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Launcells Parish Council

 

Welcome to the Launcells Parish Council Website

Launcells has been an interactive parish since 2013, offering online access to its residents and beyond.  

We have just upgraded our website to comply with the new website regulations for 2020.

Please browse and let us know what you think and please tell us if there is anything that you feel the website could add to benefit users. 

Thank you 

Launcells Parish Council

Parish Council Meeting 07/10/24

Notice is given that Launcells Parish Council will be holding a parish council meeting in Launcells Parish Hall on Monday 7th October at 7.30pm.

If you would like to share your views on an agenda item, but are unable / uncomfortable attending, please email your comments to launcellspc@gmail.com no later than midday on Saturday 5th October.

View the agenda

What to put in your food recyling


We've started collecting food waste across most parts of Cornwall as part of our new waste, recycling and rubbish service. 

Here's some tips about using your food waste caddy. 

You don’t need to line it, but if you like, you can use compostable liners or old newspaper.

You can pop in things like:
  tea bags,
  veg peelings,
  eggshells,
  banana skins

Once it’s full, just empty it into your outdoor green food waste bin and lock the handle! Please don't put your silver caddy inside your outdoor food waste bin.

Find out more about the new food waste, rubbish, and recycling collections and when they’re starting using the button below.


Find out more

Reduce your risk of developing dementia


We’re sharing some top tips for reducing your risk.

There are a whole range of things you can do to lower your chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease and all types of dementia in later life. 

In this video Dr Vicky Brown, shares her top tip to avoid loneliness and isolation.


Find out how to reduce your risk

New chatbot to help you get information fast


Residents in Cornwall will get help from a new and improved chatbot which has just launched on the Cornwall Council website.  

The chatbot nick named ‘Ker-Know' can answer questions on all the services offered by the council, from waste to education, and do tasks by responding to messages in real time.  

It does this by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to search the website on behalf of residents, intelligently responding to their inquiries.  

Ker-Know can now resolve almost three quarters of enquiries received by the council daily.  


Find out more

New Reuse shops open


Reuse shops are opening at some of Cornwall’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

Run by Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, which operates Cornwall’s HWRCs on behalf of Cornwall Council, Kernow Reuse Shops will stock a variety of pre-loved items including home and garden accessories, small electricals, sports equipment, books and DVDs, and everything in between. The items are sold at the shops for affordable prices.

Shops have already opened at Truro and St Austell HWRCs, with more due to open in the coming months.

People can donate pre-loved items for the shops at all of Cornwall’s HWRCs. Donated items will be sold at the reuse shops or given to charity organisations.

Kernow Reuse shops will be open between 9am and 4pm seven days a week.


Find out more

 

Protect your baby from RSV


Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major respiratory virus that is most common over the winter period, typically October to February. While the symptoms are mild for many, for some it can have much more serious consequences. The new RSV vaccination programme launched in September will help to prevent thousands of cases of RSV, GP visits and hospital admissions.

Around 20,000 babies under 1 are hospitalised with RSV in the UK each year. Sadly we see 20 to 30 infant deaths as well. You can have the RSV vaccine from week 28 of your pregnancy. Having the RSV vaccination in pregnancy reduces your baby’s risk of severe RSV lung infection by around 70% in the first 6 months of life. Speak to your maternity service or GP practice to arrange an appointment


Find out more

£3,900 for five minutes of your time?


Help spread the word to anyone you know over State Pension age that they could be missing out on extra money.

Spending 5 minutes using the government's online 'can I claim Pension Credit?' checker tool and find out if they're entitled to extra support.

They might be allowed to claim even if they :

have savings
own their own home
are working
are getting a small occupational pension
have been turned down in the past


Check if you're eligible for pension credit

Remember, you can report lots of things to us online like:

  •  missed waste collections
     fly tipping
     full litter bins
     graffiti
     broken street lights
     potholes
     abandoned vehicles 

Report something...

How do your kids travel to school?


Please complete our school travel survey to help us understand their journeys.

We’ll use your responses to help us plan future improvements.


Take the survey

Know a young person who's struggling?


Do you know a young person who's faced disadvantages in their life?

Has fallen out of education and training, maybe? Is struggling to find a steady job? Or is vulnerable in some other way?

If your answer is 'yep', then we hope that 'Yep!' will prove to be the solution, too.

Yep! is a collaboration between some truly brilliant community partners and Cornwall Council to give 16 to 24-year-olds having a tough time support with:

job searching, CV and interview skills
work experience, apprenticeships and internship opportunities
enterprise skills
motivation and confidence building
mental health
passing the driving theory test 
budgeting, debt management, accessing benefits
ICT and technology skills
and more


If you think you might know a young person who'd benefit from this support, hit the button below.

To qualify, they need to be aged 16 to 24, living in Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly, be struggling in 16+ education, or not be in employment, education, or training at all.


Find more on how Yep! can help

 

Borrow a blood pressure monitor with your next library book


You can now borrow a blood pressure monitor free of charge from your local library, just like you borrow a book - all you need is a library card.

Around a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, although many don't realise it.

