Enjoy an Easter of Chocolate and Challenges but Stay Home!

As the Easter bank holiday weekend approaches Monmouthshire County Council, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and other partners across Gwent are sharing one simple message – stay home.

With good weather promised and a longer weekend for everyone to enjoy, key agencies are warning that people may consider venturing out or ignoring the government’s advice. It’s important that while the fight against the Coronavirus continues, everyone does their bit and stays at home.

Monmouthshire County Council and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, along with key agencies including; Gwent Local Authorities and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, are setting the public a number of challenges across the weekend.

On Friday 10th of April, residents are being challenged to partake in ‘Good Deeds for Good Friday,’ a day which celebrates the wonderful work of volunteers, communities and workers on the frontline who have gone above and beyond to help others during this difficult time. People are being asked to share short clips of their good deeds – whether that be a friendly phone call to a neighbour or offering to pick up their groceries. Key workers are also being asked to send in their clips of why staying at home can make a big difference to the important jobs they do.

On Monday 13th of April, it’s all about the Bank Holi-stay. People are being challenged to take part in a number of activities at home and use this time to reflect on their health and wellbeing. The council, along with the key agencies, will be sharing tips, advice and challenges across social media. Monlife will be delivering a range of exercise videos for people to do from the comfort of their living room or garden. Colleagues from the council’s training department will also be sharing advice on how to look after your mental health when at home. Children are being challenged to get creative and make something Easter-inspired from all the foil, cardboard and plastic left over from Easter egg packaging. It could be a bouncy bunny, an exciting egg or a cheeky chick. It’s also a great way to reduce the amount of waste created across the bank holiday. Meanwhile, older children and teenagers who might be tempted to head out and see their friends are being tasked with learning the popular #blindinglights dance challenge. So get those dancing shoes dusted off and the paint and glue on hand for a jam-packed weekend of fun for the whole family.

Commenting ahead of the bank holiday weekend, leader of the council, Councillor Peter Fox said: “This Easter weekend will certainly be very different than to ones in years gone by. While we might usually spend the time with loved ones and heading out and about, we are at a crucial point in our fight against the Coronavirus so I ask everyone to continue helping to save lives by staying at home. We can only beat this devastating disease if we all do our bit. Staying home is not just advice, it is the difference between life or death so please only head out for essential shopping and your daily exercise. Staying at home this weekend is a great way to spend time with the children and get involved with these exciting challenges. I look forward to seeing all the videos.”

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s Head of Home Safety & Fire Crime Unit, Group Manager Neil Davies said: In the past few weeks our crews have attended over 170 deliberately started grass fires. These fires are putting our firefighters lives in danger, posing a serious risk to the community and can cause significant damage to property and the environment. To help us combat this issue, every week were setting #OurHomeHeroes a Chief’s Challenge and over the bank holiday weekend we want you to design a poster that will help us stop deliberate grass fires in South Wales. The most creative posters will be displayed in our fire stations and shared on our social media channels. To enter, simply DM us your entries, tag us @SWFireandRescue or send them to us direct at media@southwales-fire.gov.uk. Children under 13 – please ask a responsible adult to help you. The competition will close at 2pm on Wednesday, April 15th and a winner will be announced on Thursday, April 16th. Anyone who has information about deliberate grass fires should contact 101 immediately, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Anybody who sees a fire, or anyone starting a fire, should call 999 immediately.’

Judith Paget, Chief Executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “We have started to see very early signs that people staying at home is making a difference. However, there is still a long way to go and our NHS services face unprecedented pressures – please continue to stay at home to stop the spread of Coronavirus. We are coping with the demand on our services at the moment, but that could change if people ignore the government guidelines. By following the advice to stay at home you will protect our NHS services from becoming overwhelmed and many lives will be saved. I would appeal to everyone in Gwent to play their part.”

For all those who take part in the challenges, please share your videos with #GoodDeedsFriday on Good Friday and #bankholistay on Easter Monday.