We’ve put together this handy new resources page to help you through the COVID-19 Lockdown. The information below contains the latest information from the Government, such as support for businesses and health and safety advice; tips and expert tricks from our local Harborne businesses and lots of resources for your mind and body to help you and your family through this difficult time.
FOR BUSINESSES (General)
- Support and advice for businesses – Here you will find the latest news, updates and information from the Government and Birmingham City Council about grants, loans and packages of support to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Tier system explained (updated October 2020) – PDF download here
- Lockdown checklist – A handy checklist for Harborne businesses to keep their business premises secure during the lockdown.
FOR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
- GOV guidance notes for re-opening
- Guidance summary for re-opening
- Keeping staff and customers safe
- Night Time Industries Association – Things to consider before re-opening
DOWNLOADS AND RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES
- Social distancing posters and signage templates
- Local Covid Alert (VERY HIGH) – Poster download
- Local Covid Alert (HIGH) – Poster download
- Local Covid Alert (MEDIUM) – Poster download
- New mask guidelines December 2021
- Ventilation for businesses – Poster download
HARBORNE VILLAGE NEWS
- Updates from Harborne businesses (including new opening hours, deliveries and social distancing measures).
- Food takeaways in Harborne – Updates from Harborne eateries (including new opening hours, deliveries and social distancing measures).
- Tips of the trade – Every week our Harborne business experts reveal their tips of the trade so you can recreate a slice of Harborne High Street at home – including cooking, beauty and fitness tips.
TRAINING & WORKSHOPS
Use your extra downtime to further develop your skills with a whole host of training resources and workshops, many of which are being kindly offered for free by universities, businesses and more.
- Want to learn a new skill while at home? Find free, high quality digital and numeracy courses in The Skills Toolkit.
- The Open University has opened lots of courses online for free – up to a Masters level!
- Futurelearn is offering courses in digital skills and producing online content.
- Digital-inclusion charity the Good Things Foundation has resources to help people get started online.
FOR KIDS
Keeping the kids entertained is a task in itself, but keeping them entertained while on lockdown is more than a challenge. Hopefully these simple ideas will help you out and take their minds off of coronavirus for a while.
ONLINE DAILY EVENTS
9.00am – PE with Joe Wicks.
10.00am – Maths with Carol Vorderman.
11.00am – English with David Walliams.
12.00pm – Lunch (cooking with Jamie Oliver).
1.00pm – Music with Myleene Klass.
1.30pm – Dance with Darcey Bussel.
2.00pm – History with Dan Snow (free for 30-days).
4.00pm – Home Economics with Theo Michaels (Mon/Wed/Fri).
NON-DAILY EVENTS INCLUDE:
Science with Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince & Guests.
Tom Hardy Bedtime Stories nightly: 27th April – 1st May on CBeebies.
RESOURCES FOR KIDS
We’ve all been thrust into homeschooling, likely for the first time, and it’s difficult to say the least. Use these resources to help teach your kids each day and support their learning.
- McDonald’s have just launched their Family Fun Hub to keep the kid active and entertained with things like creative activities and interactive play, board games and ebooks, and even football challenges.
- Hotel Chocolat have created some boredom-busting Children’s Activity Packs full of puzzles colouring activities and the history of chocolate.
- Listen to the Cbeebies podcast.
- Get creative with the 30-day Lego challenge.
- Download some free resources from Twinkl (used by school teachers all over the UK).
- Join the nation in The 2.6 Challenge to support the Get A-Head Charitable Trust and help to save the UK’s charities.
FOR YOUR MIND
It’s as important as ever to take care of your mental health, as lockdown is proving to be a very isolating, stressful, and anxious time for many of us. Practice these wellbeing tips regularly and often to help get you through the coming weeks and months.
Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. The NHS have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.
- Find guidance, advice and tips on how to maintain your mental wellbeing while remaining at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- It’s natural to feel anxious during times of uncertainty. See the NHS’ 10 simple things you can do to maintain your mental wellbeing and deal with anxiety about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
If you cannot wait to see a doctor and feel unable to cope or keep yourself safe, it’s important to get support.
- SAMARITANS: When life is tough, Samaritans are here to listen at any time of the day or night. You can talk to them about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how difficult. Call free on 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website
- PAPYRUS: If you are under 35 and feel that life is not worth living any more, call Papyrus’s HopelineUK from 9am to 10pm weekdays and 2pm to 10pm on weekends. Call HopelineUK on 0800 068 41 41 or text 07786 209697
- CALM: CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for people in the UK who are down or have hit a wall for any reason. Call 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight). Free, anonymous webchat with trained staff
We recommend liking and following Harborne’s Renaissance Natural Therapy Centre on Facebook! They’re regularly sharing an abundance of homecare tips, guides and resources for both the mind and the body.
FOR YOUR BODY
It’s not as easy as it normally is to take care of our bodies due to the restrictions currently in place. From daily exercise to eating healthily, these tips are here to help you keep your body in check while lockdown measures last.
- Moor Pool Hall has welcomed back many of its community groups, from Female Fitness Matters to line dancing.
- Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre is back open! For now, all sessions must be pre-booked online.
- Over 250+ FREE home workouts on the Body Coach YouTube.
- Get six weeks of free virtual workouts with Chris Hemsworth.
- Jamie Oliver’s new show, Keep Cooking and Carry On, offers some fantastically-flexible recipes, tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy diet on lockdown, and you can check them all out via his website.
FOR THE COMMUNITY
I’m sure we can all agree that community spirit is one of the things pulling us all through this crisis. These resources will help you get involved and do your bit to support your local Harborne community.
- Let your creativity flow and brighten up the Harborne high street by helping both Silver and Love Jewellers and The Plough fill their windows with uplifting artwork! Rainbows have become a symbol of support and thanks for our NHS heroes during this difficult time, and it’s wonderful to see so many hung in our local windows.
- The team at The New Inn have taken this idea a step further and will donate £5 to the NHS for every picture they receive to help fill their pub windows. You can email your pictures to andymullet@outlook.com or post them directly through the pub door, but only if it’s safe to do so!