SOUTHSOMERSETYourSomerset Autumn 2017

GETTING YOU HOME FIRSTReduce your childcare billsee page 5

recycling sites + permit successCentre pages for latest Somerset Waste Partnership news and adviceCARD-ONLY

Anew Home First initiative is seeing Somerset’shealth and social care services working evencloser together to help people get home from

hospital earlier.

And nationally people are noticing the steps we aretaking. Earlier this month, Secretary of State for Health,Jeremy Hunt, wrote to Somerset County Councilthanking us for the progress we are making in gettingpeople back home faster.

Getting back to our lives and routines and regainingindependence after a stay in hospital is an essentialpart of getting better, mentally as well as physically. The Home First approach is all about making thishappen sooner.

It’s well-known that people get better more quicklywhen they are at home in familiar surroundings, ratherthan in hospital. Older people lose around five per centof their muscle mass every day they are in a hospitalbed and it can be a real knock to people’s confidence.

Yet every day some patients, who no longer needhospital treatment, have to stay in hospital whileimportant assessments are done and arrangements are made for any support they might need when theyleave. This takes time and means more hours or days in hospital than needed.

Under the Home First approach, we will be increasinglylooking for assessments to take place after dischargefrom hospital. This could be in either the person’s ownhome or in a dedicated unit in a care home orcommunity hospital, where the emphasis will be onhelping people get back on their feet as soon aspossible.

This will only happen when someone is well enough toleave hospital. continued on page 2...

Praise from government asSomerset gets better at getting you better.

People get better more quickly when they are at home

Happy Birthday Travel Somerset see page 2

Looking for a rewardingcareer see page 6

Give a child a happychildhood see page 13

Do more online see page 16

[02] News

To get in contact with Your Somerset or to advertisein this publication, contact Lauren Fellingham on(01823) 359176, email yoursomerset@somerset.gov.uk or write to usat Your Somerset, Somerset County Council,FREEPOST NAT 9109, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY.

We gratefully acknowledge the support oforganisations that advertise in Your Somerset, butSomerset County Council can accept no responsibilityfor the products or services advertised. We advisereaders to make their own enquires beforepurchasing products or services.

Pssst... Your Somerset costs 7p per copy toproduce.

EDITOR’S INFO

If you can’t find what you need on our website:

● Phone0300 123 2224 Phone lines are open from 8am to6pm, Monday to Friday.

Write to us atSomerset County Council, CountyHall, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4DY

Email us atgeneralenquiries@somerset.gov.uk

Please phone the numbersbelow for the following services:

Fostering and Adoption enquiries0800 587 9900

Somerset Heritage Centre(01823) 278805

Somerset Road Safety (01823) 423430

Somerset Skills and Learning0330 332 7997

Somerset Waste Parnership(01823) 625700

● Other useful numbersCitizens Advice Consumer Service Helpline 03454 04 05 06

Street Lighting Faults0845 601 0939 (office hours) and 0845 795 9639 (for out of hours emergencies)

Student Finance Direct(Higher Education Students only)0845 607 7577

Wellington Community Office(01823) 667279

District Councils

●

●

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Mendip District Council 0300 303 8588 Sedgemoor District Council0300 303 7800South Somerset District Council(01935) 462462 Taunton Deane Borough Council(01823) 356356 West Somerset District Council (01643) 703704

Contact us

...continuedfrom coverThey will still get thesupport they need, andreceive it in morecomfortable and familiarsurroundings. As soon assomeone arrives on ahospital ward, doctors,nurses and social care staffwill start thinking about howthey can return home, anddiscussing this withpatients, their families andcarers.

And it’s not just Somerset.This way of working is beinggradually introduced acrossthe country and is part ofthe ongoing work betweenthe NHS and social care toreduce the number delayeddischarges from hospital.

Home First is building on asuccessful initiative inSouth Somerset. For moreinformation about that andother ways in which thehealth and social caresystem is working differentlytogether, see page 8.

In the last edition of Your Somerset,following the local elections we introducedyou to all our County Councillor andincluded their contact details. An error wasmade in the spelling of Cllr Hazel Prior-Sankey’s email address. If you would likecontact Cllr Prior-Sankey, please emailhrprior-sankey@somerset.gov.uk. We’rereally sorry Hazel - please forgive us!

As it celebrates its firstbirthday, we’re pleasedto say that our traffic

and travel service, TravelSomerset, has proven a hitwith both the public andprofessionals.

The mobile-friendlywww.travelsomerset.co.ukwebsite, which waslaunched last year, providesreliable travel updates andinformation about morethan 16,000 roadworks ayear. When teamed up withour @TravelSomersetTwitter account, which livetweets alerts to its 2,750followers, it’s the best wayto keep up-to-date withwhat’s happening onSomerset’s roads.

Travel Somerset has alsobeen rated as part of a

Better Connected survey,which reviews andcompares council websites.The verdict – a maximumfour stars out of four. This isa vast improvement fromwhen roadworksinformation was last testedin 2014 when Somersetfailed to score.

Take a look now atwww.travelsomerset.co.uk.And, don’t forget, the teamis also on Twitter. If you spota problem which has notbeen reported, you cantweet them directly via the@TravelSomerset account,so they can check it outand help share with others.

Find out more about howTravel Somerset works atwww.travelsomerset.co.uk/about.

INFORM

ATION

In the first year more than 100,000people have accessed our dedicatedtravel website and viewed more than450,000 pages.

As our health care services inSomerset start to

gear up for the winterseason, I’m encouragedto see the huge amountof joined-up work that isgoing on to provide moresustainable services fitfor the future, despitevery challengingfinancial circumstances(see page 8).

This follows massivereductions in fundingfrom centralGovernment and risingdemand for our keyservices. The maincentral Governmentgrant to the CountyCouncil for this financialyear is down by around£16m, and due to fallby a further £10m nextyear. So with over athird of our entirebudget being spent onAdult Social Care, it isso important that we getthis right.

However, just becausewe need to makesavings, it doesn’t meanthat the people we lookafter can’t get the helpthey need – we justhave to adapt andchange the way we dothings. A good exampleof this is the great work

we do with children andyoung people withspecial educationalneeds and disabilities. If you read the ‘Day inthe life’ feature onpages 14 and 15, you’llsee how much of a bigdifference a small teamcan make by offeringthe right level of supportto children and theirfamilies, so that theycan grow into moreindependent adults.

We are also looking atnew ways of doingthings across all ourservices, from theintroduction of drop-insessions for people whowant to remain living athome for as long aspossible, but need andbit of help and advice(see pages 6 and 7), to promoting our onlineservices, so that peoplecan either access themmore easily or reportissues to us at a moreconvenient time (seepage 16).

Importantly though in all of this, we need youto help us to help you. We all have aresponsibility to makesure we look after ourown health andwellbeing, so pleasetake advantage of thethings that are on offerlike our NHSHeathchecks and flujabs (see page 17) –they’re free becauseyou need them.