Known as the silent killer, high blood pressure rarely causes symptoms but, if left untreated, increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The borrow a blood pressure monitor scheme launched as part of this week's Know your Numbers Week - the national campaign encouraging people to check their blood pressure at home.


Find out more

Climate and Nature Fund


Cornwall Council’s Climate and Nature Fund is open for applications for projects and activities that help Cornwall tackle and respond to climate change and promote nature recovery. The fund provides up to £5,000 in support and up to £15,000 for exceptional initiatives. 

Applications from all sectors will be accepted, and projects which show a strong community impact and promote public access will be prioritised. All project applications will be judged on merit and must support either nature recovery, carbon reduction or tree planting projects. See the Crowdfunder website for details of how to apply.

Not sure if it’s for you? Take a look at these case studies to see how the fund has helped other projects:

Working Woodlands CIC
Kernow Conservation

Time to wave goodbye to your old wetsuit?

You can now take pre-loved wetsuits, even if they’re ripped or marked, to your local household waste and recycling centre.

After being cleaned and repaired, they'll be sold at affordable prices at Wave Project's shop in Newquay.

Items that can't be repaired are recycled into new items such as pencil cases and bags.

All proceeds support The Wave Project's Surf Therapy initiatives, helping young people improve their mental health and wellbeing through the power of surfing.

 Find out more on The Wave Project’s website

Make sure your children’s vaccinations are up to date before starting school


Before your child starts school, it's important to make sure their vaccinations are up to date.

By the time they reach reception class, they should have received their 4-in-1 pre-school booster, which provides continued protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and polio. They should also have had their second MMR vaccination, which provides protection from measles, mumps, and rubella.

If you're not sure whether your child has had any, one, or two doses of the MMR vaccine, you can check their personal child health record (the Red Book). If you're still unsure, speak to your GP. It's better to have two doses of the MMR vaccine now rather than risk leaving your child unprotected.

Remember, it's important that vaccinations are given on time for the best protection. So make sure your child is up to date before they start school.


Find out more

Eat Well, Spend Less... time for dahl!


Join our Healthy Cornwall team for episode 10 of our Eat Well, Spend Less cookery series!

This time, we're whipping up a delicious, budget-friendly dahl packed with veggies, lentils and spices.  

Enjoy it on its own, with rice, or with some bread to soak up the tasty sauce. We hope you love it!


Follow Healthy Cornwall on Facebook

How much do you know about dementia?


Our public health team want to learn more about people's understanding of dementia.

To help them, we'd like you to answer one simple question using our online poll. Use the button below to take part.


Take part

Listen to our new podcast


Cornwall Council’s Together for Families service has launched a new podcast series called Empowered Parenting.

We will be releasing new episodes each week, bringing you top tips and guest speakers to discuss a range of topics relating to your parenting journey. 

This first episode is an introduction to the podcast series as well as an overview of the wider parenting support on offer in Cornwall. 


Listen here

Help us tackle domestic abuse and sexual violence


The Safer Cornwall partnership has made fresh calls for all residents to help end domestic abuse and sexual violence in our communities. 

People can do this by calling out sexism and misogyny when they witness it, and by reporting abusers to the police. 

The plea comes after new statistics reveal sexual offences in Cornwall have risen by 40% over the past four years with 1,700 reported to police in the year up to May 2024. This equates to more than 30 a week.


Read the full story

Encouraging a lifetime love of reading
We're giving library cards to little ones across Cornwall to help encourage a lifetime love of reading.

When new parents register the birth of their baby, we’ll give their child their very own My First Library Card and encourage mum or dad to use it to sign up to their local library.

Cornwall’s libraries have lots of good books for a baby’s first year and beyond. There are high contrast monochrome books that are great for a newborn’s developing vision, textured, sensory and interactive books for busy babies, and picture books and nursery rhymes to entertain, engage and soothe babies and toddlers

Getting children engaged with books and reading from an early age has so many benefits. Books help with brain development, build imagination and help develop language skills.


Find out more

Fire kills: get out, stay out, call 999

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is reminding you to check your escape routes from your home in the event of a fire and make sure you have a working smoke alarm.

Help keep your loved ones safe by de-cluttering hallways and keep doorways and windows clear.

If you have children, disabled people or pets in the home, make a plan now about how they would get out in the event of a fire, and practice your escape routes, especially with children, to make sure everybody knows what to do in an emergency.

Station Manager Glen Beale, prevention lead at CFRS said: “Toxic smoke could leave you unconscious, so every second counts when escaping a fire.

"Having working smoke alarms and knowing the escape plan in an emergency could make all the difference.

“If you have dependants or someone you're caring for living with you, it could take them more time to get out, stay out and call 999.

"Make sure you’re always prepared, your exits are clear, and everyone knows what to do if the worst should happen.”

Make your escape plan

Why are we seeing so many potholes?

We're responsible for around 7,300 km of Cornwall's roads, which laid end-to-end would stretch all the way from Lands End to Vancouver, Canada.

That's a lot of road to maintain! As part of their work, our highways crews have filled over 45,000 potholes during the last year - more than double compared with the same period in 2022/23.  

Why are we seeing so many potholes? And what is the Council doing about it? Find out why in this short film

Watch the film

What happens when you report a pothole?

