Music Makes Memories Valentines Special – Free online event 14th Feb 2021

Sheffield City Council Housing Tenants Survey

We’d love to know what you think about the service you receive from us as your landlord, and about the home and the neighbourhood that you live in. 

The survey will only take a few minutes to complete, and will help us to improve our services to tenants.

Take the survey: https://sheffield.citizenspace.com/place-business-strategy/copy-of-council-housing-tenant-survey-new-test/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&ut

South Yorkshire Community Transport providers offer a free return journey to a Covid-19 vaccination site for priority groups

Community Transport providers in our region have stepped in to offer a free return journey to a Covid-19 vaccination site to people from priority groups who cannot access public transport and have no other means to get there.

What is Community Transport?

Community Transport is a subsidised service, funded by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), which, for a small charge, normally provides an alternative solution for residents who may find it difficult to access standard public transport. Offering Door 2 Door ‘Dial-a-Ride’ and ‘Shopper Bus’ services, they are a lifeline for vulnerable members of the community.

During the national lockdown, while everyone has been advised to stay at home wherever possible, Community Transport operators have only been providing a limited Dial-a-Ride service for essential trips. Therefore, we decided to use this vital resource to support people in need across South Yorkshire to travel to vaccination sites for free and support the region’s vaccination effort.

How can people book a free ride to and from a vaccination site?

All Community Transport services use fully accessible vehicles and can pick up passengers directly from their homes.

To book a free ride to and from a vaccination site with Door-2-Door services in South Yorkshire, passengers must call their local provider, once they have their vaccine appointment. There is a dedicated service available for Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield as follows:

• Barnsley Dial-a-Ride – 01226 732096
• Doncaster Community Transport – 01302 342400
• Rotherham Community Transport – 01709 517100
• Sheffield Community Transport – 0114 285 9906

They should try to give as much notice as possible and at least one or two days before the journey itself. Operators will work hard to accommodate as many people as possible, but places are limited, and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

How is this being communicated to customers?

We are will be promoting this offer via our usual social media channels, a press release and on our website at Travelsouthyorkshire.com.

How you can help

It would be appreciated if you could please help by advising as many people as possible about this free service and how to register for their free booking through your online and social media channels, newletters, or during any video calls you may have with priority groups.

Community Transport services normally run thousands of individual journeys every year and were considered essential by half of its users in a recent survey. To find out more about them, visit: https://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/en-gb/journeyplanning/Door-2-Door.

An important message from SYP – Beware of HMRC Scam Calls

A number of people in South Yorkshire have been called by scammers pretending to be from HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs), or another official-sounding body such as National Insurance, Inland Revenue, HM Land and Registry Services or a ‘government solicitor’.

The scams all follow a similar theme, with the fraudster telling the victim they owe payment in relation to unpaid tax and there is a warrant out for their arrest, or they are entitled to a tax refund and must provide their bank details.

PC Gavin Johnson, from the force’s fraud co-ordination team, said: “Thankfully, many people these days will treat calls like this with suspicion – but for elderly and vulnerable people in particular it can be a very distressing experience. That is why it’s important everyone spreads the word about scams like this, and makes sure their loved ones know how to spot the signs and keep themselves safe.

“It’s also worth being aware that these heartless fraudsters may take advantage of people’s struggles during the Coronavirus pandemic – perhaps claiming the victim is entitled to a payment to help with the battle against Covid-19. They ask for their bank details to deposit some funds, but their aim is in fact to steal the victim’s money.”

If you think you have been a victim of this scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or go online to actionfraud.police.uk.

You can also tell HMRC about the suspected scam by emailing phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, including the date of the call, the phone number used and the content of the call.

STAY SAFE

• Be wary of telephone calls you receive from an official-sounding organisation out of the blue. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• If in doubt, hang up, wait for 30 minutes, and then contact the organisation – ideally from a different phone – on a trusted number to check the call is genuine.
• Remember genuine representatives from organisations such as the government and the police will never object to you making checks to verify they are who they say they are, and they will never ask for your bank details.

Open consultation – Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy (ends 19th Feb 2021)

Open consultation – Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy
The Government has launched a nationwide Call for Evidence, which closes on 19 February, to inform the new ‘Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy’
Purpose

To engage with and listen to those with lived experience of or views on violence against women and girls, those with expertise in working with victims / survivors, those involved in preventative activity, in providing services and, more generally, the communities and organisations affected by these crimes. This includes relevant professionals, such as those working in social care, education, law enforcement, local government, public health and healthcare

New grant scheme to support self-employed and small businesses

Sheffield City Council will make one off payments of £1000 to businesses who have not been eligible for other grant schemes and are impacted by the 5^th January 2021 National Lockdown.

This includes sectors such as hospitality, accommodation, leisure, entertainment, personal care and non-essential retail who are forced to close, or those that are in the supply chain of these sectors and driving instructors.

Full details here

Vaccine information, self isolation pack and more…

North Sheffield

Vaccine information from the CCG

In Sheffield, over 60,000 people have been vaccinated with their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Residents and staff in all 83 care homes for elderly people have been vaccinated with their first dose.

There are 15 primary care vaccinations sites in Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals have opened Sheffield Arena as a vaccination centre (open 7 days a week). The NHS are inviting people aged over 75 to book an appointment. Do not arrive at any vaccination centre unless you have an appointment as no one will be vaccinated without an appointment. Anyone who has had their first dose will be contacted by the within 12 weeks to have their second dose.

Both vaccines offer protection from the effects of COVID-19 after just one dose. It’s estimated the Pfizer vaccine offers 89% effectiveness two weeks after it is given, and the Oxford/AstraZeneca offers 74% effectiveness…

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