Cold Snap on Way

The current spell of very cold weather, in addition to the very high prices for gas and electricity pose a potential threat to us all, but they pose a significantly higher risk to the elderly.

Most of us have turned down our heating, and have taken to wearing an additional jumper around the house, which is “common sense” to minimise our bills. However, the level to which we have turned down our heating is important: Age UK recommend that living areas should be at 21℃ with other areas at 18℃; WHO recommend 18℃ for younger healthy people for living rooms and 20℃ for the old young or unwell – cold temperatures increase the risks of hypothermia, strokes and heart attacks.

Many of our most vulnerable neighbours are those who live alone, who may believe that they can’t afford to maintain their homes in a warm, comfortable temperature, and that it is OK to have their homes below the recommended ranges, and not realise how the cold is affecting them…

If you have neighbours, or know of anyone in the village that might be at risk, please please check on them, try to ensure they are keeping warm enough. In this cold weather many vulnerable people don’t want to go out, they are rightly concerned about ice, and the risk of falls, maybe they need some basics like milk, bread etc, maybe the offer of some shopping can be the excuse to call on them…

In our village we have an operating warm room, see here

Wraysbury & Horton Warm Winter Initiative – Wraysbury.com

Please spread the word, make sure everyone knows it is available, it was advertised in Wraysbury News, but some may not have read this article. Transport is available via Wraysbury and Horton Voluntary Care

Voluntary Care – Wraysbury.com

Let’s act together, to make sure that nobody in our community suffers unnecessarily from the cold this winter.