Information
Date of next meeting
The next meeting of the St Albans Faith and Culture Enterprise (FACE) will be held on Thursday 12th September 2024 6:30-8pm
Please contact equality@stalbans.gov.uk for further information on how to attend. For the minutes of the last meeting click HERE.
FACE has a diverse membership base, which encompasses a wide range of organisations and backgrounds. For instance, the enterprise brings together representatives from Communities 1st, Citizens Advice, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans Islamic Centre, St. Albans Masorti Synagogue, St Albans Community Pantry, St Albans District foodbank, and many other supporting organisations and individuals.
FACE is chaired by Andrene McDonald (pictured).
Mental health and well-being support services
Information about local services to help with happiness, wellbeing and mental health including support for people on the autism spectrum is available online. These services include but are not limited to advice for bereavement, dementia, advice for carers and domestic abuse. There is also information on mental health services and how to access support through HPFT and the voluntary sector.
This information has been collated to provide helpful links to services that can provide extra support when people may be cut off from the usual support networks that would usually give help and comfort during difficult times.
Please feel free to use these links as sign-posting guides to support your ongoing work to help people at this difficult time.
- Information for adults: Health in Herts homepage
- Sign-posting information for professionals: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/coronavirusmentalhealthPDF
- Information for people on the autism spectrum for adults: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/public-health/coronavirus/professionals-pages/autism-and-mental-health-adult-offer-leaflet..pdf
- Information for people on the autism spectrum for children: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/public-health/coronavirus/professionals-pages/autism-and-mh-offer-leaflet-for-children-final.pdf
This information will be updated weekly on a Thursday afternoon. If you would like to update this information please contact elaine.scott@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Take time to look after yourself and each other
As a sector we have been working harder than ever before to continue to provide support to those most in need. For volunteers and volunteer leaders alike, it has been a very busy time, adapting to new circumstances and working with others to support local people and communities.
While the priority has rightly been to help those most at need, how much time have you given to your own health and wellbeing?
It’s a question that we don’t often ask ourselves, or at least not in a meaningful way. Stopping to ask someone “how are you?” is a social convention but one that rarely leads to a thorough consideration of what this really means.
We all have a sense for when things are getting on top of us, but it can also be easy to ignore the warning signs if we are busy juggling other priorities. However, being aware of how you’re feeling and, more importantly knowing what to do to stay well, is incredibly important, never more so than in the current circumstances.
It’s important not just to check in with your family, friends and colleagues but with yourself. Some of the questions we might want to ask ourselves are:
- Am I getting good quality sleep?
- Am I getting enough exercise?
- Am I eating in a way that nourishes my body and gives me energy?
Consider setting some time aside in the morning or at the end of each day to reflect on what you are grateful for, what you are excited about and how you can build positive momentum. Taking time to reflect is a good opportunity to assess our energy levels and recognise if we are beginning to feel burnt out. Kings Fund has put together this resource on how you can manage your energy during this time.
All of this is common sense, and I’m sure will not come as a surprise. However, sometimes having a reminder of the things that can help you to feel well – and happier – is important assurance of what matters. After all, looking after your own wellbeing puts you in a much better place to support others.
If someone has forwarded this to you, you can sign up to receive our e-newsletters directly into your inbox here: www.communities1st.org.uk/newsletter.
Stay safe, stay well, be kind
Stephen Craker,
Chief Executive,
Communities 1st
This newsletter is split into the following sections:
- Communities 1st COVID-19 Information and Support
- Information to support voluntary and community sector organisations
- Funding for non-profit organisations
Information to support individuals
Protect Your Gold
Black History Month
I’m Andy Wiseman and I am the Safer Neighbourhood Inspector for St Albans, Harpenden and London Colney. My team of forty neighbourhood police constables and Police Community Support Officers are working hard to keep you and your communities safe.
We’re different from the 999 response teams that you often see whizzing past, on their way to an emergency. We are your local bobbies and community support officers. We are the long-term problem solvers and we are the people who give talks to schools and community groups. We are the people who lead on community engagement and we are your local contacts.
I would like everybody who lives or works in the district to know who their local officers are and I want them to feel confident that they can contact them when local issues or concerns arise.
My team and I are actively trying to improve our use of social media. We are using a Facebook (St Albans Police) and Twitter @StAlbansPolice to tell the communities we serve about the work we are doing on a daily basis. We also use social media feeds to provide the latest crime prevention advice and links to resources. We’ll also be telling you about the events we hope to run in 2021. I hope you are able to follow us.
There are also lots of ways in which you can get in touch with us. In addition to phoning us on 999 in an emergency and 101 for non-emergencies matters, you can report lots of things on-line by visiting https://www.herts.police.uk/Report/Report?
Also, for general feedback on how you think we’re doing and to tell us what matters most to you about policing in your area, why not visit bit.ly/police-stalbans for St Albans, bit.ly/police-harpenden for Harpenden and bit.ly/police-ldncol for London Colney? All feedback in anonymous. My sergeants and I read every piece of feedback and where we can, we will task officers the same day to put things right and formulate long-term plans to tackle problems.
Lastly, please do tell your friends and family who live, work or visit the district to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and share our posts with other groups and feeds. In particular I really want to raise our profile within our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.
I look forward to keeping you updated with our priorities and achievements and invite you, our communities, to tell us what matters most to you about policing in the district of St Albans.
Thank you.