Community Help Network - links in Waltham Forest

Community Help Network

Waltham Forest has a Community Help Network, and helpline, to support vulnerable residents - those over 70, or who are self-isolating in line with NHS advice, and have no access to other community support. You can request help for yourself or an eligible relative; food packs and other parcels can be delivered to residents who need them most.

Free School Meals 

If your child normally has free school meals and is not attending school, they can still have their meal. Your school will advise you about their arrangements, and what to do if you are self-isolating.  To check if eligible click here. Meals may be:

• Packed lunch, hot box takeaways or food hampers collected from your child’s school or another local school.
• Supermarket vouchers which may be emailed to you.
• On site food provision for children attending school. 

Find out more here. 

Ideas to keep busy

The council has a Digital Hub with a range of  online resources: learning materials for children, recreation and eco-friendly activities to do at home, and tips to stay physically and mentally healthy.

Keep up to date with Council Services

Following Government instructions some Council services are reduced to ensure the safety of both residents and staff, but they are trying to ensure vital services continue. You can get up to date information on services and  reaching them here.

LP members - not yet voted in the leadership elections?

This is for members who have yet to vote in the leadership ballot - for whatever reason:

You have until April 2nd to vote, and there is an earlier date for requesting postal vote re-issues: noon next Monday 23 March. ‘Team Labour’ have issued updated advice about online and postal ballot arrangements. This is the full text of the advice:

Reminder emails have now been sent to all those who have yet to vote.

• If you have not yet received your ballot look out for an email from: labourelections@civica.co.uk 
• with the subject line: 'REMINDER: THIS IS YOUR EMAIL BALLOT FOR THE LEADERSHIP ELECTION'.

Make sure you check your spam/junk folder as well as your main inbox. Due to the possible impact of coronavirus on both the Labour Party and our suppliers the Procedures Committee have agreed that the deadline for requesting postal vote re-issues will be brought forward to Monday 23 March (noon). This will allow as much as possible of the more labour intensive process of paper ballot distribution and administration to be completed ahead of any further restrictions being introduced. For the first time members are able to use a self-service portal for email re-issues. This portal will remain available right until the close of the ballot, though we would obviously not recommend you wait until the last minute to request a re-issue.

• The self-service portal is here: labour.org.uk/reissue

Most Labour Party staff are now working from home. This means that our inbound phone line is now closed. Support will continue to be provided by email.

• For general enquiries please email: leadership2020@labour.org.uk
• For any issues relating to membership such as changes of contact details please email: labourmembership@labour.org.uk

WF council: Single Point of Contact for ALL coronavirus questions

We appreciate this is a difficult and worrying time for people in our borough. The council is updating its coronavirus webpage daily and this is the best source for the latest guidance:
https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/covid19

The council is operating a Single Point of Contact system for ALL coronavirus questions and requests for the support, in order to process requests as quickly and efficiently as possible and prioritise the most urgent needs first:
Public.Health@walthamforest.gov.uk

There are also a number of programmes and hardship funds in operation to support residents in need:
https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/content/local-welfare-assistance-lwa

Discretionary housing payments:
https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/content/discretionary-housing-payments

Discretionary council tax reduction:
https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/content/discretionary-reduction-council-tax

LP members - if you haven't had your Leadership ballot invitation yet

@UKLabour tweeted yesterday: "If you haven't received your ballot for the Leadership contest, don't worry - there's still plenty of time to vote. If you think you should have received yours by now, you can request a reissue at http://labour.org.uk/reissue"

❌ Haven’t got your Labour Leadership Ballot yet? ❌

Here’s what you need to do 👇

➡ If you’re expecting your ballot by email, check your inbox and spam for any email with the subject line The Labour Party - Election of Labour Leader and Deputy Leader 2020 from the address labourelections@cesvotes.com.

➡ If it’s not there, click this link to request an email ballot reissue: http://bit.ly/2IgOaOw

➡ If you’re expecting your ballot by post and not received it yet, you can request a reissue here by emailing: leadership2020@labour.org.uk

Make sure you forward this message to all the Labour Party members you know!

Problems with LP members' ballot invitations

A number of local party members have had messages from the LP office for the leadership elections which refer to the need for members to be on the electoral register for them to be eligible to vote in the leadership ballot. They have unfortunately been advised to email an address that bounces back.

Given the scale of the task of administering this ballot it may well be difficult to get through to anyone, but it might be worth trying one of these alternative addresses if, as a party member, you find yourself in this position:

labourmembership@labour.org.uk

enquiries@lpms-support.com

membershipaction@labour.org.uk

Don't forget that to check if you have actually had the ballot invitation search your email inbox for:

Sender: labourelections@cesvotes.com
Subject line: The Labour Party – Election of Labour Leader and Deputy Leader 2020.