David FothergillLeader of SomersetCounty Council

Happy birthday

News [03]

From resurfacing, new roads, safetyimprovements and congestion busting schemes,our multi-million pound investments are now

well underway. Getting stuck in traffic is frustratingfor all of us. Work on our roads is, however, a resultof the big investment in infrastructure and utilitiesthat comes with it.

We all want the same thing: safe, well-maintainedroads with free-flowing traffic, jobs, prosperity andimproved utilities. But all this cannot be achievedwithout some disruption. So, thank you for yourpatience and understanding. Here’s the round-up...

New junction helps ease congestionA new junction in Yeovil town centre should helpease congestion and improve journey times. Wecreated a second exit from Tesco onto ClarenceStreet to stop cars having to loop around the Horsey roundabout to travel north or east.

There was an early finish in YeovilTeams worked around the clock to complete amajor drainage scheme on a key route into Yeovilfour days ahead of schedule. The A30 SherborneRoad needed to be closed while work took place, so was carried out in the school holidays when theroads were a bit quieter. By planning the workmany months in advance, and speaking to localresidents and businesses, we were able to keep the disruption to a minimum.

NIDR now openTaunton’s new Northern Inner Distributor Road(NIDR) is now open – helping ease congestion in the town and unlocking land for development.

It always takes time for people to get used to newroads and for traffic flows to settle down. However,at the time of going to print data from trafficcounters shows that around 7,000 cars (Chip Laneside) and 8,100 cars (Firepool side) are alreadyusing the road each day.

That’s potentially 8,000 cars which wouldotherwise be using Priorswood Road or travellingthrough the town centre.

Investing in better roadsOur summer surface dressing programme iscoming to an end after improving more than 200miles of Somerset’s roads. Surface dressing is anationally-recognised maintenance technique forsealing a road, improving skid resistance andpreventing water getting under the surface – and is crucial to help stop potholes forming.Around 150 sites were treated this summer.

Find out more about how the process works at www.travelsomerset.co.uk/surface-dressing

Somerset’s Enterprise Centre network is nowworking at full capacity supporting morethan 60 small businesses, and employing

well over 100 people.

The network of five centres has beenestablished by the County Council to help smalland medium sized businesses start up andgrow, particularly in rural areas where access tosuitable and affordable space is hard to find.Businesses that employ five people or less arecritical to Somerset’s long-term future to helpcreate a thriving economy, jobs and prosperity.

The range of businesses supported is huge, from fleet management to virtual gamingdevelopment, organic paint distributor tobearings suppliers.

Recent developments at the centres include an extra floor at the centre in Minehead andexpansion of the Highbridge centre, which hasallowed three more businesses to join its ranks.Construction is also underway to expand theHighbridge centre, and with prospective tenantsalready waiting in the wings, we are aiming for

the network to be supporting 70 businesses bythe end of the year.

As well as Minehead and Highbridge, there areenterprise centres in Dulverton, Frome andWheddon Cross. Plans for new centres in Wellsand Wiveliscombe are currently being finalised.

Energy Centre expansionWork will also soon be starting on the £6.5msecond phase of the Somerset EnergyInnovation Centre, at Woodlands Business Park,Bridgwater. Phase one of the Centre, which iscurrently home to around 20 businesses,supports industries in the growing nuclear andlow carbon energy supply chain, providingflexible office and informal meeting space.

Phase two will add another 2,000 square metres of space, with funding coming from the government’s Growth Deal, secured through the Heart of the South West LocalEnterprise Partnership. Somerset CountyCouncil is also contributing budget from itscapital funds and further funding will come fromthe European Regional Development Fund for adedicated small area of workspace to supportnon-nuclear industries.

Construction of phase two is expected to be completed by spring next year, with theadditional space available in the summer.

For more information, visit www.somerset-enterprise-centres.co.uk

Getting stuck in traffic isfrustrating for all of us

Roads round-up

Enterprise Centres break the 60-business barrier

Teams worked around the clock

Improving more than 200miles of Somerset’s roads

Somerset Energy Innovation Centre

[04] Schools

We’re looking forvolunteer SchoolGovernors and

Trustees* willing todonate a bit of theirtime to help improvethe lives of children in local schools andacademies.There are currently around2,900 governors andtrustees in Somerset whoare crucial in making sureschools and academies runsmoothly and provide thebest possible futures for our children.

This vital role involvesattending at least sixmeetings each year, usuallyheld in the evening, whereyou and the other membersof the governance board willoffer advice and scrutiny onthe decisions and policies ofthe school.

No experience orqualifications are necessaryas your personalexperiences, whatever theyare, will allow you to addvalue to this position.However, a background inHR, legal services or financewould be a bonus.

Becoming a governor ortrustee is a great way to:• gain experience that might not be offered in your working role• see young people and staff progress and develop• spend your free time doing something rewarding and worthwhile

If you feel you have theexperience or the skills,phone SSE GovernanceServices on (01823)355757 or emailSGS@somerset.gov.uk

NOTICE

2017/18Term 1: 4 September - 20 October 2017Term 2: 30 October - 21 December 2017Term 3: 8 January - 9 February 2018Term 4: 19 February - 23 March 2018Term 5: 9 April - 25 May 2018Term 6: 4 June - 24 July 2018

2018/2019Term 1: 3 September - 26 October 2018Term 2: 5 November - 21 December 2018Term 3: 7 January - 15 February 2019Term 4: 25 February - 5 April 2019Term 5: 23 April - 24 May 2019Term 6: 3 June - 23 July 2019

Is your child starting or moving schools next year?If your child is due to start school for the first time (ifthey turned four between 1 September 2013 and 31August 2014) or is set to transfer to junior, middle,secondary or upper school next September, then youmust make sure you get your applications in on time.

Deadline for secondary admissions 31 October 2017Deadline for primary admissions 15 January 2018

To download the primary or secondary school bookletfor parents, to make an online application or for moreinformation, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/admissions andselect either ‘Apply to Start School’ or ‘Apply toTransfer School’. Or, if you need a paper applicationform or further advice, phone 0300 123 2224.

School Term Dates

School children need your help!

Interested in volunteering or becoming a trustee?From helping us to keep an eye on our Rights of Way and working with children, tobeing a school governor or helping the elderly, Somerset County Council has over 25different volunteering and trustee opportunities available. For more information, visitwww.somerset.gov.uk/volunteering And, as it’s national Trustees Week between 13and 17 November, there’s no better time to get involved!

*Become a School governor (in a Local Authority Maintained School) or a Trustee (in an Academy)

Please note: These are the term dates and holidays for communityand voluntary controlled schools. Academies, free schools,foundation schools and voluntary-aided schools have the freedomto set their own term dates.

For all the latest school term dates and holidays, visitwww.somerset.gov.uk/schooltermdates

CAOTfest [05]

Working parents can now benefitfrom double the amount of fundedchildcare for their three and four-year-olds, potentially saving anadditional £5,000 per year!To qualify both parents:• must be working; this includes people who are self-employed• need to earn on average, at least the equivalent of 16 hours on the National Minimum or Living Wage per week, which is at least £120 per week each• must earn less than £100,000 a year

You can apply for this offer atwww.childcarechoices.gov.uk Or, if yourchild is turning three soon, find outmore about when you need to apply byvisiting www.somerset.gov.uk/eye30

The fun filled four-day camping trip, arranged by the Council’s Children’s AutismOutreach Team (CAOT), is a chance for children with autism and their families tohave a fun and safe holiday together.

