The statue of St Volodymyr (above), which stands on the corner of Holland Park Avenue and Holland Park. Volodymyr was from Kyiv, and a major actor in bringing the Russian peoples together in the 10th and 11th centuries. He had been a 'pagan' and converted to Christianity for 2 reasons. He believed having a single deity as in Christian Byzantium (Constantinople), rather than having many pagan deities, would help the unification of the Rus' tribes, and he could only marry the sister of the Byzantine Emperor Basil II if he converted to Christianity (Encyclopedia of Ukraine).
Volodymyr successfully ensured the unification of the Rus' people, and their conversion to Christianity, and was canonized in the 13th century. However, this statue remains a symbol of Ukrainian defiance of the Russian imperialist assault on Ukraine as you can see from the photograph above, taken yesterday. Incidentally, St Volodymyr is not only the patron saint of Ukraine, but a patron saint of Russia too...
And yes, I had another pint, anyway, if you would like a similar day out, interspersed with more sight-seeing, perhaps, all along the Bayswater Road/Holland Park Avenue there are many Central Line tube stations (Holland Park being the closest to the statue and The Castle), and not a few buses travel along the route too, or you could walk...
I was lucky with the weather too, that's all for now folks!
By Steve the Beermeister:
Enjoy folks, and cheers to Louisa! 🍻
If you haven't already read it, I wrote more about Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and the history of Mardi Gras in last Wednesday's blog.
Enjoy free live music and party folks!
Walking to and from Bexhill yesterday we were met with many tankers and yards of drainage pipes earlier at West Marina Gardens. As we arrived into Bexhill, where the water company building is at the eastern edge, there was a nasty damp sandy/muddy seafront. Consequently, on the way back we decided to use Galley Hill, rather than return by the beach, where these tankers are photographed (above).
However, all the distance between Bexhill and West Marina Gardens (above), had no overland pipes, so the transfer of sewage had been within the usual subterranean sewage system, apparently. So why so many tankers, we'd seen them here at West Marina Gardens in numbers on our way westwards from Hastings and in numbers at Bexhill, where a steady stream of tankers were heading away from Galley Hill and up Sea Road with their rather awful baggage!
Photo by James Fisher
Welcome to our first issue of 2024, where we're kicking off with stories on a range of ways you can help to protect your health - including making sure you're protected from measles, getting inspired to be more physically active, and details of HIV Testing Week.
We're also bringing you news on some of the latest service developments, from urgent care for children at Eastbourne District General Hospital, to outreach support for the homeless community in Hastings, and the latest on construction of a new mental health hospital in Bexhill.
Finally, our feature this month celebrates 10 years of the Joint Community Rehabilitation Team, who have been looking back over all the service has achieved since it formed a decade ago.
 Measles cases are rising in England, so it's important to make sure you know the symptoms, what to do if you have it, and how to help stop it spreading. It can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences, and anyone who isn't vaccinated can catch it. Make sure your family is protected from becoming seriously unwell from measles by ensuring you and your child are up to date with your MMR vaccinations. The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective combined vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. Visit the NHS website to learn about measles and the MMR vaccine, and ask your GP practice about catch up jabs if needed. |
 East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has shared an update for parents and carers on improvements to urgent care for children at Eastbourne District General Hospital. The improvements within the emergency department and urgent treatment centre, with increased paediatric expertise, will ensure children are seen sooner, with earlier paediatric intervention and will reduce waiting times. |
 Being more physically active has been compared to a wonder drug because of the huge range of benefits it offers to everyone, no matter your age, state of health, or disability. Getting more active can help to control weight, reduce the risk of serious diseases like cardiac problems and diabetes, and improve your mood and sleep. That’s why the Public Health team at East Sussex County Council, in partnership with Active Sussex and other partners across the county, have launched the #GettingEastSussexMoving social media campaign. The campaign highlights and celebrates a range of support to get active, as well as the wonderful locations to get moving across our county. |
 National HIV Testing Week starts from today. Sexually active people across East Sussex are encouraged to test for HIV, particularly if they have had new sexual partners. Testing is free and confidential and is the only way to know if you have HIV. You can use a discreet at-home self-test kit, or attend a sexual health clinic or GP practice. The sooner you know your HIV status, the sooner you can get free, highly effective treatment to stay healthy and avoid passing the virus on. Visit the East Sussex Sexual Health website for more information about sexual health services. |
 COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities, so it’s still important to take steps to protect yourself. Make sure you know the symptoms to look out for, what to do if you get unwell, and when to seek medical help. Take a look at the website for an overview on protecting yourself, symptoms, testing, medical help and recovery - including local services for people with long COVID. |
 After many years supporting Hastings’ homeless community with their health and care needs, St John Ambulance (SJA) brought their outreach services to a close in January and their teams are thanked for all of their hard work to support people in and around the town. Outreach support for the homeless community in Hastings will transfer to Integrated Care 24 (IC24), which already runs Hastings Primary Care Hub at Station Plaza Health Centre in the town. IC24 will continue to support the homeless community with a GP and nurse-led service that builds on the valuable work of SJA, ensuring that some of the most vulnerable members of the local community continue to receive the care that they need. |
 A ground breaking ceremony took place on Tuesday 30 January on the site of a new mental health hospital in Bexhill, marking a major milestone for local NHS services. The 54-bed hospital on Mount View Street, Bexhill, was officially named Combe Valley – a name chosen by staff and service users. Combe Valley Hospital has been developed by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) alongside NHS Sussex, the Integrated Care Board for Sussex, supported by significant input from local service users and staff. Opening its doors during 2025, the new hospital will provide modern, high-quality care for people who may be experiencing serious mental health problems, emotional crisis, or severe distress which can't be treated in the community. |
 New ways of accessing information about the local population is helping health and care leaders in Sussex make improvements for the future. Improving how health and care services use digital technology and information is one of the key priorities for this year in Sussex, and a new system is helping leaders gain a better understanding of where improvements may be needed. |
The Joint Community Rehabilitation team (JCR) has been celebrating their 10-year anniversary and taking a look back over what the service has achieved since it formed a decade ago.
This integrated service brings together NHS staff from East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and adult social care staff from East Sussex County Council into three teams across the county. They support adults who need short term support to regain their independence while remaining at home, for example by improving their strength and mobility or relearning skills after a hospital stay or illness.
The teams include a wide range of professionals, like occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, social care workers, and rehabilitation support workers.
 Get advice on symptoms and treatments and find your nearest services, including pharmacies, dentists, GPs, A&E and urgent care. |
|
 Learn about the mental health services on offer or search for local care, support and wellbeing services on the 1Space directory. You can also find a range of resources linked with rises in the cost of living on the cost of living web pages. |
Enjoyed reading this?Then why not share it with a friend so they can sign up to our monthly newsletter and stay informed of all the local health and social care news. |
