Friday 4th September 2020
Due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are providing weekly email updates for residents to let you know about the latest information we have and any changes to local services that may be affected.
If you do not wish to receive these updates please click on “unsubscribe” at the bottom of the page.
You can check the latest information on our website at any time by going to https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/coronavirus
Rotherham Together: Community, Creativity and Recovery
A new seven month programme has been launched across Rotherham, aimed at bringing residents and communities together safely as people in the borough start to rebuild confidence following months of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Rotherham Together programme will provide everything from cultural events and installations, such as talks, performances and screenings, some virtual, some in person (where it is safe to do so and within national guidance), to a series of toolkits and guides to help us figure out our new normal together.
The focus will be on three areas; joy, gratitude and hope and has been developed with a broad range of partners from across the borough including Grimm and Co, Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance, Rotherham NHS Trust, Rotherham United Community Sports Trust, Voluntary Action Rotherham and Wentworth Woodhouse.
Cllr Sarah Allen, Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Cleaner, Greener Communities. said: “COVID-19 has had a significant impact on this year’s events programme with many events cancelled or postponed to future years, most notably Rotherham Show. The Rotherham Together programme is a great way to bring people together in a safe way.
“It’s been an unprecedented time with challenges for all of us. We hope the programme of events can bring some much needed joy to people, as well as thanking those key workers that have been working so hard throughout the pandemic – helping us collectively look, with hope, to the future.”
The programme kicks off this weekend, on what would have been the start of the Rotherham Show, with a series of events, including the launch of Wildflower Park – a giant 180m land art maze by Landmark Collective at Clifton Park.
Keep an eye on the Rotherham Events Facebook page for the latest information about what’s happening as part of Rotherham Together:
Rotherham Events
Welcome back to Clifton Park Museum
Clifton Park Museum re-opens its doors this weekend, following five months of closure during the coronavirus lockdown.
As part of Rotherham Together, a creative workshop, entitled ‘Demonstration of Thanks’, led by local artist Vicky Hilton will kick-off events at the Museum this Saturday (10am to 4pm). The workshop will help create a large scale installation for All Saints’ Square in the heart of Rotherham.
During the closure, staff at the museum have been making the best of the unique opportunity to improve its offer with new temporary exhibitions and other features, including a new look for the York and Lancaster Regimantal Collection and Archive.
Social distancing and Covid-19 secure measures will be in place in the museum and visitors will be required to wear face coverings when inside the building, as per Government guidelines.
Clifton Park Museum
First three Rotherham Libraries to re-open from tomorrow
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be starting a phased re-opening of Rotherham libraries, starting from Saturday 5th September 2020.
The first three libraries to open their doors to customers will be Brinsworth, Thurcroft and Wath, which will be open from tomorrow.
In order to keep our staff and customers safe, there will be a temporary reduced service with a reduction in the hours that libraries are open with special measures in place. This will include the requirement to wear a face covering when you are inside the building.
Find out more about the services available and what you can expact when returning to our libraries by watching our return to Rotherham Libraries video.
We’re also planning to re-open the following libraries over the next few weeks:
- Monday 14 September 2020 – Maltby Library
- Monday 21 September 2020 – Wickersley Library
- Monday 28 September 2020 – Greasbrough Library
We’ll keep you posted on further re-openings during October, including those which will be re-opening after under-going significant upgrades as part of our brough-wide libraries investment programme.
Until libraries have re-opened, they will continue to provide the call and collect service, which gives library members the chance to order a book online and collect it from the library. Further information is available on our website.
Rotherham Libraries
The seven day rate of infection in Rotherham have increased slightly this week and is now at 9.8 per 100,000, up from 6.4 per 100,000 last week.
There were 29 positive cases in Rotherham over the last week, compared to 16 the week before.
Whilst the rate in Rotherham remains substantially lower than areas on the Government’s watchlist, it is vital that we all continue to stay alert and do everythign we can to reduce the infection rate further.
To Keep Rotherham Open it is vital that we continue to:
- Keep 2 metres apart whenever possible
- Wash our hands often
- Get tested if we have symptoms, however mild
- Wear a face covering whenever required
Please encourage anyone with symptoms, however mild, to get tested as soon as possible.
There is high demand for tests nationally and we would ask anyone who tries to book a test and is unable to do so, or who is offered a location or time which is not convenient, to please wait a few hours and then try again as more booking slots are released at regular intervals.
Testing is free, quick and painless. You can book an appointment for a test on the NHS website or by calling 119. You may order a home-testing kit or attend the drive-through site at Midland Road, Masborough, or the walk-in site at Forge Island. Appointments are preferred at Forge Island and face-coverings must be worn.
If you receive a positive test result or have symptoms, you must self-isolate at home for 10 days from the start of symptoms. Anyone you have been in contact with should also self-isolate for 14 days, even if they get a negative test result as they may still be incubating the infection. You will be asked to provide contact details of anyone you know you have been in close contact with so that the NHS Track and Trace team can get in touch with them to advise them to self-isolate.
Advice and support for anyone with concerns about self-isolating is available through the Rotherham Community Hub.
Children begin to return to school in Rotherham
Schools in Rotherham have started to welcome back pupils this week.
For many children this will be the first time back in school since coronavirus lockdown measures began in March, but the majority of schools in the borough have remained open throughout, initially to vulnerable children and the children of key workers and then, from June, widening the offer to some primary school years and some face-to-face time for selected secondary school pupils.
Every school has been working extremely hard to make sure they are well prepared for the return to full capacity with each putting measures in place to suit their individual circumstances and ensure the safety of children and staff.
Understandably, some parents may still have some concerns or questions in terms of steps taken or temporary changes that have been made in response to coronavirus.
To support teachers, other school staff, parents, carers and children we have prepared some useful Frequently Asked Questions about different aspects of school provision for the 2020/21 school year on website:
Return to school
Advice when returning from abroad
Peope returning home after foriegn travel, must follow advice on self isolation if they have been to a country which is not on the Government’s safe travel corridors list.
Even if you have had a negative covid-19 test when you arrive back in the UK, you still must self-isolate for 14 days, starting from the day you arrive back in the country.
The list of countries where you do not need to self-isolate upon your return is available on the Government website. It is regularly under review, so make sure you check before travelling home.
Visit the Government’s website for the latest travel advice:
Travel advice
Thank you Primark!
Primark’s Meadowhall store has done its bit to keep local families in need entertained during lockdown by donating £1,800 worth of board games to the Rotherham Food for People in Crisis Partnership.
The Food For People In Crisis Partnership consists of a number of organisations in the Rotherham Borough that help people deal with emergency situations by providing them with food, and other types of support.
Thank you also to voluntary group, Families First, who kindly took the time to go and collect the games from Primark to share between the Food for People in Crisis Partnership. Partners are now working together to distribute the games to families in need.
There are assessment and referral processes in place to ensure that help goes to those who need it the most and that they are able to access it all year round.
More information about Food for People in Crisis and how you can support it is available from the Voluntary Action Rotherham website:
Crisis support
Getting in touch…
During this challenging time please, where possible and appropriate, use our online services rather than calling via telephone. We’re receiving a high level of calls daily and want to ensure we’re able to answer urgent calls regarding vulnerable residents and our front line services.