Celebrate differently’ to stay safe is the plea from organisations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland as residents gear up for Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali.
Chiefs from councils, the NHS, police, fire service and other bodies are urging residents to find alternative ways of marking autumnal events and to follow the latest rules and advice.
This includes celebrating Diwali virtually and in Leicester, people are invited to take part in the city’s first virtual Diwali Day celebration from the safety of their homes.
Leicester and Oadby and Wigston are at the high alert level – meaning households can’t mix indoors – and the rest of Leicestershire and Rutland are ‘medium’.
Chief Constable and Chair of the Local Resilience Forum, Simon Cole, said: “We are asking everybody to celebrate safely and differently this festive period. The pandemic means we cannot celebrate as normal. But whether it’s moving events online or celebrating only with the people you live with, there are other ways to do it. Since March, people have shown real resilience and creativity and I’m sure our residents will find alternative ways to mark these events whilst staying safe.”
A wide-ranging campaign – backed by the county council, the NHS, local authorities, Leicestershire Police, universities and Leicestershire and Rutland Sport – is encouraging people whether they’re on the school run, travelling to work, in the office or going out for a drink, to change their behaviour during the pandemic.
The drive, called ‘it’s down to us’, features local people and landmarks and is designed to remind residents that they play a big role in lowering infection levels.
The Local Resilience Forum brings together the NHS, police, emergency services and councils to coordinate and plan for emergencies. Find out more: www.llrprepared.org.uk