It's the end of a long week. I’m writing to you with my latest
update on the response to the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic in
Harrow. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌


[COVID Update]

Dear John,

Below is my latest update on the response to the Coronavirus or
COVID-19 pandemic locally. As we come to the end of another week for
many in lockdown, to all those celebrating I wish you a Happy Easter
or a good Yom Tov. For the Jain community, I hope that this week, you
have been able to commemorate Mahavir Jayanti in your own meaningful
way.

This month sees some of the holiest dates in the calendars of the
three Abrahamic faiths. Perhaps for the first time, adherents will not
be able to meet to pray, celebrate or worship together. Yet, religious
communities and many secular groups are working harder than ever to
ensure those impacted by the coronavirus are being supported. We can
see the positive results not in crowded churches, temples, synagogues
or mosques but in the thousands of acts of individual kindness and
compassion that are happening around us every day. This e-mail
features some of the incredible efforts of local organisations like
Harrow VCS working together with the council, My Yard, London
Community Kitchen and many others. It is easy to get involved and
provide support but hopefully, just as easy to seek assistance if you
are in need. I hope you continue to stay safe, stay indoors and
regularly check in on loved ones, Again, in the warm weather, do make
sure you take the opportunity to walk or jog through one of Harrow’s
glorious green spaces. 

To our doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, cleaners, paramedics,
lab technicians, porters, scientists, teachers, refuse collectors,
supermarket staff, delivery drivers and all other key workers the
nation is relying on during this crisis: THANK YOU.

I continue to update my website
[[link removed]] – covering where to
find support, keep safe and assist local people in Harrow. If you have
anything you would like to me to feature in this update please send me
an e-mail with the subject “Covid-19 newsletter” and be sure to
share this message with friends, family, neighbours and local
businesses in order to strengthen our collective response to COVID-19.
The response to Coronavirus is being directed by Government centrally
working with Public Health England, the Government’s advice
is available here
[[link removed]]
. Government assistance specifically for businesses is available
here [[link removed]] . 

As always, if you ever need to get in touch about the issues covered
here – or anything else – please contact my office on 0207 219
4243 or e-mail me at [email protected]. Please bear
with us, as we have received over 5 times our usual weekly amount of
correspondence. My team and I are working hard to respond as promptly
as possible. Although we have had to cancel face to face surgery
appointments, we are now scheduling regular Zoom surgeries and phone
calls with Harrow West constituents. 

[lovely message of support for key workers]

A lovely notice in Rayners Lane; please share some of your favourite
signs of support when you see them.

NORTHWICK PARK

A lot of attention has been on Northwick Park Hospital again this week
as it continues to cope with the covid-19 crisis. The London Borough
of Brent has had the highest number of covid-19 cases in London so
far, with 958 recorded as of 10 April. Harrow has had 610.
[[link removed]]

Last month, national newspapers released photos of three nurses at the
hospital wearing bin bags on their heads and feet due to the lack of
protective gear. The same nurses were later confirmed to have tested
positive for Covid-19 – according to a spokesperson for London North
West University Health Care NHS Trust. As I state in this Harrow
Times article,
[[link removed]] it’s
impossible not to feel deep concern for the nurses and their families,
and anger that they were left so exposed.

This is an issue I had been raising since before parliament was
adjourned and
[[link removed]]
 I will be seeking further reassurance from Ministers about the
supply of personal protection equipment for all the staff at Northwick
Park. The situation in terms of supplies of ppe has, I’m told,
improved significantly at Northwick Park but is still not perfect and
I will not stop campaigning for those on front line - the Department
of Health must hear our concerns on gowns and PPE. I have also
repeatedly raised concerns about testing. The numbers of health staff
being tested is expanding with GPs and other primary care staff now
receiving access to tests when needed, but access for care home staff
is still not yet in place, as there isn’t enough national capacity
yet to allow this to happen. I will continue to push to ensure there
is expansion in testing for care home staff in Harrow.

VCS FEEDING HARROW

[Feeding Harrow]

Over the last two weeks, I have been in contact with representatives
of Morrisons, Tesco’s and Waitrose to support the efforts to feed
our most vulnerable. The VCS network are continuing their incredible
work, having delivered nearly 3000 vital food parcels to vulnerable
residents across Harrow alongside the joint multi-agency work between
the council, Voluntary Community Sector (VCS), Morrisons (Hatch
End), Waitrose (South Harrow), Tesco, Harrow Community
Transport (HCT), The Bridge, My Yard, The Breaking Bread Trust,
Harrow School and others. 