Our highways inspectors regularly check our roads for potholes and other defects, but did you know you can report pot holes and other road issues to us too through our website?

Find out more about what happens once you report a pothole by watching this short film. You can report potholes and a range of other issues on the 'Report it' page of our website, just hit the link below and scroll down to 'Roads and parking'.

Report a pothole and more

Chat children's health with the Chat Health text service

Chat Health is a text messaging service that links families and young people with health visitors and school nurses who can provide advice for newborns to teenagers on topics including:

  • Sleep
  • Child development
  • Support with behaviour
  • Toileting
  • Feeding and nutrition
  • Keeping safe and healthy
  • Childhood illnesses and support with medical conditions at school
  • Emotional, mental health and wellbeing
  • Relationships
  • Smoking and vaping
  • Drugs and alcohol
There are three dedicated numbers which operate Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm excluding bank holidays.
  • Young people aged 11-19 can text 07312 263 096 
  • Parents or carers of children aged 0-4 can text 07312 263 423
  • Parents or carers of children and young people aged 5-19 can text 07312 263 499

When a text message is sent, an automated reply confirms it has been received. A trained healthcare professional within the health visiting or school nursing teams will then reply within 48 hours.

Find out more

Want to be part of a scientific effort to monitor changes to Cornwall's coastline?
 
It's as simple as taking a photo on your phone! 
 
Find out how you can get involved by watching this short animation and looking out for one of the 17 CoastSnap stations across Cornwall.

Free Move More classes for over 65s

People in Cornwall aged 65 and over now have access to free classes aimed at helping them to build strength and balance and reduce the risk of falling. 

Called Move More, the programme is provided by Falmouth-based company iCareiMove and funded by Cornwall Council's Public Health team.

Find out more

New scheme to help residents fund green home improvements

Homeowners in Cornwall can now apply for lower-cost loans to fund energy saving home improvements through a new Council-backed scheme.

The Green Home Improvement Scheme aims to fill the gaps for those who are ineligible for grants. Homeowners and private landlords can apply, however the scheme is not open to properties used as holiday lets or second homes.

Cornwall Council has appointed Lendology CIC to run the pilot scheme, which has been funded by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Fund. The Green Home improvement Loans Scheme has received £518,254 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

To find about more about the loan scheme visit the Lendology website or call Lendology on 01823 461099.
Find out more

West Cornwall Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre is there for you!

There are a range of locally provided places you can access health and care from every day of the week all without an appointment - from your local pharmacy, minor injury units and West Cornwall Hospital’s urgent treatment centre. 

Some places are open late including the urgent treatment centre, which is open every day from 8am until midnight and there is no need for an appointment!

The urgent treatment centre and 10 minor injury units can help you with ailments or injuries that need attention urgently but are not critical or life-threatening. From sprains and strains, minor fractures to cuts that need stitches, insect and animal bites to suspected infections these locally provided health units are there to help you.

Remember - the Pharmacy First service can also provide you with advice and treatments for minor ailments.

Find out more

Do you need a HUG?

Warm up your home with the Home Upgrade Grant Scheme

Are you tired of high heating costs and a cold home? The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) Scheme is here to help. This grant-funded energy efficiency scheme from the Government aims to improve the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of homes that do not use mains gas as their primary heat source.

We're working in partnership with OVO Energy Solutions to deliver this scheme across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. With a range of energy-saving measures, the scheme aims to reduce heating costs and improve general health and wellbeing.

The scheme runs until March 2025 and aims to help around 500 eligible homes.

Check you're eligibility and apply

Help if you're struggling to pay your Council Tax bill

If you have no income, or you're on a low income, you might be able to apply for help to pay your Council Tax bill.

You can claim Council Tax Support if you own your own home or rent.  You can also claim if you are working or unemployed.

Entitlement to Council Tax Support is based on how much income, capital and savings your household has.

If you're already in arrears please get in touch with our team. We can help you work out a plan, which might help you worry a little less. 

We also have lots of information on other financial support that might be available if you, or someone you know, is struggling on our worried about money webpage.

Council Tax Support

Did you know that millions of people in the UK are using the NHS App to manage their health the easy way?

From viewing their health records and test results to ordering prescriptions, the NHS App makes managing your health easier.

Find out how you can order repeat prescriptions using the NHS App.

Find out how you can securely view your health records in the NHS App

Learn First Aid Gestures

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Community Emergency Plan

The community emergency plan document can be found here

It was created in 2018 and distributed to all parish households - some details have changed but the general information is still relevant.

November 2020

Covid - 19 Directory amended pdf here


Launcells Parish Defibrillators

The first defibrillator is located at Launcells Parish Hall in Grimscott - EX23 9LS

The second is It is located at the Red Post Inn, by the post box - EX23 9NW.

As before, should you need access to this "self-guiding" piece of equipment, just phone 999 and follow the instructions on the cabinet. You will then be given the access code to open it. The machine then tells you how to use it.

We would hope to arrange another set of training for the use of a defibrillator, once we return to normal, but in the meanwhile, attached is the note that was in the Parish Magazine a while back.

What is a Defibrillator?

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