This note provides an update on the information posted on this blog on Monday (20.4.20).
Key messages for today
- Remember to stay local when you exercise this weekend. Please don’t drive to our parks. If you live close enough to walk to a park, stick to the rules and stay safe.
- Our Welfare Rights Unit can provide telephone advice on all matters relating to Social Security entitlements. Call 01978 298255 between 9.30am and 12pm, Monday to Friday.
- If your children receive free school meals, please register for our new direct payments scheme by Friday, May 1.
Ian Bancroft – Chief Executive
Mark Pritchard – Leader of the Council
Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.
Another weekend approaches, but our message remains the same…
Please continue to follow the Government’s instructions.
Stay at home, except for essential journeys and to exercise locally once a day, and keep two metres away from anyone you don’t live with.
By doing this, you’re helping to keep Wrexham as safe as it can be.
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Parks – stick to the rules and stay safe
The Government says you can leave home once-a-day to exercise…whether that means walking the dog, going for a run or whatever helps keep you active and healthy.
But it doesn’t mean getting in a car and driving to one of our parks. There’s no way anyone should be doing that, because the Government has made it clear that we should all ‘stay local’ when we exercise.
But if you’re lucky enough to live near one of our parks (close enough to walk), there are some really important guidelines you need to follow.
Read the article we posted earlier this week.
Thank you for your support and for everything you’re doing to help Wrexham and the UK get thorough this emergency.
Stay safe this weekend.
Benefits advice
During these difficult times, many people have seen their income drop…for example, if they’ve been furloughed or are self-isolating.
Our Welfare Rights Unit provides telephone advice to Wrexham residents on all matters relating to Social Security entitlements.
This includes advice on Universal Credit, Jobseekers Allowance, disability benefits and so on.
To find out what you might be entitled to, or discuss any other benefit issues, call 01978 298225 between 9.30am and 12pm, Monday to Friday.
GET THE LATEST COVID-19 INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC HEALTH WALES
Free school meals
Reminder – register for our new direct payment scheme by Friday, May 1
Do your children receive free school meals?
We’ll be introducing a new system on Monday, May 4 as part of our ongoing response to Covid-19.
The system will see money paid directly into your bank account, which you can then use to buy your children food.
This will make things easier for parents, and reduce the need to travel to collection points to pick up the ‘grab-and-go’ packed lunches we’re currently providing.
We don’t want anyone to miss out, so please make sure you register via the council’s website by Friday, May 1 (you’ll need to provide your bank details).
You’ll receive a monthly payment that equates to £19.50 per week for each eligible child in your family.
Note that if your children are still attending school (because you’re a critical worker or they’re vulnerable), you’ll need to use the money to pay for their school meals, or to buy food so you can send them in with a packed lunch.
REGISTER NOW
You can still collect grab-and-go bags until Friday, May 1
For the past few weeks, we’ve been providing ‘grab-and-go’ packed lunches for children who receive free school meals who aren’t in school at the moment.
We’ve been doing this through distribution centres across the county borough.
This was introduced as an interim measure to allow time to develop a new system, and you’ll still be able to collect grab-and-go packed lunches up to and including Friday, May 1.
But from Monday, May 4 you’ll need to have registered for the new direct payments system so you don’t miss out.
If you have any queries, email us at freeschoolmeals@wrexham.gov.uk
Reminder bin wagons
No-one wants to be the cause of their entire street not having their bins emptied, so please…if you park your car on the road, make sure there’s enough room for our bin wagons to get past.
Read the article we posted last week.
Reminder – are you eligible for business support?
We’ve already paid out more than £17.5 million to 1,473 businesses in Wrexham as part of the business rates relief support announced by Welsh Government.
Although claims are still being received each day, anyone who hasn’t applied yet is encouraged to check if their business is eligible and – if so – submit an online application.
If you do apply, please check the details you provide very carefully – especially bank account numbers and sort codes – as incorrect details can lead to delays in payment.
Reminder – reliable sources of information about Covid-19
Latest information on the virus and what people should do about it is provided by:
- Daily TV statements by the Government (including by Government ministers).
- Daily official briefings from the Department of Health and Social Care at 2pm, and Public Health Wales at 3pm.
Read the most up-to-date information about Covid-19.
LATEST INFO ON COVID-19
