Childhood immunisations

Parents and carers are being urged to ensure that children receive all their childhood vaccinations. This follows recent outbreaks of vaccine preventable infections, such as measles and mumps.

The NHS national routine childhood immunisations programme is in place to ensure all children receive the vaccinations they need to reduce the spread of infection and prevent outbreaks.

You can find details of the vaccinations your child should receive at www.nhs.uk/ conditions/vaccinations/ mmr-vaccine/

If you think your child may have missed a vaccination, or have any questions, contact your GP surgery or health visitor.

Could you be a befriender?

Local resident and former Councillor Eileen Pallen tells us about her experience.

“As a volunteer befriender I meet or contact an older person once a week, by a visit or by telephone for a general chat. I befriend three lovely ladies, two of whom are housebound.

“People have told me that they don’t volunteer as a befriender because they can’t commit too much time, or they won’t always be available and are worried about letting the person they befriend down.

“The wonderful thing about befriendingand certainly telephone befriending - is that you and the person you befriend decide how often you meet or talk and there is so much flexibility you really can fit it into once a week. Much like our other friendships those calls can last as long or as short as you like.

“The people you visit become your friend and you really do get as much from the relationship and friendship as they do. You’ll make a difference to someone else’s life as well as your own.”

Find out more at www.volunteering.bvsc.co.uk