A young carers charity, Kool Carers
Southeast is to expand its counselling services after receiving a £20,000 grant from Essex-based healthcare social enterprise, Provide Community as part of its community grant-giving initiative.
Founded in 2017 by social and youth worked, Rachel Tungate, Kool Carers
Southeast provides professional support and guidance for young carers aged 8-18 years old.
Operating in the Basildon Borough and Brentwood, the charity provides a safe and comfortable environment for young carers to develop social and life skills that help build resilience, enabling positive participation in their communities.
The grant will help fund the charity's counselling service which includes family therapy, couples counselling, and one-to-one therapeutic intervention that is tailored to suit the needs of individuals. The charity’s fundamental aim is to equip young carers with the necessary tools and strategies to regulate and manage their own mental health until statutory intervention is put in place.
CEO of Kool Carers Southeast Limited, Rachel Tungate commented on receiving the grant: “Since the pandemic, Kool Carers has experienced a 161% increase in its request for support. The grant we have received from Provide Community has proven a critical lifeline for so many of our families requiring therapeutic intervention.
“In addition, Kool Carers is looking to be able to facilitate a tailored version of its Being Kind to your Body and Mind 7-week workshop to young carers, following the success of the pilot programme delivered to young carers’ parents and carers.”
Nicola Yarnall, Chair of the Council of Governors at Provide said; “As an employee-owned company that reinvests to the community, it’s great to see the money being used to make a positive impact on children’s lives.”
“This money will enable the charity to continue providing its counselling service to children, parents and families in need of therapeutic intervention.”
Colchester will officially become a city on Wednesday, 23 November, when the letters patent – an official document written on parchment – is presented to the mayor during a special meeting of the Full Council.
The moment will be followed, in January, with the commencement of a year of community celebrations, as Colchester becomes the 76th city in the UK and the third in Essex, alongside Chelmsford and Southend.
The historic ceremony begins at 5:30pm with a civic procession of dignitaries and councillors led by the Town Serjeant and Colchester Pipes and Drums.
The public will be able to watch the procession, escorted by the Town Watch, as it moves from the Mercury Theatre, along High Street to the Town Hall, where the Town Crier will deliver a proclamation. More than 20 Ukrainian and other refugees who have made a new life in Colchester will also join the procession and fly flags.
At 6pm, councillors will process into Moot Hall for a formal robed meeting of the Full Council – the last time they will sit as a Borough Council.
The public will be able to follow proceedings live on the council’s YouTube channel, as the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, presents the letters patent to the Mayor of Colchester, Cllr Tim Young.
Following speeches from the Mayor and Lord Lieutenant, the sole business item of the meeting will see members vote on a resolution to change from Colchester Borough Council to Colchester City Council. Once approved, Colchester officially becomes a city and the meeting will formally close – reconvening several minutes later for the first full meeting of Colchester City Council and a ceremony to confer honorary aldermanship on former mayor and long-serving councillor Peter Chillingworth.
Following more speeches, the inaugural meeting of Colchester City Council will close and dignitaries, members and
special guests will process from Moot Hall to a private reception.
The Mayor of Colchester, Cllr Tim Young, said: “City Day is a long time coming, a proud moment for us to celebrate all that makes Colchester what it is, what it was, and what it will continue to be: a fantastic place to live, to work and to visit.
“It will be an incredible honour for me to receive the letters patent from the King’s representative, the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, on behalf of the people of Colchester, but it will also be a poignant moment as the letters patent were granted by her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“I would like, once again, to pay tribute and offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to make this historic occasion a reality.”
Cllr David King, Leader of the Council, said: “This meeting represents a significant moment in the long history of Colchester, as we change from a borough to a city.
“As our ceremonial procession will show, with the flags of many nations flying, we provide a warm welcome for those seeking a safe and supportive place to live, work or visit. Becoming a city will further raise that national profile. It will deliver a major boost to the local economy. It will create even greater social opportunities, and it will promote our rich heritage and culture – for the benefit of all our residents, businesses and the many visitors who flock here.”
Cllr Pam Cox, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage, added: “The historic parade and ceremony will be followed, in January, with a year of celebrations, festivals and exhibitions, which will showcase all the wonderful things our new city of Colchester has to offer and convey to the world that we are a city of culture, compassion and creativity.
