t2 Achievers Edge edition 46 Feb – Apr 21

t2group.co.uk

February - April 2021

edge achievers

edition 46

Inside This Issue

How To Bee Friendly What is a Hidden Disability?

Staycation in Wales County Lines – Reality, Not Just Drama

INSIDE

THE TOP FITNESS TRENDS SINCE COVID-19 Information about Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) - See inside for details

ESDGC and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

What’s

On?

around the UK? February

7

13

16

27

Six Nations – Wales v Ireland, Principality Stadium, Cardiff Six Nations – Scotland v Wales, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Pancake Day Six Nations – Wales v England, Principality Stadium, Cardiff

March

1

13

20

17

St David’s Day Six Nations – Italy v Wales, Stadio Olimpico, Rome Six Nations – France v Wales, Stade de France, Paris St Patrick’s Day

April

2 Good Friday 4 Easter Sunday 10 Grand National, Aintree

Health & Well-being

events 2021

events 2021

February

February

1

1 – 7

2

9

11

20

21 22 – 7

27

1–7

4

6

22

28

World Hijab Day/ Dignity Action Day – Health and Social Care Workers #ITSNOTOK Sexual ABUSE & Sexual Violence Awareness Week World Wetlands Day Safer Internet Day International Day of Women & Girls in Science World Day of Social Justice International Mother Language Day Fairtrade Fortnight Polar Bear Day

March

3

5

8

21

22

27

30

World Wildlife Day Employee Appreciate Day International Women’s Day International Day for the Elimination of Racal Discrimination, World Down Syndrome Day World Water Day Earth Hour World Bipolar Day

April

16 Save the Elephant Day 22 International Mother Earth Day

Tinnitus Awareness Week World Cancer Day International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation Walking the Dog Day Rare Disease Day

March

1 7 – 13 8 – 14

10

11

20

22

24

30

Self-Injury Awareness Day World Glaucoma Week International Salt Awareness Week No Smoking Day World Kidney Day World Oral Health Day World Water Day World Tuberculosis Day World Bipolar Day

April

6 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

24 World Meningitis Day

25 World Malaria Day

28 World Day for Safety & Health at Work

SAFEGUARDING events 2021

February

March

April

1 SIAD: Self-Injury Awareness Day

LGBT History Month

1 Dignity Action Day

1 - 7 Children’s Mental Health Week/ Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week

4 Time to Talk Day 9 Safer Internet Day 19 Care Day

22 - 28 You Can Care Week

1-7 Eating Disorder Awareness Week

4 University Mental Health Day

18 National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day

Stress Awareness Month

Our Safeguarding Team : Safeguarding & Prevent Lead Stacy Preston 02920 799 133 / 07876 824 157 Deputy Safeguarding & Prevent Lead Lisa Sheppard 07881 093 484 Designated Senior Person for Safeguarding across the t2 group Dave Marr 02920 799 133

Fitness fans have had to be extremely adaptable during the lockdown. No gyms, no classes, no group training, the way we work out has changed drastically over the last few months. While plenty of us are chomping at the bit to get back in the gym, it also looks like we are going to be sticking to some of our new fitness habits, even when lockdown ends.

Below are the predicted top fitness trends that are going to be all the rage post lockdown. So, read up and prepare for the new normal of fitness, and decide which trends you’re going to jump on over the next few weeks.

Virtual training

Group training

Virtual workouts are perfect for getting a sweat session without leaving your house – great for while gyms are still closed, and also for more flexible lifestyles in the future.

Virtual workouts allow you to exercise at any time of the day, which is a big benefit for people who work erratic hours or have jammed schedules.

We’ve all been starved of human contact during the lockdown, so, unsurprisingly, we will flock to training in groups as soon as we get the chance. With gyms and indoor group sessions closed, personal training and boot camps in parks will see a big boom this year, as will small private studios and virtual one-to-one sessions.

Yoga for mental health

Coping without gyms

We’re all going to need to take good care of our mental health as we emerge into our new normal, and yoga is fantastic for that.

Yoga has long been renowned for its health benefits, increasing flexibility, strength and tone, so it’s no wonder it has become a staple for so many during the lockdown.

Over the past few months, yoga has increased in popularity even more as people have had a massive shift in their working patterns and with more people working from home.