For more information about the work of the CAOT Team, visitthe Somerset Choices website at www.somersetchoices.org.uk

The annual CAOTfest camping trip for children with autism andtheir families got off to a web-tastic start as Spider-Man droppedin to the amazement of the 35 children taking part.

During the week, the children enjoyedlots of activities, including willowmaking, pottery, arts and crafts, forestschool activities and a talent contest. Allthe activities are designed to suit thechildren’s needs and offer them astimulating and fun holiday.

The CAOT team works with parents andcarers and their children with adiagnosis of autism. The team helpsfamilies understand autism, offersadvice as to how to manage behaviourand organises social activities.

Reduce yourchildcare bill

Spidey swings in to open camping trip

Irina Swift, parent on the trip, said:“It’s like one big family. We all help oneanother and know each other. The linksand the friendships we make here willlast throughout the year.”

Kev Cook, a parent on the trip forthe first time, said: “It is really goodbecause the children get to meet othersimilar kids. It’s nice as parents to beable to sit back and watch them run offand be entertained.”

£5,000

SAVE

per annum

Don’t miss out on your 30 hours of funded childcare. Apply today!

[06] Proud to Care

Every day, thousandsof people in Somersetreceive care in oneform or another.

The Proud to Care SouthWest initiative is workinghard to highlight therewarding careeropportunities available inthe health and care sector.

Whether you’ve just leftcollege or are looking for achange later in life, maybea career in care is for you?As a care worker you couldprovide a truly essentialservice - the small things

you do make a bigdifference to the lives ofothers. You can choose towork with people withdisabilities, older people,people who use mentalhealth services or thosewith a learning disability.

In Somerset, we’re proud to be able to say that 89per cent of providersacross the county are rated‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ bythe Care QualityCommission* - higher than the regional and nationalaverages.

With more than 400 careproviders in the county,

from large companies withhundreds of staff, to small,family-run businesses,there are alwaysopportunities for peoplewith the right values anddesire to help others.

To find out more aboutworking in the care sectorand some of the currentjob opportunities that arenow available, visitwww.proudtocaresw.org.uk

* July 2017 CQC ratings information

Proud to Care

Around 190fantastic peopleacross the countycurrently act asvolunteer drivers.More volunteers areneeded, especiallyin the Mendip area.

Volunteer drivers andcouple, Mick and Jenny,have been driving peopleto their importantappointments for over two years.

The volunteer driversscheme, run by SomersetCounty Council, providestransport for eligible non-emergency NHS patientsand social care users,ranging from the elderly to young children.

This includes trips tohospital for medicalappointments, transport to activity day centres, ortrips for children in care to meet their family.

Anyone can be a volunteer– the only criteria is thatdrivers must be over 18,have use of their own four-door vehicle, hold a fullUK driving licence and beable to commit at least oneday a week to volunteer.

To find out more, phone(01278) 664180 or visitwww.somerset.gov.uk/volunteering

Looking for arewardingcareer? Get intocare!

rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding

Mileage expenses willbe reimbursed at up to50p per mile.

Kevin took his firstjob as a studentcare assistant 20years ago. He started out organisingfun activities in a daycentre, and today he’s themanager of a respitecentre for people withphysical disabilities orsensory loss - a centrewhich was recently ratedas ‘Outstanding’ by theCare Quality Commission(CQC).

“I find it incrediblyrewarding delivering careto clients and theirfamilies, so that they canbreathe a little easier.

“Being part of a team thatmakes a difference topeople is incrediblyrewarding – and it givesyou back as much as youput into it.

After managing the centrefor five years, the recentCQC seal of approval hasbeen the highlight of hiscareer… so far. “Only oneper cent of registeredproviders have achievedthis so I’m incrediblyproud that we’re nowincluded in that statistic.”

“My real hope is that wecan continue makingimprovements, so that wecan be recognised as aworld-class physicaldisabilities unit. It’s myfirm belief that the verybest care workers have a‘special something’. It’sdifficult to describe, butyou could call it anemotional intelligence -those who have it willunderstand exactly what I mean.”

REAL STORIES

VolunteerdriversMick andJenny

89%

It gives youback as muchas you put in.

“It helps people to keepcosts down on transportif they can use trustedvolunteers. Plus, itkeeps us off the streetand gives us somethingto talk about. We’reboth retired so it givesus something to do.”

“We feel like weare really making adifference. It’s expensivein the area we live forpeople to get to and fro,particularly if they don’thave their owntransport.”

Jenny said:

Micksaid:

Community [07]

Would you like to knowmore about what care andsupport is available in yourlocal area? Or, would youlike to meet new peopleand get involved in localactivities to keep youhealthy and well?

Then come along to aCommunity Connect drop-in for a friendly informalchat and get all the adviceand information you need.

Now running in severallocations across thecounty, the Community

Connect teams are madeup of Community Agentsand Village Agents(employed by theCommunity Council forSomerset), healthprofessionals, Adult SocialCare workers andcommunity organisations,such as the Citizen’sAdvice and volunteers.

A member of the team willstart by asking you a fewquestions to find out whatyou might be worriedabout, or what you wouldlike to achieve or change

in your life. They will thenbe able to give you adviceabout where to find theright support or activity, oroffer a solution that reallysuits you and how you liveyour life.

Community Connect – for all your local needs

Dates and venues of all the Community Connect drop-ins:

Emma

CarolineThe Talking Café at The Beach Hotel in Minehead, which is open every Monday from 10am until 1pm, isrun by Adult Social Care worker, Emma, CommunityAgent, Caroline and a volunteer.

Emma, an Adult Social Care worker, said: “Since weopened the Talking Café we’ve helped lots of peoplefind the support they need. For some people, they justwant to know what they are entitled to, others come inquite distressed and really need some advice abouttheir options or help finding solutions to problems. We have found people really appreciate being able to speak to someone face-to-face. By having a simpleconversation, solutions can be found that can make abig difference to their life and help them stayindependent for longer.”

Caroline, a CommunityAgent, said: “You’ll find ushere at the hotel everyMonday if you need a chatabout anything from findinga local social group andsupport with money, to helpwith transport or support inyour caring role. If there isanything that is causing youconcern – pop in and we’llsee what we can do tohelp.”

One customer said: “I’ve got more information in 10minutes at the drop-in than I’ve been able to get inthe last six months from other places.”

Bridgwater - The Elm Room atVictoria Park Community Centre.The first and third Wednesday ofevery month, from 10am until12.30pm.

Crewkerne - The Henhayes Centre at South Street Car Park.Every other Tuesday, from 10amuntil 12noon.

Highbridge - Hope Baptist Church on Church Street.The second and fourth Thursday ofevery month, from 10am until 1pm.

Minehead Talking Café - The Beach Hotel on The Avenue.Every Monday, from 10am until 1pm (except Bank Holidays).

