Merry Christmas from your Focus Team

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers from your Focus Team. We hope you have an enjoyable festive season.

You can find information about Christmas changes to South Gloucestershire Council services on their website.

Read about autism

Your local library has a new collection of books that you might find helpful if you are living with autism or Asperger's, or know someone who is.

The books have been recommended by people with autism and those who live or work with them, including the library service and the South Gloucestershire Autism Planning Group. They provide information and advice, support for living well, advice for relatives and carers, plus personal stories. The interactive list can be found online.

The books can be borrowed free of charge for a special extended loan period of six weeks, and if the book you want is not on the shelves when you want it, the library can get hold of it for you, also free of charge.

It's also worth noting that libraries belong to the Safe Places Scheme. This scheme provides locations for adults with a learning difficulty or vulnerable people to get help when they are out and about. For more information visit www.southglos.gov.uk/safeplaces.

Useful information this Christmas

Here's a round-up of links to Christmas opening times and other information you might find helpful during the holiday period.

Contacting the council

• The South Glos customer services contact centre will be closed from Christmas Eve afternoon (from 1pm) until 8:45 am on Wednesday 30 December 2015. The offices will also be closed on 1 January 2016. Please note that the adult care contact centre will be open until 5pm on Christmas Eve. When the offices are closed calls will be diverted to a service which deals only with emergencies.
• One Stop Shops will be closed from Christmas Eve afternoon (from 1pm) until Wednesday 30 December 2015. They will also be closed on 1 January 2016.
• You can continue to report issues or apply for services using the council's online forms which will be dealt with after the offices reopen.

More information on council services over Christmas and the New Year period is available here.

Recycling and waste

• Check when your waste will be collected here.
• Information on how to recycle your Christmas tree.
• The Sort It centres are open 8:30am to 4:30pm every day, apart from 25, 26 December 2015 and 1 January 2016.

Libraries
You can find the Christmas and New Year opening times for the local libraries here.

Christmas Last Posting Dates

Saturday 19 December	2nd Class and Royal Mail Signed For®
Monday 21 December	1st Class and Royal Mail Signed For®
Wednesday 23 December	Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed®

More information here.

Bus times
Bus timetable information is available from Travelwest.

Train times
The Network Rail website provides information on travel during the holiday period.

Health services and pharmacies
South Gloucestershire CCG provides this advice on what to do if you are injured or feel unwell. They also have details of pharmacy opening times for Christmas and New Year. They advise anyone with long term health conditions to get their medication before Christmas Eve.

More cycle path work at Kidney Hill

After Christmas, South Glos is intending to construct a short length of cycle path from the recently constructed refuge on Westerleigh Road around the corner to the bus stop on Kidney Hill. Work is expected to start around 4th January and last for about four weeks.

Low-cost computer scheme launched in South Gloucestershire

A low-cost computer scheme is being piloted across South Gloucestershire to try to help people access the internet more easily.

People on a low income, receiving certain benefits or experiencing other disadvantages can choose from a range of starter desktop and laptop PCs at low prices. The equipment, which is available through an IT provider, is professionally refurbished, ready to use and includes a 12-month warranty. The aim of the scheme is to help people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford a PC with a view to using it to look for work or access online training and learning.

If you know someone in this situation, you can find out more at https://www.southglos.gov.uk/lowcostcomputer

Another recycling option

You may not be aware that you can recycle clean plastic bags, wrapping and film at the Sort it Centres. Of course since the introduction of the charge for carrier bags many people are reusing those, but this is one way to cut back on the amount of packaging going into your black bin.

Mill Crescent Christmas lights raising money for BUST

Lights in Mill Crescent last year

This year the Mill Crescent Christmas lights will be raising money for B.U.S.T (Breast Cancer Unit Support Trust), established in 1991 at Frenchay by patients and now based at Southmead Hospital. The funds raised by BUST and its supporters enable the clinicians to buy advanced equipment before it is available through NHS funding,with the aim of prevention, early detection and better treatment.