the website of South Ashford Community Forum
One in four adults in England are obese and a further 37% are overweight.
Regular walking, jogging and cycling can help guard against asthma, depression, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and some cancer.
People who take the bus or train to work instead of driving have a lower BMI and a healthier bodyweight.
#DriveLessLiveMore
Every day 5 people die on UK roads, and over 60 are seriously injured – every one causes needless devastation, trauma and suffering1. The vast majority of casualties are down to driver error.
75% of drivers surveyed think people in the UK use their cars too muchA national campaign launched today (23 November) by the charity Brake at the start of Road Safety Week calls on drivers to drive less, live more. The campaign aims to make roads safer, especially for people on foot and bike; save money; make communities more pleasant; protect the environment; and improve public health.
As part of the campaign, Brake and partners AIG and Specsavers today reveal statistics confirming the devastating effects on health and wellbeing of driving, including the extent of air pollution, the shocking number of deaths it causes, and levels of ‘inactivity’ across different parts of the UK.
A map of the UK showing statistics for each local authority is now live at roadsafetyweek.org.uk/drivelessmap for your analysis. (more…)
South Ashford Community Forum (SACF) is taking part in this year’s Road Safety Week (23-29 November), as part of a national campaign coordinated by Brake, the road safety charity, encouraging people to drive less, live more and make our streets safer, more pleasant places.
SACF is joining thousands of other organisations, schools and community groups across the UK promoting life-saving messages as part of Road Safety Week, the UK’s biggest road safety event.
The Road Safety Week 2015 theme, drive less, live more, is about making our streets safer, more pleasant places by encouraging people to drive less, as little as possible, or not at all if they can. The campaign asks everyone to consider how they use roads, and see if they can reduce car journeys by walking, cycling or using public transport instead.
In 2014, five people were killed and over 60 were seriously injured every day on UK roads. Two-thirds (63%) of trips are made by car, including four in 10 (40%) trips of less than two miles. Road Safety Week is an opportunity for everyone to spread vital road safety messages, including the ‘drive less, live more’ campaign, to help reduce that toll to zero and ensure everyone can get around without fear or threat. (more…)
People gearing up to celebrating Hallowe’en are being urged by the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) to take extra precautions to avoid injury.
The warning about the dangers of children’s fancy dress clothing comes just days before Hallowe’en and Bonfire Night.
We are urging parents to make sure they are not using candles when youngsters are wearing these costumes, as tests have shown they can be engulfed in flames in as little as nine seconds. Currently they are classed as toys, meaning they are less fire resistant than everyday clothing. (more…)
Do you know a friend or relative who would benefit from extra help during a power cut?UK Power Networks is encouraging vulnerable people to sign up to its free Priority Services Register, which means they will be offered extra help during a power cut such as:
✔ A welcome pack with useful advice about preparing for a power cut
✔ A priority phone number that you can call 24 hours and updates until your power is back on
✔ Regular text message updates if you text ‘Power’ followed by your postcode to 80876
✔ Home visit from our staff or through our charity partnership with the British Red Cross (more…)
Halloween and bonfire night are just around the corner so it’s a good time to think about your personal safety and that of your family to ensure these two favourites keep the emphasis on the fun!
With this in mind the community advice drop-in shop is returning to County Square during the half term week from Thursday 29th to Saturday 31st October. (more…)
It can be comforting to curl up in front of a warm, cosy, crackling fire on a cold winter’s night. But, before you light yours for the first time this year, it’s vital you make sure it’s in good working order and fit for the winter or you could be putting your family and home at risk.
Between 2010 and 2014, Kent Fire and Rescue Service tackled almost 1,350 chimney fires in Kent and Medway. One of the main causes is not having your chimney swept regularly. Dirty chimneys can cause fires which damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people.
We know how busy life gets and that it’s all too easy to forget the important things in life. Sign up to our clean sweep alert and you can rely on Kent Fire and Rescue Service to send you a friendly reminder to get your chimney swept and inspected as well as useful tips to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Do you use an open fire, wood or log burning stove, Aga or other ‘real flame’ appliance in your home. Follow our top tips to help avoid a fire and keep your family and home safe: (more…)
The dangers of using chip pans have been highlighted yet again after two men suffered burns after a fire broke out in a flat in Sheerness last night (Wednesday).
Kent Fire and Rescue Service advise ” If you are unlucky enough to have a chip pan fire, never put water on to hot oil, it heats up, expands, turns to steam and rises in a big steam cloud. Each particle of steam is coated in burning oil and if you are near it you could be badly burned.” (more…)
Register my appliance is a new website on which you can register your household appliances.
Registering is a wise safety precaution.
In a very small number of cases, manufacturers may identify problems with an appliance once the product has been in use for some time. They then need to contact you to get the fault corrected as quickly as possible. Normally a quick in-home fix by a qualified technician will banish any risk. (more…)