Quit smoking for good this Stoptober

Stoptober begins on 1 October and there has never been a better time to quit!

If you are a smoker, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health, allowing you to start moving better, breathe more easily, and save money. Join thousands of others and start your quitting journey this October.

By supporting you to quit along with others, Stoptober can boost your confidence and motivation. You’ll realise that you are stronger and better prepared than you think, which sets you up for long-term success.

Research shows that if you can make it to 28 days smoke free, you’re five times more likely to quit for good. It’s never too late to quit – stopping smoking brings immediate benefits to health, including for people with an existing smoking-related disease.

Not only that, but you’ll have more money to spend. On average smokers spend £38.59 a week on tobacco. That means you could have around £2,000 more to spend a year by quitting.

You are four times more likely to succeed with support, and One You Leeds can help you to be smoke free. The service offers a range of support including one-to-one and group sessions with a health and wellbeing coach.

The sooner you quit the sooner you start to feel the benefits. Smoking tobacco increases the level of carbon monoxide in your body making you more at risk of heart attacks and strokes. After stopping smoking, your levels of carbon monoxide drop very quickly. In just 24 to 48 hours after your last cigarette, your levels go back to that of a non-smoker.

During October you can find out more and get a free carbon monoxide reading at one of these pop-up clinics in Leeds:

• Dewsbury Road Community Hub and Library: 3 October 10:00am to midday
• Armley Community Hub and Library: 5 October 9:30am to 11:30am
• Crossgates Library (now in Crossgates Arndale Centre): 10 October 10:00am to midday
• Hunslet Community Hub and Library: 11 October 10:00am to midday
• Moor Allerton Community Hub and Library: 25 October 10:00am to midday

How are you doing Leeds? Have your say on wellbeing in our city

There’s one month left to have your say in a survey gathering insight into people’s mental health and wellbeing in Leeds and the services they can access in the city.

The ‘How are you doing, Leeds?’ questionnaire asks Leeds residents for perceptions of their wellbeing, support networks and experiences of mental health and care services. The questionnaire is a key part of a wider survey intended to build a picture of people’s wellbeing in the current context of pressures faced by many due to the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and international events.

The questionnaire is run by Leeds Health & Care Partnership, which is a collaboration of local NHS services, Leeds City Council and third sector groups. The findings will help to inform service planning and provision, ensuring that the needs of local people are met.

Anyone aged 16 or over who lives in Leeds is invited to complete the questionnaire. The aim is to collect responses across age groups and from a broad range of communities to produce the best possible representation of the situation in Leeds. The survey is available in English, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Arabic and Polish, with other languages on request.

You cannot be identified personally from the information requested in the questionnaire. The only personal details asked from you are age, gender identity, employment status and postcode (first part only if preferred).

Submit your responses online or visit your local library or a community or digital hub to complete the survey. The deadline is Thursday 15 September.

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Air quality and health: Have your say and get alerts for Leeds

Poor air quality is the largest environmental health risk in the UK, with air pollution contributing to adverse health impacts particularly for the most vulnerable in society.

Leeds City Council’s Air Quality Strategy sets out the steps the council is taking to tackle emissions at source, raise awareness of the health impacts of poor air quality and support people most at risk.

Initiatives include the launch of an air quality alert service and a survey gathering the views of Leeds residents and workers to inform public health planning.

To have your say on air pollution in the city and how it affects you, please complete the Air Quality and Health Survey by Friday 29 July. Your responses will support a health needs assessment being undertaken by the council’s public health team.

On most days air pollution in Leeds is classed as ‘low’, however there are occasional periods of higher air pollution due to a combination of man-made and environmental factors. At these times some people may experience new or worsening health symptoms, especially those with existing medical conditions, children, older people and pregnant women.

To stay informed sign up for the council’s new free email alert service. You will receive an email alert when the Met Office forecast shows outdoor air pollution in Leeds will be high or very high, so you can take action to keep you and your family safe. The council will also share alerts on its main social media channels.

By publicising high pollution events, the council aims to enable people to follow official public health advice and to protect others by reducing their contribution to air pollution when local air quality is poor. The new alert service is one of a number of initiatives supporting efforts to reduce the 5.7% of deaths in Leeds each year that can be linked to poor air quality.

For local advice and guidance and to read about how Leeds City Council is working to improve air quality visit Clean Air Leeds.

Nominations open for Leeds Quality in Care Awards 2022

The Quality in Care Awards recognise and celebrate excellence across the adult social care sector in Leeds.

