Mylander - Issue 83

Council Reports Livewell Essex has a webpage on looking after your mental health whilst at home, and it has practical tips on helping you sleep well and reduce stress and anxiety. It also has links to apps and organisations that can offer mental health support for both kids and adults. Support in Colchester Colchester Borough Council and Community 360 are co-ordinating many support services and groups that can help residents. If you need help with shopping or collecting medicines, or are feeling a bit lonely due to self-isolating, contact Community 360 by email [email protected] or call 01206 505250. The council has a website section for residents setting out how the council can support them and listing details of local community support services. You can email the council communities@ colchester.gov.uk or ring the Communities Response team on 01206 282222. Could you volunteer? Have you got spare time, perhaps you’re working from home and don’t have a daily commute? Given the large number of people needing to self-isolate, local community organisations need people who can help deliver shopping or medicines. They also need volunteers to make phone calls to check people are ok – you can do this even if you are self-isolating yourself. Get in touch with Community 360 ([email protected]) for opportunities in Colchester or register with the Volunteer Essex website. Supporting our community in the future Myland Community Council is working with Colchester Borough Council to inform and support residents at this difficult time. Looking to the future, the community council can provide small grants to help local organisations that have not been able to carry out regular fundraising to buy equipment or support projects. The grants are available to community organisations that will benefit the area and a significant number of residents. Although it’s not possible to award grants now, due to the suspension of council meetings, organisations can apply once normal council activities begin again. The funding cannot cover ongoing costs such as salaries or overheads. Details are on the council website, and we will be publicising them when the grant application process re-starts. The council recently established the Health &Wellbeing Working Group to help improve physical andmental wellbeing for residents. The groupwill workwith community organisations to support residents through training and awareness raising of the different services and facilities available in the community. 16