Nether Stowey - The Church Centre,27 St Mary Street.The second Tuesday of every month, from 1pm until 4pm.

Taunton - Priorswood CommunityCentre, 13-14 Eastwick Road.First Monday of every month, from9.30am until 11.30am.

Taunton Library Wellbeing Zone, Paul Street, Taunton. Every Wednesday, 9.30am to11.30am.

WellingtonThe Active Living Centre, NorthStreet, Wellington.Every Friday, 9.30am to 11.30am.

Please bear in mind that datesand venues can change. For up-to-date information, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/dropinor phone 0300 123 2224.

MEET THE MINEHEAD TEAM

[08] Health

With more people relying on our health andsocial care services than ever before, it’s vitalthat Somerset finds new ways to look after itsresidents and help you stay healthy andindependent.

Making Somerset fit for the future

Two years ago, YeovilHospital, the CountyCouncil’s Adult SocialCare service and one ofthe county’s largestproviders of social carebegan working togetheron an exciting, jointly-funded project to helppeople leave hospitalearlier.

Since then, around 400patients who no longerneed to be in a hospitalward, but do needintensive physiotherapyand occupational therapyto recover theirindependence, have beendischarged to the facilitybased in the CooksonsCourt care home in Yeovil.

Away from the busynessof the ward, and staying inone of Cooksons Court’squiet, modern, en-suiterooms, these patientswork closely with thehospital’s therapists whobuild their strength,mobility and confidence,ultimately helping themreturn home more quicklyand more safely.

The innovative partnershiphelps patients get back ontheir feet and allows theCouncil’s social caresupport to focus on thepeople who need it most.

More than a quarter ofpeople in Somerset willsoon have access to

expert advice on medication andcare from pharmacists whenthey visit their GP surgery.

‘Clinical pharmacists’ will work in16 practices across the county toresolve day-to-day medicineissues and treat patients directly.

Serving more than 165,000patients, they will help managelong-term conditions, advisepatients on multiple medicationsand increase access to healthchecks.

This is part of plans to developthe skills mix in local healthcentres with physios,pharmacists and other healthprofessionals working alongsideGPs. It means GPs can focustheir skills where they are mostneeded.

This will go hand-in-hand with anew pilot scheme in Somerset toretain GPs planning to leave theprofession. Around 80 GPs willform a pool to provide staff coverand other support for practicesunder pressure.

Too often, mentalhealth and physicalhealth have been

treated separately. Manypeople attend hospitalemergency departmentsin mental crisis or withother mental healthproblems, like self-harm,depression or drugabuse. These often don’tget addressed when thereis a medical emergencyto deal with. Manypatients are mentally andphysically affected by anillness or injury that hasbrought them to hospital.

Somerset Partnership,the county’s mental andcommunity health trust,is joining forces withMusgrove Park and YeovilDistrict Hospitals, to putmental health teams intohospital departments.

This means mental healthspecialists (includingpsychiatrists and mentalhealth nurses) workingalongside hospital nurses,doctors and otherspecialists to recogniseand treat all of a patient’shealth needs.

The rightcare, inthe rightplace

More pharmacists to help patients atGP surgeries

16practices

25% +

Putting mental health at the heart of hospital care

Here are some of the ways in which the Council and the NHS are making Somerset ‘fit for the future’.

165,000patients

Skillsmix

80 GPs

We manage waste and recycling services for alllocalauthorities in Somerset. For information on our

services,see the back page or visit:www.somersetwaste.gov.uk

NewsReduce, reuse, recycle for Somerset - September 2017

Somerset’s recycling sites haveswitched to operate cash-free and cheque-free, with almost allpayments taken only on credit, debit and charge cards.

The only exceptions are the £2 cash entry fees for the communityrecycling sites at Crewkerne andDulverton, and paying at the ReuseShop within Taunton (Priorswood)Recycling Centre.

The plastic payments move followedsuccessful trials since 2016 at therecycling sites in Chard and Taunton.

Enhancing efficiency, security andthe safety of staff, payments areaccepted on Visa and MasterCardcredit and debit cards, Visa Electronand Diners Club, includingcontactless cards.

A Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) spokesman said: “Thanks to staff and customers, card-only sites have proved a great success.Anyone concerned they may have a payment problem should see staff before unloading.”

Plastic-only payments are needed at all sites for materials brought in by residents but classified as non-household – hardcore, soil, gasbottles, tyres – and for “Revive” soil conditioner composted fromSomerset’s garden waste.

At 10 sites, residents can pay by card to recycle vehicle parts. In a separate scheme, 10 sites take cards for commercial waste.

Payments for domestic asbestos andplasterboard continue to be madeonline in advance at SWP’s website.

Using cards involves no new chargesor price changes.

For site details, from materials takento charges, visitwww.somersetwaste.gov.uk/sites/.

Card-only payments at all recycling sites

Permit success brings weekend accessSomerset’s vehicle permits schemehas proved so successful thatcouncillors have, after listening toresidents’ views, made it easier touse: vans, pick-ups and car-towedtrailers can now access openrecycling sites at any time onweekdays and weekends.

As well as ending weekend limits,simplifications include adding allcampervans and minibuses to thesystem due to their size and potentialcarrying capacity, and using the“N1” registration category to helpidentify permit vehicles.

Somerset’s permit scheme beganamid queues and rising congestioncaused by large, hard-to-manoeuvreand heavily-laden vehicles, oftenwith trailers, and out-of-county trafficresulting from nearby councils’ toughnew controls.

A SWP spokesman said: “Action was essential. Permits proved veryeffective by targeting vehicles andtrailers causing the congestion.

“Councillors carefully listened topermit users; its success made theweekend access changes possible.”

A comprehensive permit reportfound a marked improvement, withless congestion and lower wastelevels from illegal and out-of-countyusers. Forecasts of fly-tipping provedwrong, with dumping figures forSomerset falling to a five-year low.

Well over 20,000 Somerset residentshave taken a minute to order theirpermit, while most users – who taketheir waste to recycling sites in carswithout trailers – need no permit.

Check if the changes affect you:www.somersetwaste.gov.uk.

As summer fadesand autumn begins,there are greatopportunities toavoid costly wasteand save some cash,whether in thegarden, having funwith your children orlooking for shoppingbargains.

If you have a garden, grab thefree resource growing underyour feet or starting to fall fromthe trees to turn what mightotherwise go to waste intonutrient-rich compost for nextyear’s flowers, fruit or veg.

As well as all that gardenwaste, do not forget the extraingredients available from inside your home, whether it is

torn up cardboard that keeps air flowing for all thecomposting bugs, or the foodwaste you can add, such asapple cores, banana skins, vegpeelings, tea leaves, coffeegrounds and egg shells.

Another food to add to thatcompost bin to be transformedinto an excellent soil improveris anything scooped out ofyour Halloween pumpkins, plusthe grinning or grimacing headonce it gets past its best.Adding pumpkin seeds mayeven produce a free crop fornext year.

But why waste pumpkin fleshand seeds when both can beeasily used to make tastytreats, from soups and pies to toasted snacks, with freerecipes at the national LoveFood Hate Waste website.