“City Day is our day, a time to come together and look to the future as we celebrate all of the great things Colchester has to offer.”
Ozeki
This is the most beautiful and unusual book I have read for a while. With themes of love, family, grief, mental health, and substance abuse it sounds heavy, but be assured that though the book is heavy at 548 pages, the story is not.
Be bo un hi th b s o h
Benny Oh is a 14-year-old boy whose father dies in an unfortunate accident. Benny and his mother Annabelle grieve in their different ways. Annabelle begins to hoard while Benny starts to hear the voices of the objects in his home speak to him; the socks which want to be with their partner and books which want to be organised on the shelf. Benny find this constant noise unsettling and intrusive and retreats to the library where all the things use their quiet voices, and where he meets some wonderful offgrid characters who provide a moving insight into mental ill-health.
Infused with warmth and wisdom the novel has some great characters, like the landlady's evil son who is hell bent on evicting Benny and Annabelle, and a Marie Kondo character who Anabelle appeals to for help, shining a light on how our relationships are impacted by the importance we give to material belongings and the clutter we allow in our lives.
This is an enchanting and highly original novel. I read it then listened to the audio book, narrated by Kerry Shale, which I have to say was even better!
en art
drawings of different things that a child can choose. There is a set of destinations including beaches, cities, towns, forests, an island, and a desert. There are pages of different people, and different foods etc. There is so much to discuss with a young child as you turn the pages. Choices can be ordinary or wildly absurd. It’s a wonderful springboard for young children to tell their own stories.
By Tash DonovanThe Bo
The Book actually narrates the novel. The Book is a character in its own right and interacts with Benny directing him to be the hero of his own story. They even disagree over how to tell the family's back story, particularly when it comes to his mother's sex life.
Ozeki blurs the line between Benny's hallucinations and the reality of The Book.
Do the objects really talk to him?
Why do we hold a two-minute silence? - On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month the guns of World War I fell silent. Four years of fighting and devastation finally ended. The following year ceremonies of remembrance took place on what was known as Armistice Day. An armistice is an agreement for the cessation of active hostilities between two sides in a war.
Imagine you could go anywhere, meet anyone, and do anything. Where would you live? Where would you sleep? Who would be your friends? What games would you play?
This beautifully illustrated book (Nick Sharratt neve disappoints) has a simple concept: each double-page is packed with detailed
Why do we wear the poppy? -
Scarlet poppies grow wild all over western Europe wherever the soil has been disturbed. The battles of the First World War churned up such vast areas of earth that millions of poppies germinated and bloomed, often around the bodies of the fallen soldiers.
A Canadian surgeon called John McRae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields, which many of us study in school. The poem is a haunting memorial to those soldiers who have died in any war and the imagery of the poppies is used to symbolise the deaths of those who fought.
An Australian journalist, Edward George Honey first proposed a respectful silence to remember the dead. He wrote a letter to the London Evening News which was brought to the attention of King George V. The king issued a proclamation which called for a two-minute silence.
These days Armistice Day is more usually known as Remembrance Sunday and is a chance to honour the fallen soldiers of all conflicts.
In the light of the atrocities going on Ukraine this year, I hope you’ll think even more about your poppy and all it stands for.
By Nicky GraySpace Invaders
Space has been in the news a lot recently. From the Mars Rover to the James Webb telescope, we've marvelled at amazing images. In the 50th year since man last walked on the moon NASA is once again preparing a Lunar mission. It all seems far removed from our everyday lives, but did you know that some 2000 or more inventions that we use on Earth every day were actually invented by NASA? Here are my favourites:
Memory foam - Oh how I love my memory foam mattress and bike seat, and development of the 'Tempur' material used was NASA-funded. Engineers wanted to create better shock-absorbing aircraft seats for test pilots.
Infrared thermometers - Ubiquitous throughout the first COVID outbreak, the technology was developed by the space agency, to gauge the temperature of distant cosmic objects.
Mobile phone cameras - The image sensors used in just about every modern digital camera come directly from NASA. They were looking for better, cheaper, more efficient cameras for spacecraft, but the technology was quickly licensed and harnessed by camera and phone
companies and is now used all over the world.
Scratch resistant lens coatings –These were around before NASA got involved, but they were a bit 'meh'.
NASA developed a diamond-like carbon coating and used it to improve the scratch-resistance of sensitive instruments by as much as 10 times. RayBan then decided to apply the technology to their lenses to create tough and super cool sunspecs.
