the COVID-19 months?
At first when we were having to deal with decreased staffing levels, I thought we would struggle, but reducing the number of operatives and focusing on our priority tasks we’ve managed to catch up. Our team is in a better place than I thought we would be by now. Let’s see what the weather brings for the remainder of the summer.
See the interview with Martin in full on Yammer here. And see what amazing facilities our parks have to offer with this video from Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Caroline Stock.
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Focus on… the two Sues leading Live Unlimited's charity work
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Essential Supplies Hub preparing for shift in operations
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Project Manager Sue Cocker and Project Support Officer Suzy Barber talk to First Team about how the charity Live Unlimited is helping looked after children and young people leaving the care system access life opportunities that most people might take for granted. Edited highlights are below - see the full interview on Yammer here:
Q. Live Unlimited marked its 2nd anniversary this year - what have been the highlights in this time for the charity?
A. Since Live Unlimited launched in 2018 we began The Imagination Trust, which gives young people the opportunity to access things they, or their foster carers, wouldn’t necessarily be able to afford. Gym membership, music lessons, work tools and equipment; all the things that can enhance your life opportunities – but cost a lot of money they just don’t have. We received a huge spike in requests for items such as home gym equipment, art materials and musical instruments to help young people relieve the boredom and isolation they were feeling during lockdown.
Q. What particular challenges have you had to manage for the charity and its service users during the lockdown period?
A. Lockdown has had such an effect on everybody, but young people in care or care leavers are particularly isolated as they often live alone in bedsits or temporary accommodation. This is why we were really happy about the incredible response we’ve had to our Give a Dongle campaign. It was a good way to tell people more about Live Unlimited. But it’s also a good campaign to highlight the stories of the experience of young people in care or leaving care especially during lockdown. Many of our young care leavers live alone and connect with friends, family and others mainly through their smartphones or other devices. Often, they don’t have broadband or the money to maintain their data, which enhances their isolation. With the Give a Dongle campaign we raised £12,500 and were able to get out 100 pieces of equipment including dongles preloaded with data, smartphones, tablets and SIM
cards.
Q. What’s been the response to the latest fundraising push - the Great Barnet Dough Throwdown campaign?
A. It’s been good, we’ve had seven entries so far, but we can never have enough support when it comes to raising money for Live Unlimited! We’d love more people to enter and bake. We are running this competition with The Bread Factory, who supply loaves to Gail’s bakery. Each week until 2 August we have a different baking challenge. This week, it is soda bread. All you have to do is text DOUGH 70085 to dough-nate the minimum £5 entry fee. You can find all the detail about the Dough Throwdown on Yammer. We are also planning a summer family friendly quiz on 13 August, so look out for that.
Don't forget to read the rest of the interview with the two Sues on Yammer here. You can also sign up to Live Unlimited’s quarterly newsletter by emailing Live.Unlimited@barnet.gov.uk.
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The Essential Supplies Hub based at the RAF Museum in Colindale, which was set up back in March at the height of the council’s response to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, is preparing to change its operations as lockdown eases further this month.
Since being set up, the hub has provided a vital lifeline for thousands of vulnerable residents and their households who have had to ‘shield’ during the pandemic. Over the last three and a half months, the hub has co-ordinated the delivery of 13,900 packages of food, cleaning products and other essentials to some of those living in Barnet who are most at risk of contracting COVID-19.
As a result of the Government’s announcements around regulations and restrictions for the most clinically vulnerable and the public at large, deliveries to individuals will continue only until 31 July. From 1 August, the Government is changing advice for this group of clinically vulnerable people, from needing to shield, to needing to observe strict social distancing.
While still needing to take all necessary precautions, this will mean that they can once again visit shops, including supermarkets, and the council can step down the hub’s role in provision of essentials.
The hub will, however, carry on supplying bulk deliveries to around 14 food banks located across the borough after the end of July. We are working with Barnet Together partners on a plan for the future as we continue our COVID-19 recovery.
Chief Executive John Hooton said: “Since being set up in March, I have been incredibly impressed by the service that the Essential Supplies Hub has provided for people in Barnet.
"It is clear that the hub has been a real lifeline and has helped to reduce the risk of contracting the virus for many of those most vulnerable to it.
“I would personally like to thank Syma Kadri and her team of staff and resident volunteers for everything they have done over recent months.”
To read our ‘Focus on…’ Head of Service at the Essential Supplies Hub, Syma Kadri, click here. And to watch the team getting creative on Tik Tok this week, click here or on the picture above.
