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The UK’s Srebrenica Memorial Week for 2020 will be taking place from 5th to 12th July.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, in which over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were murdered in the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, simply because of their religious identity.

As an organisation we believe that we must ensure that we never forget about the genocide and reaffirm our commitment to standing up against all forms of hatred and prejudice that targets groups based on their religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or any type of difference.

Southport Town Hall will fly the flag from 3^rd July to the 12^th July to mark this anniversary and to encourage our community to remember this atrocity.

The theme for 2020 is ‘Every Action Matters’. The theme will seek to encourage every person to reflect upon their own behaviour and choices that they take, and demonstrate that however insignificant it may seem, every action matters, whether positive or negative.

‘Every Action Matters’ calls upon everyone to look back at the lessons from Srebrenica and think forward about our individual moral obligations to do something, no matter how small, to make a difference. It aims to motivate people to show people that their actions can, and do matter, and that we must always challenge hatred, prejudice and genocide denial.

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said : ‘It is now more important than ever for us to come together to celebrate diversity and to stand together in solidarity against hatred and discrimination. We mark this sad anniversary to make sure we do not forget the horrors of the past and to ensure we all learn from them.’

You can find out more and take part in the ‘Every Action Matters Personal Challenge: 11 actions to mark 11th July’ here

Our libraries will be highlighting important books on Srebrenica throughout the week on their social media channels, follow them here.

At 7pm on the 11th, the Remembering Srebrenica organisation will be broadcasting the UK National Srebrenica Memorial Day Commemoration online on their Facebook, Twitter and Youtube accounts, more details in the following link:

http://www.srebrenica.org.uk/informatihttp://www.srebrenica360.com/on/uk-national-srebrenica-memorial-day-commemoration/

A Coronavirus Mobile Test Site returns to Maghull’s Meadows Leisure Centre for three days from Tuesday 7 July.

Supported by Sefton Council, NHS Southport and Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG, Mobile Test Sites are providing clinical diagnosis tests to tell people if they currently have the Covid-19 virus. Tests are available for anyone but they need to have made an appointment first at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus  or by calling 119.  Essential workers still need to book through www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-essential-workers .

After Maghull, the next scheduled Coronavirus Mobile Test Site visit will be to  Litherland Sports Park from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July.

Key NHS and care workers can now attend regional testing sites, which now include the new site at Liverpool John Lennon Airport as well as Haydock and Manchester Airport without the need for an appointment.

Testing is vital to the ongoing work to overcome COVID-19 and enables key workers who test negative to return to that work. Approaching 6,000 people have already been tested so far at Sefton’s Mobile Test Sites, which have been supported by Sefton Council, NHS Southport and Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG.

Through the Government’s NHS Test and Trace service, anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted and will need to share information about their recent interactions. It is really important you follow the NHS guidance to stop the spread of coronavirus in Sefton.

Find out more about the NHS Test and Trace service.

Sefton Council will light up a number of buildings blue this weekend to mark the 72nd anniversary of the formation of the National Health Service (NHS).

Both Bootle Town Hall and Crosby Library will be bathed in blue lights this evening of Sunday July 5 to celebrate the NHS and health workers both past and present. 

Sefton Council, while working hard with partners to ensure vulnerable residents are  protected from the spread of COVID-19, have also taken time to praise the vital work of the NHS and key workers, many of whom work for the Local Authority. 

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “Now more than ever is the time to show how indebted we all are to the National Health Service and say thank you the thousands of residents across our borough who work tirelessly as doctors, nurses, administrators, support workers and cleaners to keep our incredible health service running.

“We’re delighted that we are able to light up Crosby Library and Bootle Town Hall as just a small token of our massive appreciation for the NHS and we are continuing to do all we can to support our communities and make them as resilient as possible to keep pressure off health workers at this time.”

With the Government’s changes to its shielding guidance beginning to come into effect next week, Sefton Council is reminding local people that local support and help will still be available for the most vulnerable.

From Monday 6 July, the guidance says that people who are shielding can meet in groups of up to six people from outside their household so long as it’s outdoors with social distancing.

And then, from Saturday 1 August, the Government plans to tell people currently shielding that they no longer need to do so. They are expected to be told they can go to work if they cannot work from home and that they can visit shops and places of worship, while maintaining rigorous social distancing.

While the support being provided for vulnerable people through the NHS Volunteer Responder Scheme will continue beyond the end of July, deliveries of food and medicine boxes organised through National Shielding Service will end at the start of August.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said:

“Some people who are currently shielding because they are vulnerable or at risk may have been concerned at the Government’s announcement of these changes.

“During the coronavirus pandemic Sefton Council has made around 32,500 welfare telephone calls to over 20,000 people who are shielding across the Borough and has delivered almost 900 food parcels.

“In the next few weeks our teams will be calling all of those who currently receive welfare check calls to discuss whether they are likely to have needs beyond the end of July and if they do, how their support can be provided through our invaluable local community and voluntary sector services.

“We want to reassure those and any other vulnerable people across our Borough that we will not abandon them.”

If anyone is concerned about future arrangements, they can also Sefton Council’s Contact Centre team are on 0345 140 0845 or online via www.sefton.gov.uk. To arrange support from NHS responders, people should call 0808 196 3646 between 8am and 8pm. More information is available at www.nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk

The Council is also encouraging those residents who don’t require support to consider offering support to their neighbours and communities by volunteering through Sefton CVS at https://volunteeringsefton.org.uk.

With the Government’s wider lifting of restrictions coming into effect this weekend, Sefton Council is also reminding residents and visitors of the continued importance of maintaining social distance, of thorough handwashing and of going for a test if they suspect they have the symptoms of COVID-19.

It is also stressing how important it is for anyone contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus to register by visiting https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk or calling 119.

Cllr Moncur added:

“To ensure people don’t the spread of coronavirus to their family and friends and across Sefton, it is really important they follow the NHS guidance about distancing and hand washing and that they participate fully in the Test and Trace process.

“If they contact you, Test and Trace staff don’t care where you’ve been, who you’ve been with and what you’ve been doing. They just want to protect you and other people and prevent the ongoing spread of this deadly virus.”