Comfortable running shoes - After inventing a rubber moulding process for astronaut helmets, NASA engineers applied the same technology to shoes. It allowed for the creation of shock absorbers in the soles, and these have now become a common feature in running shoes.
Self-driving cars - Not mainstream yet but give it time. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Quantum Sciences and Technologies group, invented something with the intriguing name of the “whispering gallery mode optical resonator.” This was a spherical resonator for light waves, but no-one could think of a practical use for the technology until it was integrated into General Motors' LiDAR systems for self-driving cars.
11
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15
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20
21
22
23
Down 1 Yellow curved fruit (6) 2 Fictional man-eating giant (4) 3 Activate, generate (7) 4 Edible internal organs (5) 5 French bread (8) 6 Whisky (6) 12 Financial records (8) 14 Language descended from Latin (7) 16 Global sportswear brand (6) 18 Long curved agricultural blade (6) 19 Means of paying for postage (5) 21 Capture, ambush (4)
machine or tumble drier. The scales stick to each other and interlock like Velcro, so you end up with a jumper that's several sizes too small. Any rescue attempt is aimed at relaxing and separating the fibres.
As the days became colder I pulled out my super-soft wool sweater and wore it for a while. Then I popped it in the wash basket with the intention of freshening it up before wearing it again. Then I fell victim to COVID (again) for a few days. During this time, my lovely husband and teenage daughter looked after me. One evening 15-year-old Elise appeared nervously by my bed. "Um. You know your turquoise sweater, it wasn't like, your favourite or anything was it?"
Yup, she'd shoved my nicest cosiest knit in the tumble drier and shrunk it. "Never mind love," I said through gritted teeth as I looked at my now diminutive pullover, which was too small even for her, "I'll put one on my Christmas list."
But I reckoned without the resourcefulness of teenagers. The next day, as I was attempting to get out of bed on wobbly legs for the first time in a week, she reappeared with my sweater, now apparently magically regrown. "How did you do that?" I asked. She looked pleased with herself, “YouTube!" she replied. “There's a tutorial for most things. I looked up ‘shrunken sweater solutions’ and followed the instructions.”
And here are those instructions for anyone else who has ever accidentally ruined their knitwear.
Wool items shrink because there are scales on the surface of the wool that react to the combination of heat, moisture and agitation in a washing
puzzle solutions:
Fill a sink with lukewarm water and 50ml of hair conditioner. Soak the sweater thoroughly, make sure it's completely wet and leave it for ten minutes. This helps to relax the fibres and release the scales. DON'T wring it. Instead let the water out of the sink and press out the excess water.
Then spread a large towel out on a firm surface and lay the sweater out on top of the towel. Place another large towel over the sweater and press out as much water as possible. Elise apparently used a rolling pin for this bit!
Then gently (so you don't break any fibres) stretch the sweater out to pull the now unlocked fibres away from each other and back into the desired shape. Finally, allow it to air dry. This may take a couple of days.
Unfortunately, this method doesn't always work. Elise also shrank my husband's sweater in the same wash load, and it 'felted' quite badly and sadly was beyond rescue. His sweater was a looser knit lambswool while mine was a tight knit cashmere. The looser knit and shorter fibres of his jumper meant the heat and moisture had more of a 'shrink' effect because there was more 'room' for shrinkage to occur. The fact my sweater is a tighter knit and is probably made from longer fibres meant it was easier to relax them again.
So, while not a fool proof solution Elise scored a 50% success rate, learned a valuable life lesson in the process, and has promised her dad a new sweater for Christmas.
was thrown out by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Brazil has won the most World Cups with five, while Italy and Germany are close behind with four each.
It can’t have escaped your notice that we are in the midst of the World Cup Fever! So here are a few World Cup facts for footie novices and experts alike.
The first World Cup took place back in 1930. Jules Rimet, a French football administrator who was the third and longest serving President of FIFA, wanted to create an international competition between men’s football teams. The first World Cup tournament consisted of thirteen invited teams and took place in Uruguay, who won the competition.
The World Cup has been played every 4 years since this inaugural tournament except in 1942 and 1946 when it was suspended because of World War II. Hence it has been held 21 times and 2022 will coincidentally be the 22nd World cup.