Experts believe that we will come to rely on yoga more as we start to incorporate mental wellness into our fitness regimes.

People have been keen to keep training, despite the gym being out of bounds. People have a strong need to keep moving, even if it’s not in the same way they were doing before. This raises interesting questions on the other side of lockdown – will people want to rush back to the gym floor?

Instagram Live f itness For gym-goers who felt apprehensive at the idea of exercising in a large group class, live, online classes are an excellent way of building confidence in a more private environment. While you aren’t physically sweating side-by-side on the mats with other people, it doesn’t mean workouts together is not possible in quarantine.

Source: metro.co.uk

Bees provide us with an invaluable service by pollinating the plants we grow. Whether big or small, there are things every garden can do to help them. One of the simplest ways to attract bees to visit your garden is by growing flowers rich in pollen and nectar – perennial plants are great, but don’t discount flowering annuals, shrubs, and trees too.

Grow plants with nectar and pollen

While this point might seem obvious, it’s important to grow a range of plants that will provide a continuous flowering period, especially from March to September. You should also be sure to grow plenty of single flowers – many cultivars have extra parts that make the pollen and nectar inaccessible to bees and other pollinators.

Grow ‘woolly’ plants

Wool carder bees are one of the UK’s largest solitary bees, and they get their name from their practice of collecting hairs from plant leaves and stems, in order to build the cells within their nests. The plants you can grow to provide the ‘wool’ include lambs’ ears (Stachys) and mullein (Verbascum) species.

Create bee hotels

Providing bee hotels is a great way to boost bee diversity in your garden, by attracting solitary species. Solitary bees lay their eggs in the hollow cavities, leaving a small supply of food for the larvae to eat. The larvae then hatch, pupate, and emerge from the stems. Always position bee hotels in full sun.

Make bee nests

Queen bumblebees seek out places to hibernate in autumn and early winter, often in old vole and shrew holes.

They then emerge in late winter and early spring seeking a place to start a nest. You can provide a cosy, safe home for them to hibernate in by creating a bumblebee pot or nest, using a few easy-to-find materials.

Relax on weeding

It’s easy to forget that many of the plants we consider weeds actually do a brilliant job at supporting wildlife.

Lawn clovers and even dandelions will attract and provide pollen and nectar for bees. As well as relaxing on your weeding, you could leave certain areas of the garden completely undisturbed and let nature take its course.

Follow our advice on how to attract bees and your garden will be a buzz in no time.

Source: gardenersworld.com

A hidden disability is a disability that may not be immediately obvious. They don’t have physical signs, and include learning difficulties, mental health as well as mobility, speech, visual or hearing impairments. They can also include asthma, COPD, and other lung conditions as well as chronic illnesses such as renal failure, diabetes, and sleep disorders when those diseases significantly impact day-to-day life.

Living with these conditions can make daily life more demanding for many people. They affect each person in different ways and can be painful, exhausting, and isolating. Without visible evidence of the hidden disability, it is frequently difficult for others to acknowledge the challenges faced and as a consequence, sympathy and understanding can often be in short supply. In the UK, 1 in 5 people has a disability. 80% of these people have a hidden disability.

Be visible when you choose to be seen Wearing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower discreetly indicates to people around you including staff, colleagues, and health professionals that you have a hidden disability, and you may need additional support, help, or more time.

How can wearing the Hidden Disabilities Sunf lower benef it you?

You may find that people around you may ask what they can do to assist you, or your carer can use your Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to tell people who are aware of the Sunflower about the additional help you may need.

Do I qualify to wear the Hidden Disabilities Sunf lower?

There is no qualifying list of hidden disabilities. If you have a hidden disability and feel that you would benefit from wearing a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower product, please do. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower does not entitle you to anything other than identifying that you have a hidden disability and that you may need some assistance, help, or a little more time. It is NOT a pass to be fast-tracked nor for any other benefit.

Where can I f ind a Hidden Disabilities Sunf lower product?

Sunflower Lanyards are available free of charge to customers from businesses and organisations who are members of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. As some people may be unable to travel to collect a free Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard or would prefer to have them delivered, you can order directly from the online store - https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/shop.html The official Hidden Disabilities Sunflower design is universally and quickly recognised. Hidden Disabilities Sunflower products are strictly not for resale by individuals, businesses, or organisations - they are intended to be donated by businesses and organisations to their customers free of charge.

