Keeping cool in the heat

As temperatures continue to be high this week, we are now in a Red warning from the Met Office for extreme weather.  Temperatures are expected to peak on Monday and Tuesday next week, don’t forget to protect your health in the heat by: 

• Staying hydrated - drink plenty of water and avoid excess alcohol 
• Slowing down when it’s hot 
• Keeping your home cool – close any curtains or blinds during the day, open windows at night if it’s cooler outside
• Looking out for signs of feeling unwell – move to a cool place as soon as possible, slow down and drink water if you feel unwell. If you need medical help, call NHS 111 or 999 in an emergency 
• Trying to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, and walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat if you have to go out in the heat 

If you have any older or frail neighbours please keep an eye on them as well and check they are coping in the hot weather. 

Visit the NHS website for more information on how to cope in hot weather.

Find out the latest alerts from the Met Office. 

Families and schools

A number of schools are closing early or offering early pick up during the hot weather. Please contact your child’s school to confirm their arrangements. You can find a list of all local primary schools on the Council website. 

Two Children's Centres in the borough are open for families to visit without booking on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July. They have cooled indoor spaces, outdoor areas with parasols and paddling pools, and will provide cool water to drink.

The two centres are open until 5pm:

• Holmfield House,
  4-6 Golborne Road
  W10 5PE
• Cheyne Children’s Centre
  10 Thorndike Close
  SW10 0ST

Home care and care homes

The Council has asked all our home care and care home providers to be extra vigilant for signs of heat exhaustion in people receiving care and make sure they help people in their services stay cool. Our outreach team is working with local homelessness charities Glassdoor and St Cuthbert’s to locate rough sleepers and offer them accommodation, water and hats to help stay cool.

Waste collection

For the welfare of our staff, on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July our waste collection crews will begin their rounds at the earlier time of 5am to help them to complete more of their day’s work before the hottest part of the day.

Parks

Our parks team are taking care of our green spaces but the trees in our streets may need some extra water in the heatwave. Most mature trees in the borough will handle the heat well but if you live near a sapling or young tree, you can help it survive the heatwave with a watering. A few buckets of water for each tree around the base will make a huge difference. The water does not need to go down the tube – anywhere in the tree pit is fine.

Council tenants and leaseholders

There are a number of respite centres across the borough that have been set up within Council estates to provide assistance to residents. 

In the South:

• World’s End Community Centre, Blantyre Street. Open until 5pm.

In the North:

• Silchester Community Room, Base of Frinstead Tower. Open until 5pm.
• North Kensington Resource Centre, between Hurstway and Testerton Walk. Open until 5pm.