School pupils and their families in Oxfordshire are being encouraged to join in the fun of using Street Tag, the free smartphone game app that offers rewards for exercise, now in its second season.
Since its launch in Oxfordshire in October 2020, the app has been met with enthusiasm by schools and communities with Oxfordshire having the highest sign-up rate for Street Tag in the country.
Councillor Lawrie Stratford, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: "The enjoyment with which Oxfordshire’s school children and communities have adopted Street Tag and the fun it offers has been very encouraging. The game has been a very helpful boost to the county’s children. Despite the challenges of the lockdowns, exercise remains a vital part of our efforts to stay fit and healthy. Indeed, there is still time to join in the fun and rewards that Street Tag offers as we move into season two of the game."
"Your daily walk or other permitted exercise can be a great way to win Street Tag points and tags and compete against your peers and rival communities, but we do ask players to keep to current government guidelines on permitted movement during the pandemic."
Mark Peacey, Deputy Headmaster at The Batt Church of England School in Witney, said:
"It has been fantastic to see the whole school community, young and older, sporty and less sporty, united in wanting our school to do well on the leaderboard but, more importantly, enjoy being outdoors and exercising as a family."
The Street Tag app rewards primary school pupils, communities and schools for their physical activities such as walking, running, cycling, among a number of other fitness activities.
The news comes after the end of the first season of the game, which ran between October to late December 2020 for the Oxfordshire Schools Leaderboard and October 2020 to 15 January for the Oxfordshire Community Leaderboard.
An impressive 95 schools signed up to play the Street Tag Oxfordshire schools games league with 4340 players. They walked an amazing 285,700 miles covering 318,453,192 steps and collected over 1,251,600 Street Tags on their way.
In schools that competed across the county, The Batt Church of England School in Witney won the most points with 14,698,105 and was also the Street Tag season one West Oxfordshire school games winner.
In the Oxfordshire community league, over 630 players joined, walking an impressive 10,470 miles over 13,168,519 steps. Players accumulated 51,980 Street Tags.
The good news for children and communities across Oxfordshire is that you can still join Street Tag and start winning points to gain rewards in season two. Schools can sign up by email or fill an online form.
To sign up to the Community Leaderboard, install the app, create a team and join.
Players can earn Street Tag points from physical activities, indoor and outdoor – walking, running and cycling by scanning virtual tags.
The most active communities and schools benefit from real rewards. Those with the highest rates will be rewarded with £50 for parent teacher associations of the top three leading schools in the districts and rewards of sports equipment, Amazon vouchers and more for the highest scoring communities within each district.
​For more information visit Street Tag online or find Street Tag on the Play Store, App Store, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
URL : http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/street-tag-app/

Residents and businesses across the District are being asked to have their say on how the Council will continue to deliver and develop key services.
The District Council’s share of council tax and rates payments fund the services it provides from collecting bins to planning, addressing homelessness to tackling climate change.
A budget consultation is now live asking residents and businesses to share their views on what Council priorities should be over the 2021/22 year and beyond.
Cllr Toby Morris, Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “The past year has been difficult and we have done our best to support everyone by not only maintaining core services but also getting vital funding to our local businesses, looking after those who had to shield and supporting the effort to reduce Covid-19 cases across the district.
“We want to know what our priorities should be going forward as we emerge from this crisis into what will continue to be a challenging period for some time to come.
“This consultation is open to everyone so we can gauge what we are doing right and where our priorities should be going forward and I would encourage as many people as possible to take part.”
The budget consultation runs until 31 January.
See here to take part: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/about-the-council/having-your-say/consultations/

