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As things have been moving at speed nationally over this week this short guide hopefully provides information around the different support available for families including children eligible for FSM Vouchers and support for those who have been financially impacted by the Pandemic.

This is not a comprehensive list as I know there are other local Hardship grants, foodbanks and other networks providing support.

Free School Meals – There has been some questions around the Free School Meals below overview hopes to provide further information or links including criteria and process FAQ’s. 

• The eligibility criteria for a child to be entitled to a free school meal or free school meal voucher are set out nationally https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
• Schools hold lists of identified children within their school of those who are eligible and will have access to vouchers through nominated contractors to provide lunches for any child. Schools access vouchers (normally electronically) for each eligible child on their list directly from the nominated contractors providing FSM vouchers, they are not issued by Government or WSCC to individual schools. 

Free School Meal Vouchers 

• School Holidays – Christmas and February Half Term (West Sussex County Scheme)
  • COVID Winter Grant Scheme – Government provided funds to upper tier authorities to support families with at least 80% earmarked to support with food and essential utility costs. Decision Details 7^th December 2020 https://westsussex.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s20559/FRC02_20_21_COVID_Winter_Grant_Scheme%20Report.pdf 
  • £675,000 has been allocated to support children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) over the Christmas and February school holidays within West Sussex. Eligible families are entitled to a £30 (£15 per week) food voucher per child, distributed by their school, which can be used in a variety of supermarkets to cover the two-week December break. This mirrors the national approach used during the Easter and summer holidays and will be replicated for the February half-term.
  • Every school in West Sussex (including Academy’s and Free Schools) were contacted via school news letter who would have contacted parents on their eligibility lists. Many of who would have participated in the previous National FSM Voucher schemes earlier in the year.
  • Free School Meal Voucher scheme providers are Edenred and Wonde 

• Redeeming Vouchers – The providers have a list of main supermarket and retail chains that have signed up to accept the vouchers https://www.edenred.co.uk/dfe-freeschoolmeals-administrators

https://www.wonde.com/free-school-meals

• Term Time – 4^th January to 18^th January
  • Schools have an obligation to provide free lunches to eligible children in school and those learning from home
  • They have been working with their catering suppliers to provide food parcels for eligible children learning from home

• National Lockdown 3 – Term Time from 18^th January (National Government Scheme)
  • Government announced on 13^th Jan 2021 that the National Voucher Scheme will be available from Monday 18^th January
  • Free School Meal Voucher National scheme provider is Edenred https://www.edenred.co.uk/dfe-freeschoolmeals-administrators/
  • FAQ’s for parents on the scheme and how it works can be found on their website https://www.edenred.co.uk/Documents/Select/clients/SelectGrocery_FSM_ParentCarerFAQs.pdf
  • Every School in West Sussex (including Academy’s and Free Schools) have been contacted today 13^th January as soon as the Government announcement has been made. Including information on the national scheme reopening with the aim to move over to the Government scheme commencing Mon 18^th Jan.

Other support available 

Apart from the FSM Vouchers other support is available for families who are experiencing financial hardship during the pandemic. This includes support with fuel or utility bills, council tax and rent as well as food.

• WSCC Community Hub Families with children who aren’t eligible for FSM but who are experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to contact the Community Hub in confidence to seek practical support and advice. The Hub will be open seven days a week between 8am-8pm on 033 022 27980 https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-information/community-hub-covid-19/ 
• WSCC Children Services will be supporting families and most vulnerable children. They also work closely with the Community Hub on requests for support where appropriate
• Mid Sussex DC https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/coronavirus-community-business-support/coronavirus-community-business-support/  or  https://midsussex.entitledto.co.uk/home/start 
• Citizen Advice along with advice, have a number of grant funds that can support families https://www.advicewestsussex.org.uk/ and 
• Supporting residents facing fuel hardship this winter – To support residents who are facing fuel hardship this winter, the DWP Covid Winter Grant Scheme has been launched by Citizens Advice in West Sussex (North, South, East) and Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice in partnership with the County Council.
  

What can it do It can help with paying for gas, electric and water bills, boiler repairs, purchasing blankets, slow cookers, heaters. Other help may also be available such as mobile phone top ups, energy advice, benefit checks referrals for specialist debt advice. 

Examples of who could be eligible:

· Families who have had to claim Universal Credit and don’t have significant savings

· Families on Universal Credit, home schooling and worried about heating their home

· Families in debt and struggling to pay their gas or other bills

· Care leavers on a low income

· People with disabilities who are worried about putting their heating on.

• Government expansion of the Holiday Activates and Food Programme statement https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools 

The government announced that the Holiday Activities and Food programme will expand in 2021. Disadvantaged children in England will be offered free healthy meals and enriching activities over the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays next year. Local authorities will receive separate funding to co-ordinate delivery. Some may co-ordinate it themselves, and others may choose to work with another organisation to co-ordinate provision on their behalf. The programme will make free places available to children who are eligible for free school meals for a minimum of 4 hours a day, 4 days a week, 6 weeks a year. This would cover 4 weeks in the summer, and a week’s worth of provision in each of the Easter and Christmas holidays. Funding to local authorities would reflect the participation rate among eligible children, based on what we have seen in the pilot stage of this programme. We will work with local authorities over the coming months and will put in place additional measures to support them, including guidance and best practice based on our pilot phase.

West Sussex County Council will continue to provide help to people in need of support, after the Prime Minister announced another national lockdown.

Local help to residents of Bolney is also still available from the Bolney Volunteers by calling our emergency number: 07752 274952.

People must stay at home and only leave for a limited number of reasons, including shopping for basic necessities, for exercise or to go to work where you cannot do so from home. Those with severe underlying health conditions will once more be required to shield.