And a little planning could cutthe cost and boost the fun forchildren on All Hallows' Eve.Avoid one-use supermarketplastic products to cut waste,and get creative to makespooktastic costumes from oldclothes, and then recycle them,and make cakes and biscuitsfor trick or treat instead ofcostly shop-bought sweets.

From fun-scary to potentiallyvery real and dangerous scary,November’s fireworks andbonfires may be exciting for allthe family except their pets butthey do need careful handling,and not just on the night. Addthe wrong items to yourrubbish bin or black sacks, anda life threatening blaze couldbe the result even days later.

Always drench ash from fires or barbecues, or let it coolcompletely, if throwing it away,and take the same care withthe contents of ashtrays.

Once your bonfire party hasfinished, soak fully-spentfireworks in water and then

they can be disposed of inyour general rubbish or takento a recycling site to be put inthe “cannot be recycled here”skip.

Misfired or partly spentfireworks must be soaked in acontainer of water overnight,until properly sodden, and themanufacturer or suppliershould be contacted forguidance on disposal.

November sees shops gettingserious about selling us plentyfor the coming festivities, withthe American import, BlackFriday, on 24 November, soonfollowed by Cyber Monday.

The main result of Black Fridayand Cyber Monday is anotherwave of waste that can – if notcarefully handled by residents– jam rubbish bins, clog upalready full recycling trucks,and cause kerbside collectionsto be delayed or missed.

Fast rising levels of shoppingcardboard causes problems byswiftly filling all allocated spaceon recycling trucks. Crews maythen have to take an hour ortwo to return to their depot todrop off card and little elsebefore resuming collections.

A Somerset Waste Partnershipspokesman added:

“If customers haveexcess waste, theyhave a choice. If theyhave space, they canstore it and put out theright amount for eachcollection until it isgone.

“If they have time andtransport, they shouldtake the excess andany other rubbish orrecycling to a recyclingsite.”

Love Food Hate Waste:www.lovefoodhatewaste.comMore on all these issues:www.somersetwaste.gov.uk

Season of mist and mellow wastefulness

Ash and fireworks aroundbonfire night are just some of the items, from batteries to broken glass and aerosols,that can cause blazes in bins,rubbish trucks or landfill sites.

A battery may have been behind arecent landfill fire at Walpole, nearBridgwater, while the contents ofan ashtray could have caused abin blaze in Chard earlier this year.

All batteries hold the potential to“short” and create sparks, butlithium-ion batteries from power-hungry mobile phones and otherportable devices can catch fire orexplode if they get bent, brokenor pierced when discarded.

Batteries must be taken torecycling sites or dropped off intothe collection containers at manysupermarkets and high streetshops.

Broken glass can act as amagnifying lens in landfill so it should be wrapped carefullyand added to your rubbish.

During collection and landfilling, aerosols canget hot or be piercedor crushed, so usethem up completely,do not squash, discardthe caps and tops, andthen add them to yourrecycling boxes.

Somerset Waste Partnership is urging residents to shopsmarter so whatever they buy inthe run up to Christmas is greatvalue and will last, and to planhow they deal with waste –especially all the extracardboard – so they and theirneighbours do not miss out oncollections.

The spending spree problem istwo-fold, explained a SomersetWaste Partnership spokesman:“First, all those purchases forChristmas come in plenty ofpackaging, from swathes of plasticwrapping that ends up filling therubbish bin to mountains ofcardboard boxes that should be recycled.

“Second, with Black Friday andother deals and sales, impulse

purchases can all toooften be a mistake.They may end upeither being recycled– far worse than the

waste reduction idealof saying a firm ‘no’ – or

even heading to costly, wastefuland polluting landfill via a rubbishbin or black sack.

“Extra packaging fills rubbish binsand recycling boxes. Our truckscannot take very big pieces orlarge loads of cardboard.

“Unfortunately, if these are putout, they will be left.”

Got a ‘helpful pick-up’ letter?A review of theassisted collectionservice is nowunderway.

Letters are being sentto those who havewaste containers pickedup and returned to anagreed point by theirhome, rather than fromthe kerbside.

It is a helpful pick-up forthose who find it hardto move wastecontainers and have noone to help them. Thereview is carried outevery few years,

although only thosewho have had theservice for more than sixmonths are contacted.

If you have had a letterand want to continuethe service, completethe form it contains andreturn it as soon aspossible, or fill in theform online. No longerneed the service?Ignore the letter andthe service will cease.

Carymoor Environmental Trust has beencelebrating its 21st anniversary with an openday so visitors could take a tour and discoverhow 100 acres of capped landfill have beentransformed into a wildlife-rich nature reservein the heart of Somerset. Based at Dimmerlandfill site near Castle Cary, Carymoor hasbeen a provider of environmental educationsince 1996 and its experienced team delivers arange of events for schools and other groupslinked to cross-curricular topics, includingwaste and recycling. For more about its workand history, visit www.carymoor.org.uk

Somerset Waste Partnership has a new managing director.Mickey Green, a senior managerat Somerset County Councilwho has worked for thegovernment and in the privatesector, starts work in October.For more on the new MD, seewww.somersetwaste.gov.uk

Festiverubbishwatch

Education celebration MG is newSWP MD

Beware bin blazes from batteries

Recycling and refuse collectionsCollection times can vary. Leave at the edge ofyour property by 7am on collection day.

Kerbside recycling collections■ Food waste and kitchen towel, in food bin■ Paper (newspapers, magazines, directories)■ Cardboard (flatten, take large amounts to recycling site) and brown envelopes■ Glass bottles and jars (rinse, unbroken, no table or cookware, no window glass)■ Food and drink cans (rinse, squash if possible)■ Aluminium foil (bag, clean)■ Aerosols (empty, do not crush or pierce)■ Plastic bottles (rinse, no tops, pots, tubs, trays)■ Textiles (bag to keep dry, label “textiles”) – e.g. clothes, sheets, blankets, curtains (not stuffed items, such as pillows)■ Shoes (tie in pairs, bag to keep dry)

Keep different materials roughly separate incollection boxes. Put extra recycling materials –except food waste – alongside in carrier bags. Forcontainers, contact South Somerset District Council(see below right).

Bank holiday collections Christmas and New Year 2017/18All services continue as usual, including assistedand clinical waste collections, except:Usual collection day Revised collection dayFri 22 Dec 2017 No changeMon 25 Dec 2017 Wed 27 Dec 2017Tue 26 Dec 2017 Thu 28 Dec 2017Wed 27 Dec 2017 Fri 29 Dec 2017Thu 28 Dec 2017 Sat 30 Dec 2017Fri 29 Dec 2017 Sun 31 Dec 2017Mon 1 Jan 2018 Tues 2 Jan 2018Tue 2 Jan 2018 Wed 3 Jan 2018Wed 3 Jan 2018 Thu 4 Jan 2018Thu 4 Jan 2018 Fri 5 Jan 2018Fri 5 Jan 2018 Sat 6 Jan 2018Mon 8 Jan 2018 Usual collections resume

Garden waste collections suspended from Monday25 December 2017, resuming from Monday 8January 2018 on usual days. Decoration-free realChristmas trees: take to recycling site or homecompost. As last resort, put out alongside rubbishfor landfill burial. Garden waste subscribers onlycan add them to their collections from 8 January.

