Hounslow Business Task Force at Ten - Free Webinars:
 
Please join us on Tuesday, 12 th  May at 10:00 am for a Health & Wellbeing webinar to try to understand our current behaviour patterns and how we can cope better. There will be plenty of time for your questions to our panel of the following experts. This could be the most useful 60 minutes of your day!

Please book here:

The next task force at ten webinar is on Thursday 14 th  May at 10:00am
We are so pleased that Andrew Hatch from TfL will be part of the panel.
 
If you have missed our webinars, you can watch them now:  https://hounslowchamber.org.uk/10015
The programme of advice and support is really helping business owners with up to date information, enabling you to make good decisions about how to get through the current strange times.

All the webinars are free – please use this service and click here to book your place.

DAILY BUSINESS BRIEFING FROM GOVERNMENT'S COVID-19 PRESS CONFERENCE (Courtesy of White Label)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told the country in his long-awaited ‘lockdown exit strategy’ broadcast that it would be ‘madness’ to release lockdown now.

In his address to the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister said: “It would be madness to …allow a second spike. We must stay alert, we must continue to control the virus and save lives. But we must also recognise that this campaign has come at a cost to our way of life – we can see it in the darkened pubs and restaurants, closed businesses and shuttered shops. Millions of people are fearful of this virus, but also fear what this long period of enforced inactivity will do to their livelihoods and their mental and physical wellbeing. To their futures and the futures of their children. Therefore I am setting out the shape of a plan today to address both fears – both to beat the virus and the first sketch of a roadmap to the reopening of society.”

Mr Johnson said any future easing of the lockdown would be based on a new COVID alert system, which ranked the risk from 1 to 5 – with 1 being no COVID-19 in the country, and 5 being the worst case scenario with the NHS overwhelmed.

He explained that until now the UK had been at level 4, but he believed the country was now in a position to move in steps to level 3, and announced the following three immediate modifications as a Step 1 to lockdown release:

  1. People who could not work at home, in particular those in manufacturing and construction industries, should now go to work, avoiding public transport if at all possible
  2. A ‘COVID-safe’ standard for workplaces so employees knew it was safe to return to work, with detailed guidance released for employers in each sector
  3. From Wednesday, unlimited outdoors exercise, including playing sports with members of one’s own household.

And Mr Johnson reiterated fines would be increased for the small minority who do not follow the rules.

He added if the five tests continued to be met, then the public could expect the following two steps to follow:

Step 2 (1 June at the earliest):

  1. Phased re-opening of shops
  2. Primary pupils may be allowed back into schools, with the priority being Reception, Year 1 and Year 6
  3. Secondary school pupils facing exams next year may get some time with their teachers before the summer holiday

Step 3 (July at the earliest):

  • The government hopes to re-open at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places, provided they were safe and social distancing could be enforced.

The Prime Minister said government’s ‘test, track and trace’ approach would be providing essential data so the government could ‘put the brakes on’ if there were outbreaks.

He concluded by stating the steps were all conditional, and that the government could not move forward without satisfying its five tests. And he added in order to prevent reinfection from abroad it would ‘soon be the time’ to impose quarantine on people coming into the country by air.

“We will come back from this devilish illness to robust health,“ he concluded. “The UK will be changed by this experience. We can be stronger and better than ever before, more innovative, more economically dynamic, but also more generous and more sharing.”

The full document relating to the exit strategy is due to be released tomorrow, when Mr Johnson will make a statement in the Commons where he will be questioned. He said he would also take questions from the public at the Downing Street press conference tomorrow evening.

You can read the Prime Minister’s address to the nation in full here.
In response to the above: Message from Richard Burge, Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
 
“Having heard the Prime Minister this evening, my strong and unequivocal advice to London businesses is not to change your plans for tomorrow. You have not been given sufficient information on how to get your employees safely to work, nor how to keep them safe while they are there. We hope that the statement in Parliament and the promised guidance documents will enable business to prepare. At the moment, it would be foolish for any business leader to encourage staff not already undertaking essential work to do anything but to continue to work from home tomorrow if they can do so.”
Message from Cllr Steve Curran
As we end our seventh week of lockdown, I want to again express my thanks to the vast majority of you who are doing your bit and following the national guidance to stay home, keep yourselves and others safe, and protect our NHS.