The county council’s Community Hub is still available to anyone needing support or experiencing hardship due to COVID-19. Residents can contact the Hub in confidence by calling 033 022 27980 or by completing the online form. The Hub is open seven days a week between 8am-8pm.

Mental health support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling the Sussex Mental Healthline on 0800 0309 500.

Support for people at risk of harm as a result of domestic abuse is available from the WORTH Specialist Domestic Abuse Service by calling 07834 968539 or 033 022 28181, or emailing DomesticAbuseServicesCentral@westsussex.gov.uk Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

The latest COVID-19 infection rate across West Sussex*, for the seven days up to 30 December, is now up to 555.2 per 100,000. This is above the national average for England of 518.5 per 100,000.

Dr Tony Hill, Interim Director of Public Health, said: “I am extremely concerned about the infection rate across West Sussex, having seen the numbers go up significantly in all districts and boroughs in the county.

“We all have a responsibility to keep West Sussex safe. The roll-out of vaccinations to those most at risk is an enormous positive step, but we all have a duty do everything we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“It is vital that we all follow the government’s instruction to stay at home, save lives and protect the NHS.”

Councillor Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, said: “I realise that a third lockdown will be extremely hard and difficult for many residents but I would urge you all to continue playing your part in this battle against the virus.

“Please stay at home so that cases can be brought under control and life can return to normal. Thank you to everyone for your support in helping us achieve this aim.”

Information about the latest updates to council services are available on our website.

Front line services to our most vulnerable residents will continue, including social care provision for children, young people and adults.

Primary and secondary schools, along with special schools and alternative provision have been told to close to the majority of pupils, and will only be open to priority pupils – those considered vulnerable or those with a critical worker parent.

This is expected to be in place until at least mid-February and schools have been asked to provide remote learning to all pupils who are not in school.

Colleges and universities have also been asked to teach the majority of students remotely.

The government has suggested early year settings, including nursery schools can remain open as normal.

The county council is working closely with school and early year leaders to support them in this change.

The council’s Household Waste Recycling Sites (HWRS) remain open but in order to keep safe people should avoid travel to the sites unless waste cannot be safely stored or put out for normal kerbside collection.

Visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest information.

*The latest figures relating to West Sussex are available on the data dashboard on the county council website: https://wsx-c19-mobile.netlify.app/. The seven-day rate does not include the most recent days of data (this is true of the local dashboard and the national one). This is to allow time for test results to come through. The incomplete days of data can be seen as orange bars on the figure below the table here: https://wsx-c19-mobile.netlify.app/#latest_case_section

For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email pressoffice@westsussex.gov.uk.

For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

The Mega-Swing on Batchelors Field is now open for use It was purchased by Bolney Parish Council with funding from The Rampion Fund at Sussex Community Foundation, and installed by Mid Sussex District Council.

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is appealing for donations of old, unwanted vehicles.

The service relies on donations of used vehicles from members of the public for firefighters to use for training.

Recently six more retained (on-call) firefighters completed their road traffic collision training course and used donated cars for their training.

As part of the course, Adam Newton from Shoreham Fire Station, Oliver Lewis from Burgess Hill, Robert Austen based at Steyning, Will Middleton from Bognor Regis, and Warren Boyt and David Loor from Chichester had to demonstrate their skills in responding to a road traffic collision.

This involves the use of hydraulic cutting equipment carried on West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s appliances to allow firefighters to safely extract casualties who are trapped inside a vehicle.

Neil Mason, a Watch Manager in WSFRS’s Operational Training Team who oversaw the latest RTC course, said: “Firstly I would like to congratulate each of our six newly qualified retained firefighters who completed this course. Each of these retained firefighters have full-time jobs elsewhere but chose to become retained firefighters to help support their communities in their own time. It is a big commitment, as is making the time to complete training courses like this.

“We used a number of scrap vehicles as part of this course to give the firefighters the chance to experience the aftermath of a road traffic collision so that they are armed with all of the vital skills and knowledge to respond effectively in a real life emergency situation.

“I would like to say a big thank you to each of the drivers who thought of the fire service when their vehicle had reached the end of its working life and donated it to us for training. It could well have saved someone’s life.”

A number of fire stations are in need of extra vehicles across West Sussex to ensure firefighters gain plenty of experience in rescuing casualties from inside vehicles. Collection and removal of vehicles is managed by Mark Maynard of Autorecovery, who will travel to any address within West Sussex to collect the vehicles free of charge.

Anyone wishing to donate their car can call 0330 2228377, or email frsmedia@westsussex.gov.uk with the following details:

Name
Contact number
Make, model and registration of the vehicle
Whether the vehicle is taxed or SORNd
Full address, including a postcode, of where the vehicle is parked

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For further information please contact the press office on 0330 2228377 or email FRSMedia@westsussex.gov.uk.

For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

The pandemic has made life difficult for many people and it is also having an impact on public services, including our police. The Police and Crime Commissioner would like to hear what is important to you to help inform the Police and Crime Plan and the spending plans for the next four years. Please could you could complete a very short survey asking people’s views on whether they would be prepared to pay a small amount more for policing in Sussex from next April

OSPCC Consultation (researchfeedback.net)

Many thanks to the dastardly ditch digging duo who were out in Coombe Lane clearing ditches this weekend!

On Sunday 8th November, Rev Michael Windridge  was in attendance to conduct a short, well attended but socially distanced service at the War Memorial.

The  short Act of Remembrance was enhanced by a tuneful young bugler.

This year, children and adults of Bolney remembered in a creative way by painting a poppy on a pebble and bringing it to the war memorial to display.

The Bolney Volunteers spent several hours on an autumn clear-up of the war memorial garden ready for Remembrance Sunday. Shrubs were clipped, dead branches removed and two new plants were dug in, kindly donated by Vicky Hawken.