Easter, May, August 2018 Usual collection day Revised collection dayGood Fri 30 Mar 2018 Sat 31 Mar 2018Easter Monday 2 Apr 2018 1 day later that week*Early May Mon 7 May 2018 1 day later that week*Spring Mon 28 May 2018 1 day later that week*Summer Mon 27 Aug 2018 1 day later that week**For example, Friday collection on Saturday.

If collections are missedIn usual circumstances, contact customer servicesand put out containers for two working days forcatch-up collections. In severe weather, put outrecycling for up to four calendar days and rubbishfor up to seven calendar days; if still not collected,put out by 7am on the next usual collection day. Tomaintain main services in severe weather, we maysuspend garden and bulky waste collections, whileclinical waste collections will restart as soon aspossible. For advice, see website.

Recycling sitesSomerset has 14 recycling centres with free entry todeposit household materials, and two communityrecycling sites with entry fees. South Somerset hasrecycling centres at Castle Cary, Chard, Somertonand Yeovil, and a community recycling site atCrewkerne (£2 entry fee). Yeovil is open seven daysa week, 8am-4pm, and Castle Cary, Chard,Crewkerne (£2 entry fee) and Somerton are allopen Saturday 8am-4pm, Sunday 8am-1pm andMonday 8am-7pm. Castle Cary and Crewkerne areopen Tuesday-Wednesday 8am-4pm, and Chardand Somerton are open Thursday-Friday 8am-4pm.

Material charges from £3.60 apply to hardcore, soil,tyres, vehicle parts, gas bottles. Check SWP websiteor Somerset Direct for price list. Card payments onlyat Somerset recycling sites (Visa and Mastercardcredit and debit, Visa Electron, Diners Club,including contactless). No cash or cheques.

Your vehicle or trailer may need a permit to visitSomerset recycling sites with your household waste.Only Somerset residents can obtain permits, whichare free and must be displayed on all visits. Details:www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/permits.

Recycling sites have facilities for:■ Asbestos and items containing asbestos (only Bridgwater, Frome, Highbridge, Minehead, Street, Taunton, Yeovil; double bag, seal, pre-pay on website, ring site before visiting)■ Batteries (car, household)■ Beverage cartons, e.g. Tetra Pak (all except Castle Cary, Cheddar, Dulverton, and Somerton)■ Cans (food, drink and aerosols)■ Cardboard■ Electrical appliances■ Fridges and freezers■ Garden waste (see website or seek advice on Ash dieback, and Japanese Knotweed, Common Ragwort and other controlled plants)■ Gas bottles (charges apply)■ Glass – bottles and jars■ Hardcore (concrete/rubble; charges apply)■ Hazardous household waste (e.g. garden chemicals, paint)■ Lighting (fluorescent tubes, long-life bulbs)■ Metals■ Mobile phones for charity■ Oil (cooking, engine)■ Paint (water-based, trial)■ Paper (newspapers, magazines, directories)■ Plasterboard (all except Castle Cary, Cheddar, Minehead, Somerton, Wellington; pre-pay on website)■ Plastic bottles (all except Cheddar)■ Plastic food pots, tubs and trays (trial, Taunton and Wellington only)■ Residual waste (including window glass)■ Soil (charges apply)■ Textiles (clothes, bedding, curtains) and shoes■ Toner cartridges for charity■ Tyres (charges apply)■ Vehicle parts (charges apply; only Bridgwater, Chard, Frome, Highbridge, Minehead, Street, Taunton, Wellington, Williton, Yeovil)■ Wood

Christmas and New Year 2017/18Recycling sites open as usual, except all closeChristmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Business waste recyclingSee website for waste company directory anddetails of commercial recycling facilities availableat Bridgwater, Chard, Frome, Highbridge,Minehead, Street, Taunton, Wellington, Williton andYeovil recycling sites.

Updates and more online■ Sign up for our e-newsletter, get severe weather updates, and find advice on how to waste less, recycle more and save money at: www.somersetwaste.gov.uk■ Find somersetwaste on Facebook and Twitter. For service issues, such as a missed collection or replacement container, do not use Facebook or Twitter but report it to your district council customer services – see below.

Communal property collectionsMost blocks of flats have bins for paper, glass andcan recycling, and for rubbish.

Home compost binsResidents can buy home composting bins from£17.98 (plus p&p) or buy one, get one half price(prices valid to 31 March 2018). Quote codeSOM15A at www.getcomposting.co.uk.

Somerset furniture reuse networkSomerset’s furniture reuse charity network needsdonations of good quality household items andappliances in working order to sell at low prices tolocal people on limited incomes. Details:www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/more/furniture.

Customer servicesContact South Somerset District Council about:■ Collection days and calendars (check www.southsomerset.gov.uk)■ Kerbside recycling and refuse collections, including new container requests■ Garden waste collections (charges apply)■ Assisted collections for those with difficulty moving recycling or refuse containers■ Clinical waste collections■ Communal recycling and refuse collections■ Bulky waste collections (charges apply) www.southsomerset.gov.uk ssdc@southsomerset.gov.uk 01935 462462

Contact Somerset Direct about: ■ Recycling sites www.somersetwaste.gov.uk somersetdirect@somerset.gov.uk 0300 123 2224

Your Somerset Waste Board representativesSouth Somerset District CouncilCllrs Jo Roundell Greene, Derek Yeomans(Chairman) Somerset County CouncilCllrs David Hall, Clare Aparicio Paul

… and where does it all go?SWP was the first in the UK to produce an annualend use register, showing exactly where everytonne of your recycling goes – 96% UK, 4% overseas,for example – which reprocessor firms take it, andhow it is used. For all the details, search for “enduse” at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk.

All information: www.somersetwaste.gov.uk

South SomersetWaste Services Guide 2017/18

Adoption [13]

or as long as Ican rememberI wanted toadopt. We'reboth primaryschool

teachers, so we knowit's possible to adorechildren that 'aren'tyours'. We've bothbeen involved in someheart-breaking casesand know how muchchildren need reliableand caring homes.

I said from the very startthat I wasn’t willing to gothrough IVF. Once we'dcome to terms with theidea of not having 'our own'children, we got in contactwith Somerset CountyCouncil’s Fostering andAdoption Team.

The assessmentThe assessment process allsounds very formal, butactually it was more liketherapy. We're both very

open, honest and reflectivepeople, so we didn’t findanswering questions aboutour past invasive – more alearning experience. Oursocial worker was amazing,easy to trust, and shelistened and didn't judge.

We took every piece ofadvice and training we couldto help prepare ourselves.Panel at the end was a littlescary, but everyone wasprofessional and reassuring.We didn't expect socialworkers to be so friendlyand kind - they became ourconfidants and we relied onthem.

The first meetingMeeting your children forthe first time is completelysurreal. There was no bolt oflightning or movie montage,in fact, our eldest vomited!Then two days later, so didthe youngest!! When you'repregnant you have ninemonths to get used to the

reality of it. For us, nothingwas certain until a weekbeforehand. Even then oursocial worker was telling us “if it's not right, just say.” Butit was right. So right!

