BRADFORD Council has put plans in place to help struggling families get extra support this winter from the government’s Covid Winter Grant Scheme. The Council was allocated almost £2.3 million from the £170 million national programme by the Department for Work and Pensions. The scheme is designed to help ensure that local children, families and vulnerable individuals do not go hungry or without utilities and other essential items this winter. The Council is working with schools and a range of community and voluntary sector organisations across the district to make sure the help is directed where it is most needed. The majority of the money will go towards preventing school children from going hungry.
A RAPID testing system is being rolled out across the district to help protect those most at risk from Covid-19. The programme, which is in addition to testing already being carried out, aims to identify people who have high levels of the virus but are not showing symptoms – and who wouldn’t otherwise come forward for a test. A Government announcement of the programme was welcomed by Bradford Council, which has been identifying suitable locations for conducting the so-called lateral flow tests. For those with symptoms of Covid-19, there are mobile testing units across the district and test centres at venues including Marley Stadium and Victoria Hall in Keighley. There is also a dedicated testing site for NHS staff and frontline workers at Marley.