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Care home residents show it's never too late to rock and roll
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Corporate update: annual leave; Our Stars; summer activities
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We’ve heard all about the impact of the pandemic on older people living in care homes and the challenges of the care and support staff who look after them. Now it’s time to shine a light on the role of the care home activity co-ordinators. It’s not been the easiest time, but they’ve still been coming up with innovative ideas to keep care home residents happy and active. At Sydmar Lodge Care Home in Edgware, this came in the form of Elvis Presley, Adele and David Bowie albums – revisited.
Julie Davey, Service Manager for the privately run Sydmar Lodge, said: “This was the brainchild of Robert Speker, activities co-ordinator, who won an award last year for his unusual ideas to engage care home residents. Robert took care of most of the details, which included the photography, image editing and even painting on arm sleeve tattoos to recreate Rag ‘n’ Bone Man’s album! I got involved too, doing the hair and make-up of the resident for Madonna’s True Blue album.
“During lockdown, Robert asked some of the residents what they would like to do in terms of activities – a 94-year-old lady used to run a record shop, so she loves music and particularly Rag ‘n’ Bone Man. Robert even took her to his concert – they got to meet him and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man signed an album, which is used in the final image Robert used. Robert then helped a resident who wanted to try swimming after a 20-year hiatus from the water. She’s Vera 93 next to Adele’s 21 album cover.
“After the last picture Robert took, his wife went into labour and had a baby. Robert went on paternity leave, came back, posted it to Facebook last Friday and tweeted it to his friends – then the story went viral! He phoned me on Sunday. BBC, Daily Express, ITV, Channel 5 have all picked up the stories, Robert’s been interviewed all week!
“It’s gone absolutely crazy with attention on the story and the residents are thrilled. Lockdown has been awful and residents, care workers and the team were all so happy to have nice news to share. We’re delighted.
“Activities like these even gives the families a lift and reassurance to know that we are not only caring for your loved one – they are actually having fun. Just because they are older and in a care home, older people have things they still enjoy doing – their silver wishes.”
Although it’s hard to see how recreating iconic album covers can be bettered, the staff at Sydmar Lodge Care Home have more activities planned for their residents over the summer.
Aarandale Care home in Mill Hill is currently working on a ‘Letters of Happiness’ pen pal project keeping care home residents in touch with the community, to combat loneliness. You can view the interview ITV did with Sydmar Care home here.
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As we approach the traditional summer season (although this year it will be anything but traditional), we have a number of corporate updates for you to be aware of:
Annual Leave
Even though you may not be planning to go on holiday, we want to make sure that all staff are still considering their health and wellbeing and booking annual leave. CMT previously relaxed the carry-forward policy on annual leave so that more than five days could be carried forward from your 2019/20 entitlements, and have already agreed that up to ten days will be able to be carried over at the end of the 2020/21 financial year. However, it is important that people try to spread out their leave over the course of the year, both to ensure regular breaks from work, and also to make sure that we have adequate staff at work at all times. You are encouraged to speak to your colleagues and manager about when you intend to take your leave, as there may be times later in the year when it will not be possible for you to take
any. You must take at least 20 days leave during this current financial year, as this is a legal requirement under the Working Time Directive. Book leave in liaison with your line manager through the HR Core portal. And if you are planning to go away, make sure you check the latest advice at fco.gov.uk as guidelines have recently changed and are subject to further change. And read this blog from our Employee Assistance Programme providers on the importance of taking leave to avoid burnout.
Our Stars – nominate colleagues now!
There's three weeks left to nominate a colleague for an Our Stars 2020 award. If you work with someone you know has been achieving some outstanding outcomes in their day job, or know a colleague who has given their all to work through the challenges of COVID-19 - why not nominate them for an Our Stars 2020 award? We've introduced a new category of COVID-19 Heroes, where we want to receive your nominations for teams that have gone above and beyond in the borough’s fight against COVID-19. Colleagues can also be nominated in all existing categories. Find out more and nominate here.
Summer activities
For those of us with children, you will be pleased to hear that our Barnet Youth Team are offering both online and face-to-face summer activities for children and young people, tailored for age groups between 4 to 18, and up to 25 years old for young people with learning disabilities. The team has everything covered, from street dancing, to radio and journalism workshops, to Dragon’s Den style games for aspiring entrepreneurs. The face-to-face timetable will follow next week so keep an eye out for updates on the Barnet Youth page: https://www.barnetyouth.uk. Click here for the booking links to the
wide range of online Zoom sessions. There is a small fee of £3 to £20 per activity and limited availability so make sure you get in touch soon! To find out more contact byes@barnet.gov.uk.
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