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We’ve set up the Community Help Hub to provide non-medical help and support for people in the borough that are self-isolating or being shielded, and may not otherwise be able to get the things they need.

The Essential Supplies Hub is just one of the new ways our Community Help Hub is supporting our vulnerable residents. As well as many Barnet Council staff, that are working outside of their normal daily duties, nearly 200 Barnet residents have already signed up to volunteer. The council is working with Volunteering Barnet to place volunteers in roles supporting charities and faith groups across the borough.

With the peak of the pandemic in the UK approaching, and the forecast for warm weather, it is more important than ever that residents adhere to social distancing advice when outside their homes.Council Leader, Councillor Dan Thomas, said: “The way we live our lives has changed dramatically in recent weeks as the nation pulls together to keep the most vulnerable safe.

Over the weekend, work has continued at the Essential Supplies Hub. By Monday evening 471 packages had been sent out to residents with a further 135 parcels going to Homeless Action Barnet, 354 meals to Barnet Hospital and 42 meals to North Middlesex University Hospital. 21 large food bank deliveries were also made.

Councillor Cohen, Chairman of the Environment Committee, said: “We would like to thank our front-line and operational staff for their hard work and commitment during these unprecedented times, which has allowed us to return to weekly collections so rapidly whilst also ensuring weekly black refuse bin collections continue. We would also like to thank all those residents and their children who left pictures and messages of support on their bins, which were greatly appreciated.”

With the help of a government backed scheme, grants have been paid to more than 1,000 Barnet businesses, with payments ranging from £10,000 to £25,000. Small business grants are available to businesses receiving small business rate relief giving them access to a cash grant of £10,000. In addition, eligible businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, with a rateable value less than £15,000, are able to benefit from a lump sum grant of £10,000, and those with a rateable value between £15,001 and £51,000 can qualify for a grant of £25,000.

This year over 94 per cent of children who applied on time for a place at a Barnet primary school received one of their top three choices, and almost 84 per cent received an offer at their first choice of school. Councillor David Longstaff, Chairman of the Children, Education and Safeguarding Committee, said: “I’m extremely pleased that once again every pupil who applied on time in Barnet has received an offer of a primary school place.

Proud to Care London, a partnership between councils across the capital, is highlighting positions available now that will ultimately help the NHS save lives by providing essential care for vulnerable and elderly residents in the community, particularly those recovering from coronavirus.

The service, commissioned jointly by the five North Central London Boroughs and run by the charity Rethink Mental Illness, will offer support to anyone in those five boroughs who has been affected by suicide. This includes anyone who has experienced suicidal thoughts either now or in the past, their family, friends and carers and anyone who has been bereaved by suicide.

We have assisted care leavers by staying in touch and keeping open our support centre. Live Unlimited, Barnet’s charity to support looked after children and care leavers, has been fundraising to provide Wi-Fi data dongles for our young people. Following the successful GiveADongle campaign, dongles are being distributed across the borough to connect these young people to friends and other support networks. You can still donate via their Just Giving Page.