North Western Councils support the most vulnerable thanks to Covid Grants

MORE than 1 million grants worth up to ₤42 million have been made to vulnerable households in the North West since December 2020, through the Government’s Covid Grant support. Councils have used this money in a variety of innovative and different ways, harnessing their knowledge of the local area to help those most in need.

In Wirral for example, the Council offered individual grants worth up to ₤10,000 to community based food and welfare support groups. They provided breakfast and lunch to over 6000 local children during the School Holidays, and gave ₤80,000 to Wirral’s Humanitarian Cell to provide emergency support for people in crisis.

The Council also spent ₤37,000 to help vulnerable older people facing food poverty, with the Merseyside Fire and Rescue service providing temporary radiators and winter warmth packages to those in need. Overall, this all translated to just under 60,000 awards being distributed by the Council between December and mid-April.

Minister for Welfare Delivery Will Quince said:- "Our Covid Grants are ensuring thousands of children are clothed, fed and warm; vital support for families during the Pandemic. By working with Councils across the North West we have been able to reach those most in need in the communities here, and as we progress along the road to recovery we will continue to support families in the best way possible."

In England more than ₤269 million of Covid Grants have been given to Local Councils since December, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also receiving additional funding.

This package is part of wider Government support available to help vulnerable children. This includes the ₤220m Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which has been scaled up to cover the whole of England across the major School Holidays in 2021, and provide children with healthy meals over the school holidays.

Healthy Start scheme payments have also increased, rising from:- ₤3.10 to ₤4.25 a week. This gives pregnant women or those with children under 4 who have a low income and are in receipt of benefits money to buy fresh produce. This will help people boost the long term health of their children.

All of this support emphasises the Government’s ongoing commitment to helping the most vulnerable families in the North West and across the UK as we build back fairer.

Below is a table containing the full amounts that each Council in the North West have received.

Pet charity Blue Cross warns of weather dangers as temperatures soar

WITH temperatures set to soar this weekend and well into next week, Blue Cross is warning owners of the dangers of pets in the heat and is offering advice to keep pets safe in the sun. Flat faced breeds, such as:- French bulldogs, pugs, British bulldogs and Persian cats, are at a greater risk of heatstroke and can even collapse as their short muzzles can make breathing difficult, therefore it is much harder for them to cool. Older pets and those who are overweight also struggle in the heat.

Caroline Reay, Head of Veterinary Services at Blue Cross, said:- "Just recently we treated a two year old French bulldog who had been taken out on a run who had collapsed. While we enjoy the sunshine and warm weather it is important to make sure our pets are kept safe. They can quickly overheat and sometimes this can be extremely dangerous and even fatal. The heat wave will certainly prove too hot for most of our pets, so please do walk dogs early in the morning and late at night when temperatures are lower. Never leave your pet alone inside a car, even with windows open it can quickly become like an oven and dogs become overcome with the heat."

Many owners don't realise hot tarmac can easily burn their pet's paws. A simple test to check if the tarmac is too hot to walk your dog is to take your own shoes off and stand on the path. If you are unable to keep your feet on the path for 5 seconds, then it is not safe to walk your dog. And it's not just dogs that are at risk of injury, during the hot weather.

Blue Cross's Animal Hospitals regularly treat cases of cats falling from:- heights, resulting in broken bones, internal injuries and sadly sometimes, death. The pet charity advises owners to put up screens and netting at windows to prevent inquisitive pets falling from windows and to keep balcony doors closed. Owners can also install tip and tilt windows. The charity also regularly gets questions about feeding dogs ice cubes to cool pets down.

Caroline adds:- "It's fine to give your dog ice cubes in the hot weather but make sure the size of the cube is appropriate to the size of the dog. For smaller breeds only offer small cubes or ice shavings."

Blue Cross also advises:-

► Walk your dog during cooler times of day in the early morning or evening and avoid strenuous games.

► Make sure your pet has access to clean water at all times, ideally in a large bowl filled to the brim. Older animals, particularly cats, are vulnerable to dehydration.

► As a general rule, if it's too hot for your hand, it's too hot for your pooch's paws. If your dog is one that needs a long walk to burn off excess energy, find other ways to stimulate them instead.

► Light coloured dogs and cats can get sunburnt which can lead to skin cancer. Keep sunbathing pets indoors when the sun is strongest. You can also apply a non toxic human sunscreen or 1 specifically for pets to vulnerable areas like ears and noses.

► Pets with thick fur will need regular grooming and even a trim to prevent them overheating. Seek advice from a professional groomer.

► For small pets like:- rabbits and guinea pigs, make sure their hutches and runs are in shady areas so they can keep cool and make sure they are clean at all times with water topped up.

► Make ice cubes with your pet's favourite treat inside.

► Have a paddling pool with cool water in the garden for dogs to play in.

► If you suspect your animal is suffering from heatstroke, remove them to a cool place, dampen their coat with tepid water on a towel and contact a vet immediately. Avoid overcooling, especially small pets.

For more advice on how to keep your animal safe this summer visit:- BlueCross.Org.UK/Summer.