Our boys were desperatefor a loving family. Theywanted to be adored andsnuggled, they wanted to bewrapped up in a blanket orfed like a baby. It's not allgiggles and cuddles though.

There are times when theyactively push against that,when they don't feelworthy of happiness. Every day we have to knowwhat we're workingtowards; know that thisjourney is a long one butwe will get there. There aremoments before I fall asleepwhere I have this amazingfeeling I have everything Iever wanted. It may not beflashy, or clean, orharmonious, but every daywe get a little closer to

having two happy, contentlittle boys.

The boys had an amazingfoster family before us whowelcomed us into theirhome. Everyone in theirfoster family - grandparentsincluded - share stories andanecdotes and we welcomeit. This is their identity andit's so very important. Wetalk about their birth family,

both good and bad things.We have photos up in thehouse of all differentmembers of their birth andfoster families, mixed in withours.

The futureWe will get a life story bookfor each boy to help us totell their stories. Our eldestwill love seeing it in a wayhe can understand. Ouryoungest struggles tounderstand it yet as hedoesn't really remember,but over time I’m sure it willhelp him to sort through hispast and identity.

Adoption is an all-consuming process. Prepareto fall down a rabbit hole oflearning and self-discovery.

Forget everythingelse and do what youwant, not what is'normal'. If you'reready to adopt. Just do it.

Like us on facebook @adoptioninsomerset @fosteringinsomerset andfollowing us on twitter @adoptsomerset @fostersomerset and help share realstories from our amazing foster carers and adopters.

If you are interested in adoption or fostering, please phone 0800 587 9900 or come to an informationevening. Dates can be found at www.fosteradoptsomerset.org.uk/events

If it’s not the right time for you, you can still help us to spread the word about how much children in careneed safe and loving homes.

F“We refer to theirbirth mum as their'first mummy' andtheir foster mum astheir 'looking aftermummy'. We'retheir 'forevermummy and daddy'.

Could you offer a child the best gift?

A happy childhood

Our boys were desperate for a loving family. They wanted to be adored and snuggled.

Jo & Mike’s story

[14] A Day in the Life of...

9am This morning I’m off to visit Avalon Schoolin Street for a planning meeting. I ammeeting with colleagues from educationand health, and representatives from theSomerset Parent Carer Forum. We areworking on a really important project to offerparents of children with special needsmental health training and ongoing support.

We know that a high proportion of childrenand young people with additional needs arelikely to develop mental health issues, so ifwe can give parents the right support andadvice early on to deal with some of theissues, it will hopefully help them as theyget older.

The meeting goes really well – I’m reallylooking forward to being part of this project– it’s such a key issue and it’s so importantto get things right early on in a child’s life.

the Special Educational Needs andDisabilities (SEND) Engagement and Participation Team.

A Day in the Life of…

The team run the Unstoppables YoungPeople's Forum, which was set-up togive children and young people inSomerset with SEND their own voice,and offers them the opportunity todevelop their skills to prepare them forbecoming an adult.Jemma Lang, Engagement andParticipation Officer, tells us abouther day.

11.30am While I’m at the school I take theopportunity to meet with the DeputyHead and one of the students totalk about how the school listens totheir pupils. It is an important partof our role to find new and excitingways to engage with the youngpeople so that we can share goodpractice across Somerset.

The student proudly shows me theschool’s ‘Learner Voice’ file. Thefolder includes details of how theschool listens to their students andwhat they have done in response.

For example, the students werecomplaining about being bored atlunchtimes, so they were given thechance to set-up their ownlunchtime clubs. One group startedan Arts Enterprise Club where theyare commissioned to producepieces of art, which they then sell.The money raised is used to pay forsocial activities for the students, likebowling or a trip to the cinema. It’sgreat to see the young people takingso much ownership of their clubs. Igo away with my mind buzzing withideas…and wanting my very ownpiece of commissioned art!

Jemma

The team is made up of anEngagement and ParticipationOfficer and Young People’sChampions. The role of the team is to make sure that childrenand young people with specialeducational needs and ordisabilities (SEND) are given theopportunity to have their say onmatters that affect them.

A Day in the Life of... [15]

5pmJust time for a quick lookthrough my emails againbefore I sign off for theevening. I’ve been sent thefinal version of the newsflashfollowing our earlier meeting– it looks great so it’s good to go.

They do such a good job, I’m very proud of our YoungPeople’s Champions andwhat they contribute to ourorganisation.

3pm My final meeting of the day is a planningmeeting for the ‘Unstoppables’ forum. TheUnstoppables are a group of young people withspecial educational needs and / or disabilitieswho meet monthly to have their say on mattersthat are important to them.

We also use them as a sounding board for anydevelopment plans we have, for things likesocial media, project ideas or policy changes. These sessions need to be fun and engaging,so we’re always trying to think of new ideas.

The Young People’s Champions help me planfor the meetings, they are great at helping togear up the young people for some of theactivities and discussions. It’s great to see theyoung people every month increasing inconfidence and working as part of a team.

It’s so important to get their input, and to see them asserting themselves, and gettingsomething out of the experience too.

This month we’re looking at ways we canrecruit more ‘buddies’ from local colleges tosupport young people with SEND.

We’ve got some great ideas to take forward sohopefully the group will enjoy this month’ssession.

2pmI sit down with the Young People’sChampions (YPCs) to review theirmonthly newsflash. The YPCs areyoung people who work atSomerset County Council andrepresent other young people with additional needs across thecounty.

The YPC’s are very involved in allaspects of work here at SomersetCounty Council, some examplesinclude reviewing our policies andprocedures to make sure they areyoung person friendly andattending strategic decisionmaking meetings to represent theviews of other children and youngpeople who have additional needs.

We review the newsletter, which iswritten by the YPC’s and coverswhat the team have been up toover the last month. It then getssent out through our Facebookpage and goes out to youngpeople, parents and practitioners.

1.30pmI get back toCounty Hall inTaunton, whereI’m based, grab asandwich andcheck my emailsbefore my nextmeeting.

Are you a young personwith a specialeducational need and ora disability that wouldlike to have your say?

Are you a parent carerthat would like to find outmore about support inyour area?

Get in touch with the teamSENDParticipationTeam@somerset.gov.uk

Like and follow theFacebook page for regularupdates and events atwww.facebook.com/sendparticipationteam/

[16] Do it online

RoadsUse our online map to report apothole. You can also do thisusing your mobile.www.somerset.gov.uk/pothole

Registration ServicesRequest a copy of a certificate for a birth in Somerset atwww.somerset.gov.uk/birthcert

LibrariesYou can renew your library books here: www.librarieswest.org.uk

Rights of WayUse our online map to report an issue with a rightof way. You can also do this using your mobile.www.somerset.gov.uk/prow Waste

Report a missed collection or order a replacement bin atwww.somersetwaste.gov.uk

Parking Apply or renew a parking permit atwww.somerset.gov.uk/parkingpermits

School AdmissionsIf your child is due to start or change schools, visitwww.somerset.gov.uk/startschoolor www.somerset.gov.uk/admissions

PlanningFor planning applications related to minerals, waste or Somerset County Council developments visit www.somerset.gov.uk/planningYour local district or borough council can advise youon all other types of planning developments.