The Council continues to work hard to keep services going, protect our most vulnerable residents and support local businesses, and the fantastic community spirit we’ve witnessed across Hounslow continues to inspire us all.

Evidence is mounting that the UK has passed its peak and we can hopefully begin to see a time when some semblance of normality will return. The Government is expected to announce its plans for easing the lockdown on Sunday. Whatever these plans are, we should be in no doubt that there is still a long and difficult road ahead.

A major challenge will be the damage to the economy and job losses. We will feel that particularly acutely in Hounslow with the impact on Heathrow and the associated businesses on which the livelihoods of thousands of our residents rely. The Council will be working closely with the aviation industry, the wider business community, other partners and central government to support the borough through these tough times ahead.

Hope you had a good weekend, keep following the rules, and stay safe
Thamesbank Credit Union – loans for Keyworkers at preferential rates.  Click here
New traffic measures to improve road safety in Hounslow and help social distancing
A range of traffic-management measures are being rolled out across Hounslow to help keep pedestrians and cyclists healthy and safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

The projects, which will create more space for people to follow social distancing guidelines, include closing some roads, widening pavements, improving cycling routes and introducing more ‘school streets’.

The Council is also launching a public consultation to get ideas from residents on ways they think traffic can be managed better and streets made more pedestrian and cycle friendly .

Message from Seema Malhotra, MP for Feltham & Heston:

I wanted to share this message we are sending to households in Feltham and Heston. For those in the local area who are in need, I wanted to let you know that we are here to do all we can to support you and your household at this difficult time. If you or anyone you know in Feltham and Heston is not currently receiving the help they might need with hot meals, food, medicines, shopping, or are experiencing financial or employment issues, please contact us by email at seema.malhotra.mp@parliament.uk or by phone on 020 7219 8957.

You can also visit the Hounslow Council information hub  here , or if you or someone you know needs support with food or medicines, email hub@hounslow.gov.uk or call 020 7084 9697.

If you have any health concerns, please check the latest Government  advice  at  https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus .
You can find out more about local projects and how you can help or find advice on keeping fit and healthy on my  website . I also send out regular updates on  twitter  and  Facebook .

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all our local NHS staff, carers and other key workers who are working so hard to keep us safe and well.

Please look after yourself, stay in touch with family and friends over the phone or by social media, and if you are able, please look out for those in our community who may be more vulnerable. If it is even just a conversation with someone who might be able to support you or a family through this difficult time, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

With warm wishes,

Seema Malhotra MP
Member of Parliament for Feltham and Heston
A message from Damian Frewer, GM:

As of Sunday 17 th May Holiday Inn Brentford Lock is re-opening exclusively to accommodate a group of NHS workers. Are you able to support our NHS heroes whilst they are at the hotel?  Are you able to donate care packages, or even just send them thoughts and well wishes in the “Rainbow” format we have all become used to? I’m sure anything would be welcomed!
Wills, Trust & LPA Zoom Meeting Webinar

Oasis Accountants is inviting for Zoom meeting

Topic : Wills, Trust & LPA - Oasis Accountants 
Time : May 12, 2020 03:00 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting


Meeting ID: 896 9144 3350
Password : 302569
Good News:
Brentford Project update, click here. As a Brentford resident, I vouch for the service that Rye by the Water is offering.
Hounslow Chamber of Commerce is the primary support, networking, and representation organisation in west London for SMEs.

We support the interests, the commercial aspirations and the investment for some 18,000 firms - from Chiswick to Feltham, Heathrow to Osterley and Brentford to Bedfont - the Chamber is the voice for all businesses located in the borough.