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COVID-19 Update: 7th April

In today's COVID-19 update from Cardiff Council: young trainee chefs delivering hot meals for the homeless, COVID-19 hasn't stopped our Exercise Referral Team, and a reminder why play areas are closed. 

 

Young trainee chefs delivering hot meals for the homeless

Sausage and mash, chicken curry and lasagne, rounded off with a chocolate mousse or a slice of cake are all on the menu for homeless people at Cardiff's new temporary accommodation for homeless people during the COVID-19 lockdown - and it's all being cooked by young trainee chefs at Cardiff Council's Youth Foods initiative, which was set-up in conjunction with the GMB union, to provide catering and food service training to young people not in education, employment or training. 

128 people living at OYO Hotel, Cargo House and YHA are receiving two free meals a day, a main course with desert and a ‘tea pack' including a sandwich and a slice of cake. 

Once the meals are prepared the Youth Foods team hand them over to council's Meals on Wheels Service for rapid delivery to three locations across the city. On arrival the food is handed over to our dedicated Hostel Services teams who are manning the new accommodation and ensuring that people staying there are properly fed and looked after. 

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: "We've pulled out all the stops to make sure there's enough provision, appropriate for the current need for isolation, for all those who are homeless in the city. 

"In the current situation it's more crucial than ever that individuals sleeping rough listen to our plea and come in to our accommodation, where they will be warm, dry, able to access a range of specialist support services, and thanks to our Meals on Wheels service and the young people at Youth Foods, well fed." 

Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Cllr Russell Goodway, said: "The Youth Foods initiative was set up to provide important vocational training opportunities for young people who aren't currently in education, employment or training - people at risk of being left behind even as Cardiff's economy grows." 

"Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, they have provided 1,143 hot meals and 1,590 sandwich meals to the city's homeless community, feeding some of Cardiff's most vulnerable citizens but, at the same time, gaining important skills which will ensure they can prosper in the jobs market in the future." 

Cabinet Member for Social Care, Health & Well-being Cllr Susan Elsmore, said: "It's such a fantastic example of how different teams and services across the Council are working together in new ways to help us respond to this emergency. Even in normal times our Meals on Wheels service is a real lifeline for its customers but in this situation it's a genuinely frontline service and the team are doing a great job working for Cardiff to get food to those in need." 

 

COVID-19 hasn't stopped our Exercise Referral Team

COVID-19 hasn't stopped our Exercise Referral Team from helping some of the city's older residents, with medical conditions ranging from Cardiac conditions to high blood pressure, from getting the exercise they need. 

The team have worked tirelessly to contact more than 1000 medically-referred clients, but who are isolated in their homes to offer them home exercise programmes tailor made for their needs and specific medical conditions, delivering weekly video routines that can be followed at home while leisure facilities are closed.

The videos have been getting some fantastic feedback, with clients saying the workouts are ‘superb,'  ‘harder than the gym,' and as well as dealing with physical fitness issues, help with clients ‘mental and emotional state.' 

As well as the videos, the team has also put together a ‘helpful contacts' list for all clients with information on how to contact organisations such as food banks, energy suppliers and organisations such as the Samaritans, to help put clients minds at ease in these difficult times. 

 

A reminder whyplay areas are closed

According to the World Health Organisation, studies suggest that COVID-19 may survive on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. 

To protect the city's children and help halt transmission of the virus, the city's play areas have been locked and closed for the past two weeks. Sports courts and skate parks are also closed. 

Please stay safe and do not use the play areas, courts or skate parks. Currently Cardiff's parks are open and we would like them to stay that way for as long as possible, so they can be enjoyed responsibly.