Some of the best holiday experiences can be found not at the other end of a long plane or boat trip but in Wales.

Every stunning corner of the country has incredible and varied places to stay, exhilarating things to do, history to discover and a range of fantastic food to indulge.

Don’t forget, to check current travel restrictions when looking to travel and holiday within Wales, please make sure you are aware of any restrictions in place and the general advice to try to travel as little as possible and to only do so safely. Staying responsible and safe is a must so don’t forget to keep the two-metre distance from other walkers and travellers.

Also, as things are constantly changing and reopening, please check with venues like castles, restaurants, and tourist spots, whether they are open.

So, start planning your ultimate Welsh staycation, from relaxing in a hot tub in a field to snuggling in front of a roaring fire in a cute cottage before exploring four wonderful regions in Wales that can easily compete with a foreign holiday.

Pembrokeshire With turquoise crystal-clear waters and soft sandy beaches, Pembrokeshire can compete with any Caribbean holiday destination, apart from maybe the weather.

In 2012 National Geographic magazine named Pembrokeshire the world’s secondbest coastal destination, so it is an obvious choice for a staycation in Wales.

The county has long been a popular holiday destination, enticing people back year after year with its unspoilt beaches, abundance of outdoor activities, pretty and peaceful coastal villages and centuries of unique history.

Llyn Peninsula In the top, left corner of the Welsh coast is a stunning peninsula that is designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. Surrounded by the sparkling clear waters of the Irish Sea on one side and Cardigan Bay on the other, if a holiday abroad is based on quiet sandy beaches, luxury, and intriguing places to visit then this area of Wales is a perfect staycation replacement.

There are remains of Iron Age Forts and islands to discover, sweeping stretches of sandy beaches and plenty of cute coastal villages and historic sites to visit.

The Gower If relaxing on an amazing beach appeals to you on a foreign holiday, the Gower has been offering this for years. The peninsula is awash with award-winning sandy shores to stun any visitor plus, unlike the still Mediterranean, the surf can be incredible and offer a wealth of surfing opportunities.

Add an abundance of outdoor activities and a variety of places to eat and the Gower always has been and always will be a centre for incredible holidays.The first place in Britain to be named an area of outstanding natural beauty in 1956, the area has been stunning visitors for decades.

It’s all about the beautiful beaches, spectacular rugged coastline, peaceful countryside, fresh local food, and an array of outdoor activities within these 70 glorious square miles of south-west wales.

The Isle of Anglesey If your annual holiday is usually an island in the Mediterranean, Wales can offer you an equivalent island staycation version too.

Anglesey might not have the night scene of Ibiza, but it is a hot spot for beauty, peace, and tranquillity, maybe more so than any other part of the coast in Wales.

The island even has the royal seal of approval from Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, regular visitors, and former residents.

And if you feel like island hopping you can hop on a ferry to Ireland from Holyhead in the north or pop across the Menai Strait to all the resorts along the north Wales coast. Again, for a small country, Wales can offer you many mountain ranges to tackle (safely); it’s a mountain to climb just trying to decide where to park your hiking boots for the week.

Brecon Beacons If your ideal holiday is climbing hills and mountains, discovering lakes, and admiring river valleys, then Wales is the perfect staycation destination for you.

Again, for a small country, Wales can offer you many mountain ranges to tackle (safely); it’s a mountain to climb just trying to decide where to park your hiking boots for the week.

You may not have heard the term before, but you have more than likely come across county lines through a whole host of streaming platforms and TV programmes, such as Top Boy and Line of Duty. Whilst these programmes may dramatise the criminal nature of county lines, the reality is all around us on a daily basis and is far less glamourous.

So, what exactly are ‘county lines’?