In 2018 Russia automatically qualified as the host country, with the remaining 210 nations competing for the remaining 31 places during 872 matches. Following the international condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Russians were banned from the 2022 World Cup. Their scheduled opponents in the playoffs at the time of the ban were Poland, who were given a bye through to the final — where they beat Sweden to book their ticket to Qatar 2022.
The Russian football authorities did appeal the decision, but their case
The World Cup is usually held in June and July but the host this year are Qatar. The subtropical desert climate there results in extremely hot summers, with highs averaging between 32-27 degrees. As the temperature often exceeds these averages, the authorities felt it would be too dangerous to play soccer. So as part of their winning bid for hosting the World Cup, Qatar agreed to stage the tournament in November and December, where typical temperatures are a more comfortable 21-26 degrees.
The winning team is awarded the World Cup Trophy. Although team gets to enjoy celebrating and being photographed with the trophy after the final, they don’t get to take it away with them. They are sent home with a replica. The current Jules Rimet trophy has been presented to winning teams since 1970. It is made of 18-carat gold and weighs in at 13.5 pounds (just over 6Kg). At the inception of the tournament in 1930 FIFA decided that if any nation won three finals, they would be given the trophy to keep. In 1970 Brazil achieved this feat when they defeated Italy in the final in Mexico, so the trophy was presented to the Brazilian Sports Confederation. It was placed on display on the third floor of the CBF offices in Rio. 13 years later on the night of 19th of December, the security guard was overpowered by a group of thieves and the trophy disappeared. It has never been found.
By Nicky GrayServes 12
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
225g / 8oz Plain flour
2 level tsps Ground ginger
1 level tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
½ level tsp salt
225g /8oz Medium oatmeal
115g / 4oz Black treacle
115g / 4oz Golden syrup
115g / 4oz Soft light-brown sugar
115g /4 oz Unsalted butter
150ml / 5floz Milk
1 Egg - beaten
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas mk 4. Grease and line a 30 x 25 x 5 cm (12 x 10 x 2 inch) roasting tin with greaseproof paper.
Place the treacle, golden syrup, sugar and butter into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool a little then beat in the milk and the egg.
Sift the flour, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the oatmeal and make a well in the centre.
Pour the liquid mixture into the well and beat thoroughly.
Pour into the roasting tin and bake in the centre of the oven until firm and springy.
Leave to cool in the tin. When cold wrap in greaseproof paper and leave for a couple of days in an airtight tin, because the flavour of Parkin improves with keeping.
The problem with a British winter is that its damp, which makes clothesdrying difficult outdoors. It isn’t always practical to air dry indoors, especially if your household generates a lot of washing, so we often resort to a tumble dryer. The problem with tumble driers is that they use energy and energy is super expensive right now.
Hence choosing a new tumble dryer is not a decision to be taken lightly. Here are some feature to look out for.
Capacity - How much laundry you typically do on a weekly basis? A large family generates a lot of dirty clothes so it’s worth investing in a bigger tumble dryer as not only will this cut down on time spent doing laundry, one larger load will typically cost you much less than three smaller loads.
Smart sensors - Sensor dryers can cut your energy use in half. They actually sense when moisture has been removed from clothes and automatically stop at that point rather than wasting electricity by needlessly completing the cycle. Some appliances allow you to choose your level of dryness, from dry enough to store or wear straight away, to iron dry which leaves clothes just slightly damp.
Quiet operation – Useful if your tumble dryer will be sited in an open plan area. Some modern dryers are virtually silent, no louder than a fridge!
Stainless steel interior - This prevents the drum of the machine from rusting.
Air fluff/low heat setting – This protects materials that are sensitive to heat.
Energy rating - Modern dryers are more energy-efficient than older models. Upgrading will give you more high-tech features for a reduced electricity bill. Look for an A or B rating for maximum efficiency.
By Matthew Carter
What to look for in a new tumble drier
have been busy tidying our plots in preparation for winter. However, if you've ever fancied growing your own fruit then now is the perfect time to put in a little extra effort.
