This autumn and winter, those eligible are being urged to book their annual flu jab, as well as the seasonal COVID-19 booster, as soon as they are invited, to top up their immunity and protect themselves and their loved ones. 

At the end of last week, invitations started to go out to all over 50s for both flu vaccination and autumn COVID-19 booster. Please don’t delay. Book your appointment as soon as you receive your invitation.

As we move further into autumn and into mid-October, we also mark Menopause Awareness Month, with World Menopause Day taking place yesterday, on Tuesday, 18 October.

Staff at Time Square have been looking at ways of breaking the taboo around this subject in the workplace. This started with short drop-in sessions and culminated in myself and chief executive, Susan Halliwell signing the Wellbeing of Women’s Menopause Workplace Pledge.

The pledge means that organisations make three key commitments to staff who are impacted by the symptoms of menopause, both people going through it and those who may be living with someone who is. Thank you to the Pause for Menopause working group who have led on this matter. However, we recognise that there is still work to do in helping break ground on this, often sensitive, subject.

As the borough grows richer and more diverse, we get to acknowledge more and more important events relevant to our residents. The Nepalese Tihar Festival will be celebrated over five days next week across the borough. This particular community has thrived in Bracknell Forest and was very helpful to us during the pandemic in spreading the message on vaccination. Happy Tihar to all our residents