Nominations are open for the 2022 awards, which are organised by Leeds City Council in partnership with Leeds Health & Care Partnership and Leeds Care Association.

The awards aim to showcase the great work taking place in adult care and shine a light on individuals and services that make a real difference to people and their families. This year’s awards will highlight the dedication and commitment of the caring professions throughout the exceptional challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

There are nine categories:

• Social care nurse of the year
• Care or support worker of the year
• Volunteer of the year
• Care home registered manager of the year
• Best recruitment and retention initiative
• Most innovative approach supporting independence, choice and control
• Most inclusive service provision
• Digital innovation supporting independence
• Outstanding contribution to social care

The awards are open to any individual or service that provides Care Quality Commission registered adult social care in a nursing or care home as well as in people’s own homes. Anyone can nominate – a service user, family member, staff member or colleague in another organisation.

Visit Quality in Care Awards for further details and to submit nominations. The deadline for nominations is 31 July 2022 and the awards ceremony will take place in November 2022.

Dying Matters Leeds Community Grant now open

Dying Matters Leeds aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.

Funding available

1. Small Grant up to £200 is available for one off events
2. Medium Grant up to £500 is available for applications with more than one event
3. Large Grant up to £1,500 is available for arts based projects, performances and/or a regular group or activity.

Organisations are invited to apply for a Dying Matters Leeds Community Grant to deliver an event/s or activity/ies in their local community between 1 November 2021 and 31 March 2022. The events may be in real life or online.

Application process

Leeds Bereavement Forum is administrating the grants on behalf of the Dying Matters Leeds Partnership. Please read the Guidance Notes (.pdf) before you apply.

Please download and complete the Application Form (.doc)

• The deadline for submitting applications is 5pm, Friday 8 October 2021
• Applicants will be notified of the decision by Friday 22 October 2021

Applications will be assessed by a panel of representatives from the Dying Matters Leeds Partnership. Unfortunately, we have a limited budget so will be unable to fund all applications.

If you have any queries, please contact Leeds Bereavement Forum on 0113 225 3975 or email info@lbforum.org.uk

Leeds City Council on the look out for new Shared Lives carers across the city

Whether for a few hours or a few weeks, Shared Lives carers across our city open up their homes to adults with a range of care needs, providing support and companionship.

They play a pivotal role in our city, offering a much-needed break for our city’s many carers.

However, we have seen the number of Shared Lives carers in our city recently fall to record low levels, leaving Leeds City Council on the look out for anyone over the age of 18 with a spare bedroom who’d be interested in joining their carers community.

Leeds Libraries fighting loneliness by supporting people to feel more digitally included

This week marks Loneliness Awareness Week, a campaign that brings people together to raise awareness of loneliness.

More people than ever have experienced loneliness over the past year, with many of us being unable to see our family and friends due to the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve all spent more time at home than usual, with lots of us using our digital devices to access services, video call loved ones and learn new skills online.

To help make sure everyone has access to digital skills, Leeds Libraries are supporting more people across the city to feel digitally included and build confidence using their laptops, tablets and smartphones to keep in touch with others.

Let’s celebrate Carers Week and the amazing work unpaid carers do in Leeds

In Leeds, there are more than 75,000 people providing unpaid care, often alongside work or education, for someone who otherwise could not manage without their support.

With so many in our city supporting loved ones and friends, it is important we recognise the contribution carers make to their families, local communities and wider society, and that they get the support they need.

Carers Week is an annual event doing just that, raising awareness for caring, shining a light on the challenges faced by unpaid carers and recognising the work they do.

Be a Covid-19 Community Champion in Leeds and apply for funding to share key health messages with your community

Since the start of the pandemic, a range of activities have been taking place in Leeds to connect local communities with key health messages and support available in the city.

Working with Voluntary Action Leeds, Forum Central and Hamara, Leeds City Council are looking for organisations and grassroots groups who can help their communities stay up to date with the latest guidance and make informed decisions.

Applications for their Covid-19 Community Champion microgrants are now open, supporting groups who can share accurate key health messages about the virus and vaccinations with their communities.

Celebrating Foster Care Fortnight with Foster4Leeds

As Foster Care Fortnight 2021 (10-23 May) draws to a close, we hope you have been able to join Foster4Leeds in celebrating virtually the amazing work fosters carers in our city do.

If you can offer a young person in Leeds a safe, secure home, Foster4Leeds needs you!

For this year’s annual campaign, Leeds City Council are encouraging local residents to consider the benefits of being a foster carer.