Doing things online is becoming more and more of anecessity. It can be easier, quicker, done at yourconvenience, and in most cases, will save you (and us)money. So, as more and more of our services becomeavailable online, here’s a guide to what you can find whereand how to keep yourself safe when ‘surfing the net’.

Your guide to online services

Do it online!

Here are just some of themore popular online services

available atwww.somerset.gov.uk

Let the library help you get onlineIf you don’t have access to the internet at home, then you can get online atyour local library, using your own laptop or mobile device on the library’s Wi-Fiduring normal opening hours. You can also use the library’s public computersfor up to two hours a day.

Libraries also offer free basic courses on how to use a computer. To find more,visit www.somerset.gov.uk/libraries

A range of information and support about all things digital can be found byvisiting www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/digital-inclusion/

Top tips to keep you safe online● Try and use capital letters, numbers and punctuation in passwords ● Don’t use the same password for all your accounts● Be careful what you post on social media and where you post it – everything you post could be shared with others if you don’t set the right permissions ● Never open an attachment in an email if you don’t know who it is from - this includes pop up windows● If you’re shopping online or using online banking, always make sure the site address starts with ‘https’ and has a padlock icon next to the website address - this shows that the site is secure ● Lookout for websites that have misspellings or bad grammar in their addresses and avoid them

Health [17]

ChildrenAll children in reception to Year 4 can get a quick,effective and painlessnasal spray at school. Ifthey’re aged two or three,they should visit their GPfor a vaccine.

PregnantYou can safely get thevaccine during any stageof pregnancy. Flu canincrease your risk ofbecoming seriously ill, asyour immune system isweaker.

CarersIt is important that youget vaccinated to protectboth yourself and theperson you care for. Youcan get it for free if youcare for an elderly ordisabled person, or afamily member whosewelfare may be at risk ifyou are ill with flu – thisalso includes youngcarers.

Groups at riskAnyone suffering from along-term health condition,for example, a lungdisease, diabetes, heart orkidney disease, includingchildren and babies fromsix months of age to 17-years-old who have a long-term condition.

Anyone aged over 65

Stop flu before it stops you!

For more information, visit www.nhs.uk/staywell or speak to your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist.

The flu vaccine is the best protection wehave against this unpredictable virus. It’svital if you’re in one of the at risk groups,

to have it every year to protect yourself againstthe virus. It can reduce your risk of seriousillness, hospitalisation and even death. So it’sbest to get the jab in the autumn to stop itbefore it spreads.

Who gets it for free? Flu jab – it’s free because you need it!

Put your mind at rest and book your free health MOT with Health Checks.

If you’re aged between 40 and 74, and don’t have a pre-existing health condition,

then you could be entitled to afree 20 minute health check atyour local pharmacy orcommunity venue. It willmeasure things like your bloodpressure and cholesterol.

Why should I get checked? As we get older we all want to stayas healthy as possible, so get yourNHS Health Check as soon as

possible. The check looks to spotthe early warning signs ofdangerous conditions like highblood pressure, heart disease anddiabetes, so we can prevent thesethings happening to you.

Following the check, you willreceive a detailed report of yourresults with personalised adviceabout what you can do to stayhealthy. Put your mind at rest andbook your free NHS Health Checktoday.

Health Checks – don’t delay book today!

Somerset health and socialcare professionals

You are encouraged tohave the vaccinationbefore flu starts to circulateto help protect yourself andthose you care for. Speakto your employer.

Phone 01823 261794, or visit www.somersethealthchecks.co.uk, to book your free NHS Health Check today.

2014

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5

Mendip and South Somerset’s only Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ sixth form

Open EveningsTuesday 17 October 2017, 6 - 8.30pm

Thursday 16 November 2017, 6 - 8.30pmOutstanding, specialist sixth-form education.

Wide choice of A Levels, vocational courses and Apprenticeships.

College Experience DaysTuesday 7 November 2017

Wednesday 22 November 2017Wednesday 6 December 2017

A chance for year 11 pupils to get a feel for courses and college life and to meet students from other schools who will be studying at Strode next year.

Register online: www.strode-college.ac.ukor call: 01458 844400Strode College, Church Road, Street, Somerset BA16 0AB

Somerset Care has care homes throughout Somerset. For details of your nearest homes, please call: 0800 9884 337.www.somersetcare.co.uk

Lavender Court, Taunton

The Willows home care service is designed to be fully flexible to fit around our customers’ lifestyles. With our dedicated local team, you choose the times that suit you.My Willows works for you.Call: 0800 0902 312Email: enquiries@mywillows.org.uk

www.mywillows.org.uk

To find out more about advertising in Your Somerset, email yoursomerset@somerset.gov.uk

South Somerset Careline gives that little extra support to people who want to remain living at home independently for as long as possible while bringing peace of mind to their family and friends.

Do you……• Live alone or sometimes feel at risk?

• Have elderly, frail or in�rm dependents?

• Worry about their safety in an emergency?

• Want to help them maintain their independence?

Careline provides help at the touch of a button,which can be worn as a pendant or on a wrist strap, and dials through to our team 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

Through Careline, you can actually enjoy the independence of living in your own home, secure in the knowledge that emergency help or advice is available at your �ngertips.

We offer a free demonstration and if you are happy with it, our staff can �t the unit for you immediately.

Contact us on 01935 479815 careline@southsomerset.gov.uk www.carelinesouthsomerset.co.uk

Initial Connection/ setup fee £32.85*Hire and monitoring £3.84 per week*waived if on certain bene�ts

To find out more about advertising in Your Somerset, email yoursomerset@somerset.gov.uk

Registered Charity No. 1014697

To fi nd out more visit

www.care-south.co.uk or call Beauchamp House on 01823 481500

Compassionate care in charming surroundings – at a realistic cost

Hatch Beauchamp | Taunton | TA3 6SG

Beauchamp House is a Care South Country House home, offering the highest quality nursing care for all levels of need, from short term respite to high dependency and palliative care.

Beauchamp House has been tastefully refurbished by Care South, to provide compassionate care in a home-from-home atmosphere.

CARE SOUTH IS A LEADING PROVIDER OF RESIDENTIAL AND HOME CARE ACROSS THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND

At Caring Communities, you’ll be at the heart of everything we do - whether you live at home or at one of our beautiful assisted living, care or nursing facilities across Somerset.

We offer 5-star luxury accommodation and care-at-home services for individuals and couples aged 55+ seeking that little bit extra care, comfort and companionship in their later years.

Regardless of whether your care needs are an occasional helping hand, or complex and specialist nursing care, our aim will always be to support you to live as full and active a life as possible, every day.

We’re developing homes and delivering home care services across the south-west. Visit us now to find out more.

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Find out more:

caringcommunities

To find out more about advertising in Your Somerset, email yoursomerset@somerset.gov.uk