An innovative hospital arts programme, which grew out of an initiative begun in West Oxfordshire, has won a national award.
Creating With Care, which was started by West Oxfordshire District Council four years ago, claimed the Innovation and Best Practice Improving Patient Care category at the Community Hospitals Association’s (CHA) Innovations and Best Practice Awards.
The scheme was set up by Arts Co-ordinator Angela Conlan and dementia nurse Paula Har after Angela originally came in as an artist in residence at Witney Community Hospital.
Sessions on photography, art, mosaics, dance, music, vintage cabaret, drama, poetry, and even a bit of Shakespeare have followed for patients with dementia and a range of enduring and complex conditions. Evidence shows how being creative can help people’s wellbeing and their recovery from illness.
Even lockdown has not hindered progress with patients being given activity packs and enjoying online performances by musicians.
Angela said: “We talk to people a lot and if they say they are bored then we can find them a book or give them art materials. We also have an iPad so they can get in touch with relatives.
“It has been a huge honour to be recognised in this way and I feel really grateful to have a job I love at this difficult time.”
Creating With Care has been rolled out across all six of Oxford Health’s community hospitals, supported by the Oxford Health Charity.
It has had a total of 4,350 patient attendances and 1,666 staff attendances at its sessions over the last four years while a total of £39,784 has been raised for projects.   

At the awards, the judges said: “This work is an example of innovation and creativity at its best. You should all be so proud of developing and delivering this work … such passion, joy and intelligence – absolutely inspirational.”
Cllr Suzi Coul, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Health, said: “This is a wonderful initiative which sprang from an idea at the Council and has proven its benefits across the county and beyond.
“To receive such national recognition is testament to its success and the passion and commitment of the team behind it.”

A programme dedicated to improving health and fitness among diabetic residents has been given a cash boost.
GO Active Get Healthy (GAGH) has been given £60,000 of funding for another year of which £8,643 has been allocated to West Oxfordshire with the Council adding another £5,000.
Across the county, the GO Active Get Healthy programme is funded by Active Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and delivered in partnership by district councils, their leisure providers and local GP practices.
The initiative takes advantage of expert advice from qualified sports coaches with participants receiving motivational, tailored support. Information about local activities such as subsidised swimming lessons and free use of leisure facilities is also provided when they are available.
One resident who has benefited from the programme is 64-year-old Dick Tracey from Witney who has lost weight and no longer takes insulin to manage his condition.
He said: “My life has been totally transformed. I have lost 35lbs and can walk longer distances at a quicker pace. None of this would have happened without the intervention of Jenny and the GO-Active Get Healthy project.”  
Dick now manages his condition through exercise and he now cycles every day.
Jenny Bennett, Healthy Communities Officer at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This funding is excellent news for those looking to manage their diabetes, particularly during a lockdown. 
“I am sure plenty of residents will be looking to sign up early in the new year with health and fitness a top priority.”
Cllr Suzi Coul, Cabinet Member for Health and Leisure, said: “There has never been a more important time to exercise and stay healthy.
“GAGH is an excellent initiative for those with diabetes and I would encourage as many as possible to sign up.”
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Council Leader Michele Mead has issued a rallying call to residents and businesses as the country enters another lockdown.
Cllr Mead spoke out after the lockdown was officially made law by Parliament forcing schools and businesses to close with residents being told to stay at home and not go out if it can be avoided.
“This third lockdown presents yet another massive challenge for residents and businesses and I am deeply aware of the problems it will cause, particularly for the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Cllr Mead.
“However, the vaccination programme will roll out rapidly in the coming weeks and hopefully there is a light at the end of the tunnel and we will never have to suffer these restrictions again in future.
“I would urge any resident who is struggling to cope to contact us to discuss their needs. We are there to listen and help so please get in touch if you need to.”
The number of Covid-19 cases has doubled in Oxfordshire in the space of a fortnight prompting the Government to place the nation into a third lockdown.
National lockdown restrictions mean people in Oxfordshire and elsewhere must stay at home to help contain the virus. In the last week alone the number of cases increased by 64 per cent and this follows a substantial increase in the week prior to that. The number of cases in the over 60s have more than doubled in the last week.
Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “The number of cases both locally and nationally have risen hugely during December and people are once again being asked to stay at home. The new variant of Covid-19 spreads extremely quickly and these rules are being applied for our own safety and protection. We have had some good news as regards the Oxford vaccine but in coming weeks it’s important that we keep up the discipline of abiding by the rules.
“We have seen how aggressively the virus spreads and during 2020 as a whole we have seen that this virus thrives on human contact. We clearly still have some very difficult times to get through before the vaccine begins to make a significant impact on Covid-19.
“The quick move to a further national lockdown is a stark warning that we need to be extra vigilant. I would urge people to take personal responsibility as individuals and families throughout the coming weeks to give ourselves a chance of containing the virus and clearing a path for the vaccine. It is great news that the vaccine made in Oxford has now become the second in circulation in the UK. However this is precisely the time of year when viruses thrive and we must be on our guard.
“I would urge everyone to protect themselves, the communities in which they live and therefore the NHS as we progress through the early days of 2021.”
Current casesThe number of cases in Oxfordshire up to January 1 was:

