Covid-19 update from Bridgend County Borough

As the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic continues, Bridgend County Borough Council is continuing to focus its resources on providing essential services and protecting vulnerable residents. The following information provides a summary of latest developments, with the most recent additions at the top:

Keeping services running
Bridgend County Borough Council has launched a campaign to celebrate its staff who are working throughout the pandemic to help keep residents safe and make sure they can continue to receive essential services. First up are cleaners and caretakers, who are up early at 4am to open emergency childcare hubs and other facilities, and to keep them clean and safe for essential staff and key workers’ children to use. Local residents are being encouraged to also #clapforcleaners and #clapforcaretakers at their doorways every Thursday at 8pm as part of the national campaign to support the NHS, carers and other key workers during the coronavirus pandemic. To find out more and view photographs and more, visit the council on Facebook and Twitter - look for the hash tag #Unsungheroes

Help is available
A range of emergency support continues to be available throughout the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Domestic violence support offered by the Calan DVS Assia Suite is focusing mainly on telephone contact, with personal appointments taking place where it is safe to do so. Refuge accommodation is continuing, as is on-call support – you can access help or find out more by calling 01656 815919 or emailing assia@calandvs.org.uk. The Bridgend Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub, or MASH, is also continuing to provide safeguarding services for vulnerable children and adults. You can report concerns about a child to 01656 642320 or mashcentra@bridgend.gov.uk. Concerns about adults can be directed to 01656 642477 or adultsafeguardingMASH@bridgend.gov.uk, and you can visit our MASH page for more information.

Contacting the council
The first full week of lockdown has seen Bridgend County Borough Council reach more than a million people on its Facebook and Twitter channels. With more than 5,000 phone calls, 4,000 chatbot conversations, 2,600 online transactions via My Account and 1,100 emails, the authority remains committed towards providing essential services and support during the ongoing pandemic.

Bed capacity increases
Bridgend County Borough Council is working close with Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB to increase bed capacity in response to the COVID19 pandemic. To date, around 450 additional beds have been identified, and we are working to bring de-commissioned care homes back into use within the county borough. Critical care capacity has increased to 75 beds and will be boosted to 150 in coming weeks. A field hospital is being set up at the Vale Resort, which will provide 290 additional beds, and a further two field hospital sites are being developed. More news on this will be issued soon.

Watch out for wildlife
With the country on lock-down, schools closed and many people working from home, residents are being encouraged to spot, record and report wildlife and wildflowers while observing the strict regulations around social distancing. Whether it is part of your daily exercise or simply by looking out of your window, you can spot evidence that starlings are returning, blackthorn trees are blossoming, celandines are flowering, hedgehogs are coming out of hibernation and more. Help on identifying flowers and wildlife is available online from sites such as the Woodland Trust, Botanical Keys, the RSPB or the Natural History Museum, and you can submit all of your lockdown wildlife sightings to the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre.

If you are in immediate danger please contact the Police on 999.

WhatsApp coronavirus information
The UK Government has launched a new free-to-use service on WhatsApp to provide official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about the coronavirus. The service will provide information on topics such as coronavirus prevention and symptoms, the latest number of cases in the UK, advice on staying at home, travel advice and myth-busting. To use the service, add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts and then message the word ‘hi’ in a WhatsApp message to get started.

Volunteers wanted
People who are interested in volunteering to help during the Covid-19 outbreak can do so by contacting the Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations (BAVO) where they will be matched to a role according to their skills, interests and experience. Free training will be provided along with DBS checks where necessary – visit the BAVO website for more information.

Social care opportunities
More people are being sought to help support the county borough’s most vulnerable residents. A number of employment opportunities are available, and anyone who has previously worked in social care or who has transferable skills is invited to apply. A fast-tracked application process and rapid refresher training course are available. To apply or find out more, contact the recruitment team on 01656 643205 or email recruitment@bridgend.gov.uk