From now until spring is the best window to plant fruit trees because now is the time that nurseries are selling bare-root trees. 'Bare-root’ simply means without pots or soil. Bare root trees are cheaper than those grown in pots, but they are quick to establish providing you follow a few simple steps.
you are planting in a lawn you'll need to remove an area of turf to the same diameter to stop the grass competing with the new tree for nutrients and water. Wherever you plant, make sure you dig in lots of organic matter, this could be garden compost, leaf mould, or well-rotted manure. Make sure you dig it all around the area where the hole will be, rather than just into the hole itself, because this will encourage the new tree to put roots out into the surrounding soil, helping it to establish quickly.
The hole for the new tree needs to be roomy enough so that the roots will not be crammed together.
Drive a stake into the ground to a depth of at least 60cm. This will provide support for your fledgling tree.
the hole around the roots. The person holding the tree should shake the trunk gently as the hole is filled, so that soil gets in between all the roots.
Once you've filled the hole, firm the soil gently with your foot. Don't compact the soil too much. The drag more soil over the compressed area.
Use a soft rubber tie to secure the tree to the stake at a height of 60cm. Too low and the tree won't be secure; too high and the tree won't flex enough in the wind. Allowing the tree to flex a little encourages more root growth and results in a stronger tree.
Finally, water in well and apply a 5cm layer of organic mulch over the area but NOT touching the trunk, because it might rot. The mulch helps to suppress weeds, provide insulation, and retain moisture.
Autumn is well advanced and following some brilliant colour, the trees and shrubs have shed most of their leaves. Many of us will
Before you plant the tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for at least two hours, so it gets a good drink.
Prepare a large enough area, at least 1 metre diameter. This means that if
If you are planting a grafted tree, there will be a clear join where it was grafted on to the rootstock This join should remain above the soil level when planted. It’s easier if there are two of you; one to hold the tree at the correct level, and one to backfill
Your tree should now be fine until spring when we'll talk about ongoing care.
Happy Gardening, Rachael Leverton
my bathroom needed a deep clean afterwards. Finally, I was beginning to notice that dyed hair just didn’t look authentic on me. My skin looked just a little bit ‘off ’ next to my hair colour. So, I decided to embrace the grey.
Afew years ago, I noticed that younger women were dying their hair grey. As a 45-yearold woman the irony was not lost on me. There I was paying to dye my hair back to its original chestnut while the 23-year-old sitting at the next basin was paying the same to achieve my silver locks. WHY was I doing this?
One of the many downsides of colouring hair is that you have to repeat the process every 3-8 weeks. I was closer to three weekly and was planning my life around my roots. Then there was the expense. In spite of Davina McCall’s exhortations home dying did not look professional and
Each hair grows from a follicle which contains cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce two types of pigments: eumelanin (dark brown or black), and pheomelanin (reddish yellow). In combination they are responsible for our hair colour. As we age the melanocytes in the hair follicle start to die and the hair becomes more transparent. Gray hair still has some melanin, but not enough to give us back our youthful hue. White hair has no melanin.
Lots of people opt for a shorter haircut but it’s not essential. I didn’t. I decided I’d grow mine to shoulder length and brazen it out. My hair is still fairly thick, so I wanted to make the most of it. My
hairdresser recommend a textured cut to give it volume and movement. I still hated it for the first three months, as my roots came in, and I wore hats a lot. I nearly caved at one point but my wonderful hairdresser talked me off the ledge. By six months I was loving the changes.
My hairdresser recommended that I used products with a bit of shine. Grey hair loses its natural shine and can look less healthy. I love to use a hair oil from about halfway down my hair, which softens and moisturizes it. I don’t use it all the way up the roots because it does weigh the hair down a little.
One bonus of being grey is that I have to wash my hair less. Grey hair is naturally drier so whereas before I was washing it every day or every other day, now I usually wash it every three or four days.
Another good recommendation was a specialist ‘purple’ shampoo and conditioner. ‘Don’t freak out when you first see it,’ my hairdresser warned me.
‘It’s very purple, but it will brighten your grey hair and remove yellow tones.’ Then she added, ‘Only use it once a week though or you’ll end up lilac!' It works like a charm. I love how silver my hair looks when I use it but I’m mindful of her warning.
My biggest concern was about looking ‘old.’ It didn’t take me long to realise that if I didn’t embrace more colour in my wardrobe that is exactly what would happen. I switched to a brighter lipstick and added some jewelcoloured tops and statement earrings to my previously all black wardrobe.
I even updated my spectacles to a bright coloured frame. In addition, I keep my hair in a modern, more youthful cut and I love the fact that the colour now compliments rather than competes with my skin tone.