• West Oxfordshire 403.1 per 100,0000
• Cherwell 756.1 per 100,000
• South Oxfordshire 538.5 per 100,000
• Vale of White Horse 387.5 per 100,000
• Oxford 469 per 100,000
• Oxfordshire 519.2 per 100,000.

The rises have been experienced across all age groups.
Anyone needing urgent support then please call 01993 861077, email community.support@westoxon.gov.uk or see https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/communities-and-leisure/coronavirus-community-support/
 
What are the lockdown rules?You must not leave or be outside of your home except where you have a ‘reasonable excuse’ and this will be the law. The police can take action against you if you leave home without a ‘reasonable excuse’ and issue you with a fine

• Work: You can only leave home for work purposes where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home, including but not limited to people who work within critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing that require in-person attendance
• Volunteering: You can also leave home to provide voluntary or charitable services.
• Essential activities: You can leave home to buy things at shops or obtain services. You may also leave your home to do these things on behalf of a disabled or vulnerable person or someone self-isolating.
• Education and childcare: You can only leave home for education, registered childcare, and supervised activities for children where they are eligible to attend. Access to education and children’s activities for school-aged pupils is restricted.
• Meeting others and care: You can leave home to visit people in your support bubble ( if you are legally permitted to form one), to provide informal childcare for children under 14 as part of a childcare bubble (for example, to enable parents to work, and not to enable social contact between adults), to provide care for disabled or vulnerable people, to provide emergency assistance, to attend a support group (of up to 15 people), or for respite care where that care is being provided to a vulnerable person or a person with a disability, or is a short break in respect of a looked-after child.
• Exercise: You can continue to exercise alone, with one other person or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area. You should maintain social distancing. See exercising and meeting other people.
• Medical reasons: You can leave home for a medical reason, including to get a COVID-19 test, for medical appointments and emergencies.
• Harm and compassionate visits: You can leave home to be with someone who is giving birth, to avoid injury or illness or to escape risk of harm (such as domestic abuse). You can also leave home to visit someone who is dying or someone in a care home (if permitted under care home guidance), hospice, or hospital, or to accompany them to a medical appointment.
• Animal welfare reasons: You can leave home for animal welfare reasons, such as to attend veterinary services for advice or treatment.
• Communal worship and life events: You can leave home to attend or visit a place of worship for communal worship, a funeral or event related to a death, a burial ground or a remembrance garden, or to attend a wedding ceremony. You should follow the guidance on the safe use of places of worship and must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble when attending a place of worship.

Impact on county council servicesLibraries and cultural services

The Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock and the Oxfordshire History Centre will need to close. The county’s libraries are also closed but some will provide a limited number of services, including IT access, which must be booked, online services, home library visits and click and collect.
Registration ServicesIn line with national guidance the county council’s Registration Service will only be conducting wedding or civil partnership ceremonies in exceptional circumstances such as the iIlness of a couple or member of family due to attend ceremony. This would also include a military deployment at short notice, life threatening surgery or debilitating illness as well as for couples where one of them is seriously ill and not expected to recover. For citizenship please refer to the OCC website for latest information. Births and urgent Notices of Marriage and Civil Partnership will continue.
Household Waste Recycling CentresHousehold Waste Recycling Centres will remain open but are very busy and may close temporarily to relieve traffic congestion and to maintain social distancing. Please segregate your waste and keep 2m apart whilst on site. Abuse of site staff will not be tolerated and may result in a ban from sites.