I am really grateful to the hugely positive response to my requests
for help from our local supermarkets and a huge thanks to their staff
and management for the calm and diligent way they are managing our
food ‘visits’; respecting social distancing rules and keeping the
shelves (mostly) stocked. While it’s a deeply challenging time for
many of us, it is encouraging to see this strong support from our
local community. The Government are supplying the council with a list
of vulnerable residents, in addition to this, people are being added
to this list through the council’s coronavirus hotline. Harrow
Giving has set up a fund to support front line organisations that are
working with the affected communities, if you are able to
donate, please do here
[[link removed]], as
you can see, it will continue to support the local response.

PARLIAMENT

Parliament is still in recess but, as with every recess, the work does
not stop. Important work continues as the Government responds to the
Covid-19 pandemic. I echo the call from party leaders to recall
Parliament at this crucial time.
[[link removed]]

When Parliament returns later this month, whether this will be in the
physical or digital realm, I am honoured to have been invited by Keir
Starmer and Emily Thornberry to re-join the frontbench as a member of
the Shadow International Trade team. There is an important job to be
done in scrutinising the Government’s plans to ensure businesses
will recover from the impact of Covid-19 and to begin winning the
export orders crucial to the good jobs, incomes and tax revenues that
our country desperately needs.

The full shadow front bench can be found here. 
[[link removed]] 

THIS WEEK I JOINED A NUMBER OF OTHER MPS FROM ACROSS THE HOUSE TO
CAMPAIGN ON VARIOUS ISSUES:

STUDENT NURSE DEBT – Over 5,500 student nurses from 35 universities
have signed up to a paid placement in response to the crisis. This
week, I joined over 80 Labour MPs in calling on Ministers to cancel
the student nurse debt as a first step for those that have responded
to the call to join our NHS frontline early. No student should have
ever been put in a position to incur such debts while training to care
for people and save lives. This can be read here. 
[[link removed]]

SUPPORT FOR CHARITIES – In joining hundreds of MPs from across
Parliament last month, we made a plea for urgent action to be taken to
support charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises
especially at this crucial time of helping the national response
against coronavirus. This can be read here.
[[link removed]]  This
week, the Government have announced £750m to be made available to
front line charities, this intervention is welcome but falls short of
the £4.3bn to support the charity and voluntary sector across the
country. Much more will need to be done in weeks to come.

BRITISH NATIONALS IN PAKISTAN – Following the urgent letter last
week calling on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to urgently
repatriate British Nationals stuck in India. I have joined writing to
the Foreign Secretary about the dire situation for those British
nationals who are stranded in Pakistan. This can be read here. 
[[link removed]]

HARROW COUNCIL

[HC Coronavirus response]

The council has a webpage covering their own response, this is
regularly being updated and IS AVAILABLE HERE
[[link removed]] .

FINDING EMPLOYMENT

The council have a new webpage featuring a number of job and voluntary
opportunities here. [[link removed]]From delivery
drivers, on-line assistants, stock room and sales assistants to
cleaners, there are a number of supermarkets in Harrow and the
surrounding areas (Ruislip, Watford, Uxbridge) recruiting extra
temporary part/full time staff to start immediately.

THE CORONAVIRUS HARDSHIP FUND

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Government have allocated
funds to local councils in the form of a Hardship grant to support
residents financially impacted by the Coronavirus. A reminder, if
you're financially impacted by this crisis, make an application
here: www.harrow.gov.uk/hardshipfund
[/www.harrow.gov.uk/hardshipfund]

CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE

The council have set up a hotline telephone number to support the most
vulnerable people in Harrow, if you are in need of support due to the
COVID-19 crisis please give the hotline a call - 0208 901 2698

MET POLICE

Currently, across the whole of London, the police are seeing a decline
in offences which is also being replicated in Harrow. As expected, the
volume of foot fall is dramatically down in the town centre,
compliance with social distancing is good and shops are saying that
they are able to spot potential thieves a lot easier. 