Four years on I’m nearly fifty but I no longer worry about my roots, and I’m saving a fortune at the hairdresser. It’s not for everyone but I’d definitely recommend going grey because of the freedom it brings.
By Charlotte Harris
Charles Dickens famously said, "Procrastination is the thief of time."
Procrastination is intentionally delaying completing a task despite knowing it will have negative consequences. It's a form of selfsabotage, which reduces the time available to complete the task, while increasing stress levels. So why do we do it?
Amygdala hijack - The amygdala is the part of the brain which moderates our fear response. When we are distressed the rational part of our brain (the pre-frontal cortex) shuts down leaving the amygdala in charge.
If we feel negative towards a task and our brain interprets this as distress, the amygdala steps in to persuade us NOT to do it.
Instant gratification - Humans tend to repeat tasks when our brain rewards us with a dopamine hit. Procrastinating by watching cat videos on YouTube feels good in the present, like a reward, so we keep delaying tasks until procrastination becomes a chronic habit.
Present bias - We are more focused on who we are and how we feel today, than for our future self. We don't dwell on how our current decisions will impact us in a few weeks or months.
We actually process information about our current self and future self in separate parts of the brain. Functional MRI scans reveal that we view our future-self in the same way we view a stranger. So it's easier for us to defer tasks and decisions that favour our future self, and instead choose instant gratification which provide pleasure right now.
There is not a one size fits all solution but there are some tools which might help. Choose the ones that resonate with you.
Focus on the why - Will the task benefit someone else? Extrinsic motivation can sometimes be a powerful tool. 'If don't do this I will be letting them down.' If it’s you who will benefit try writing down why you’re doing the task. A written reminder will help keep you focussed.
Eat the frog - If you knew you had to eat a live frog, you'd want to get the task finished first thing, then get on with your day knowing nothing else was going to be that bad. Eating the frog suggests that if we tackle an unpleasant task early in the day, everything else will seem easier.
Eat the Elephant - It's an old joke: How do you eat an elephant? One
bite at a time? Break a task down for small easy wins. That way you build momentum gradually, and don't feel overwhelmed.
The 3/5/10 Minute Rule - Tell yourself you only have to do the task for three, five or ten minutes. Most likely, when the timer goes off you will have the built enough momentum to want to continue.
The pressure cooker method - If you feel like you need a sense of urgency to complete tasks give yourself a certain amount of time to get all or part of the job done. Set a timer, or download a productivity app.
Body doubling - Ask someone to sit with you while you complete the task. Studies show that having someone else in the room while you are working (even if they are just doing their own thing), really helps some people focus.
Reward - Promise yourself a reward when you complete your task. Be specific: a scented bubble bath; an episode of your favourite sit com; a jam donut...whatever works for you. Procrastination is a human trait. We can’t eradicate it, but we can learn to manage our time better.
By Tracey AndersonFill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.
You don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone. Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.
DR SAMIR B PATEL • DR
DR BHAVINI MUIR • DR THAMARA GUNASEKERA 40 STATION ROAD •BRIGHTLINGSEA •COLCHESTER •ESSEX •CO7 0DT Tel: (01206) 302522 •Email: colne.medicalcentref81116@nhs.net www.colnemedicalcentre.nhs.uk • facebook.com/Colnemedical
There are several ways of ordering repeat prescriptions.
1. You can order through the surgery website
2. You can use the NHS app or online services
3. You can drop a written request into the surgery at Brightlingsea or Alresford
You can choose which pharmacy you would like your prescription to go to and either collect from them or arrange delivery (there may be a charge for this service). There are a number of pharmacies within the vicinity, and online pharmacies who will send prescription medication through the post. Just let the practice know your nominated pharmacy and we will add the details to your record so that all prescriptions are sent to them. We usually generate prescriptions within 2 working days of receiving a request, but please allow longer during busier periods, such as Christmas. You should check timescales for dispensing medication with your nominated pharmacy.
Patients who live in Alresford or Thorrington can have their prescriptions dispensed at the Alresford surgery.
It’s not too late to get your seasonal flu vaccination! If you are aged 65 or over, have a chronic disease or are a registered carer you can contact the surgery to make an appointment. We also have flu nasal spray appointments for children aged two and three.
Thank you for reading
Katie Pirie Practice Manager