County lines are the organised criminal distribution of drugs from big cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

County lines organisations use exploitation to engage children and vulnerable people as ‘runners’ within the network, delivering and moving drugs, and also to carry out other roles. The networks predominantly focus on the distribution of so called ‘hard drugs’ such as heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines, although occasionally cannabis is also moved in this way. Disposable or ‘burner’ mobile phones are used to take orders. These are known as ‘deal lines’ County lines are linked to a number of other criminal activities such as: • • • •

gang violence and activity weapons/firearms-related crime criminal and sexual exploitation modern slavery

Some Key Facts • • • • • • •

An individual ‘county line’ can generate in excess of £800,000 profit per year There are thought to be over 1000 individually branded ‘county lines’ across the UK There are thought to be in excess of 2000 ‘deal lines’ linked to these ‘county lines’ 15% of county lines originate from the Metropolitan Police Force area 9% of county lines originate from the West Midlands Police Force area 7% of county lines originate from the Merseyside Police Force area 91% of individuals linked to county line offending are male

(Source: National Crime Agency)

Who is vulnerable to exploitation by county lines organisations?

As described earlier, children and other vulnerable people are most at risk from exploitation, however, vulnerabilities can come in various forms. Any vulnerability is a potential target and this means that there is a broad profile for potential victims.

Children Whilst children as young as 12 have been identified as potential victims of exploitation by county lines organisations, the majority of referrals relate to males aged 15-16, a far narrower band.

Children who live in poverty, are excluded from school, attend Pupil Referral Units, or have involvement with social services are commonly targeted as they often respond to the material rewards such as cash, mobile phones and trainers/clothing as well as being attracted by the sense of belonging. That being said, children from more stable backgrounds are also targeted as they are far less likely to appear on any official agency’s radar, including the police, therefore reducing the likelihood of detection.

Vulnerable Adults It is easy to assume that only vulnerable individuals with learning and developmental disabilities are at risk of exploitation. Whilst this is a key vulnerable group, individuals suffering from mental health conditions, substance addiction, homelessness, in debt bondage and with previous experiences of abuse and neglect, are also at risk.

Once exploited, vulnerable adults may not necessarily carry out a “runner” role for the criminal organisation - they are particularly susceptible to a practice called “cuckooing”. Cuckooing is where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person in order to use it as a base for county lines drug trafficking. These houses may then also be used for other crime such as the sexual exploitation of girls and young women and the storage of illegal weapons and money.

What are the signs of county lines exploitation?

A young or vulnerable person’s involvement in county lines activity often leaves signs.

A person might exhibit some of these signs, either as a member or as an associate of a gang dealing drugs.

• • • • • • • • • • •

persistently going missing from school or home and/or being found out-of-area unexplained acquisition of money, clothes, or mobile phones excessive receipt of texts/phone calls and/or having multiple handsets relationships with controlling/older individuals or groups leaving home/care without explanation suspicion of physical assault/unexplained injuries parental concerns carrying weapons significant decline in school results/performance gang association or isolation from peers or social networks self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being

(Source: www.gov.uk)

Prevention – what can we do?

The key to preventing county lines exploitation is no different to preventing many other kinds of safeguarding concerns; education, vigilance, reporting and support.

• • • •

Educating vulnerable groups in an age/capacity appropriate way and also their support network/carers Remaining vigilant for the signs described above, but especially for changes in behaviour and circumstances Report any concerns, even if there is only suspicion rather than evidence.

Seek support to have the difficult conversations and find out what support is available for the individual concerned

You can find out further information by visiting this link.

If you have concerns that someone you know may be being criminally exploited or is at risk of any form of exploitation, please contact the Safeguarding Team by filling out the contact form via “Report a Safeguarding Concern” button on the t2 group website or emailing safeguarding@t2group.co.uk

Information about Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) The Liberty Protection Safeguards were introduced in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 and will replace the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) system. The Liberty Protection Safeguards will deliver improved outcomes for people who are or who need to be deprived of their liberty. The Liberty Protection Safeguards have been designed to put the rights and wishes of those people at the centre of all decision-making on deprivation of liberty.

The Liberty Protection Safeguards will provide protection for people aged 16 and above who are or who need to be deprived of their liberty in order to enable their care or treatment and lack the mental capacity to consent to their arrangements.

People who might have a Liberty Protection Safeguards authorisation include those with dementia, autism and learning disabilities who lack the relevant capacity.

The Liberty Protection Safeguards are planned to come into force in April 2022.

For more information please visit - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liberty-protection-safeguards-factsheets

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