The police are, however, seeing a rise in ASB calls, with the majority
of this increase in ASB calls being linked to COVID. For example,
people largely calling to report non-compliance of government
directions. The police are glad to say that the vast majority of our
community are embracing the guidelines from the government and Public
Health England. Across the bank holiday weekend, the police will
continue to have officers on patrol across all 4 days. 

This week, the first intervention of new Shadow Home Secretary, Nick
Thomas-Symonds, was to call on the Govt to find funds for
organisations that run “frontline” domestic abuse services
[[link removed]]. The
UK’s biggest charities dealing with the issue have
reported increased demand for helplines and online advice. 
[[link removed]]

Domestic abuse is historically an under-reported crime and victims may
now feel even more isolated with less opportunity to access help and
support. With this in mind, the police are now publicising more
information that will help and support communities. 

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or you know a friend, relative
or neighbour who you think is at risk, call the police right away. In
an emergency, always call 999 – high harm domestic abuse calls will
continue to be prioritised. The 24/7 National Domestic Abuse
helpline, which offers support to victims and people affected by
domestic abuse, is free to call on 0808 2000 247. Harrow Council has
a webpage set up specifically to find support across Harrow and London
here.
[[link removed]]

CAN YOU PROVIDE SUPPORT?

VOLUNTARY ACTION HARROW, YOUNG HARROW FOUNDATION and HARROW
COMMUNITY ACTION continue to work with Harrow Council to help
coordinate a Harrow wide response to the Coronavirus outbreak and a
database is being compiled of people who are willing to volunteer.
Voluntary Action Harrow are using this database to inform people of
organisations looking for volunteers. Please sign up here: 
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

SPARE ROOM?

Last week, my office were able to match key workers with free rooms
for those with family or housemates self-isolating. If you are able to
temporarily offer a spare room to a key worker currently unable to be
at home due to a family member or a housemate self-isolating, please
get in touch with my office by e-mailing
[email protected] with subject “spare room”.

FINDING SUPPORT

DO YOU HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION THAT MAKES YOU VULNERABLE? PLEASE
REGISTER.

A reminder, if you think you fall into a category that makes you
vulnerable to coronavirus – register with the Government here
[[link removed]]. For example,
you’ll be able to ask for help getting deliveries of essential
supplies like food. The council has just started to receive this
information and are working with local organisations to provide
support to those who apply.

If you’re not sure whether your medical condition makes you
extremely vulnerable, register anyway. This service is free. You can
register yourself, or on behalf of someone else
[[link removed]].

CORONAVIRUS SCAMS - The Government are advising the public to be extra
vigilant and be wary of scams related to Covid-19, please read the
Government's guidance here -
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

A COVID-19 COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP has been set-up, coordinating
action within WhatsApp groups for every ward in Harrow in order to
provide support to local residents – you are welcome to  join the
Facebook group here
[[link removed]] 
[[link removed]]
and if you are not a Facebook member but would like to join your
ward’s WhatsApp group – e-mail [email protected] with your
postcode and the coordinators will add you to the correct group.

ST MARY’S CHURCH - If you are in need of support or company – a
visit (where possible), a telephone call, help with shopping etc. St.
Mary’s would like you to get in contact. You can do this in a
variety of ways via the Church Office. The Office is open on Tuesdays
and Thursdays 9am – 2pm but the messages will be checked daily.

Email: [email protected], Tel: 020 8423 4014 (answerphone:
leave your contact details)

HARROW CENTRAL MOSQUE – Harrow Mosque is providing a free food and
essentials transport service to elderly and vulnerable people in
Harrow who require assistance with medical collection or other
essentials – Call or SMS: 07874869484 E-mail:
[email protected]

HELP FROM ME 

I appreciate that whilst this outbreak of Covid-19 is currently
dominating a lot of our thoughts, other concerns and problems do not
disappear. However, to help reduce the spread of infection, I am
asking members of the public who need to contact my office to do so by
phone or email rather than in person and further, I will continue to
hold surgery appointments exclusively by telephone and Zoom video
conferencing. This is a temporary measure and a sensible precaution to
protect vulnerable people. Please be assured we continue to offer a
full service of advice and support to members of the public who need
it.

As always, my office can be contacted
on [email protected] or by telephone on 0207 219 4243
(Monday-Friday).

STAY AT HOME AND SAVE LIVES.

Best wishes,

GARETH

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