Swindon Borough Council is urging members of the public to look after their mental and physical health during the coronavirus outbreak after the Government extended the current lockdown period until May.

As a result, the Council has published important advice on its website that residents can follow to ensure they keep fit and healthy during this time.

Vital measures to support residents and businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have already been put in place by the Council, but the local authority is now encouraging residents to think of themselves now they are being asked to stay in their homes for longer.

Advice on how to keep active, including special tips on exercising at home offered by fitness experts at Sport England, are on the Council’s website, along with tips on how to get a good night’s sleep if people are feeling worried or anxious, as well as advice on how to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

Mental health is a big focus of the support and there is a section on the website dedicated to staying connected with others through social media and digital technology. There are also links to charities such as MIND and The Mental Health Foundation.

Help is available for victims of domestic abuse and advice for people worried about falling victim to scammers and fraudsters, reports of which have recently been received by the Council’s Trading Standards team.

People can also find tips on how to manage their waste and recycling and there are how-to videos for council housing tenants who may wish to carry out small repairs to their properties.

Councillor David Renard, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “Now the lockdown has been extended, it is incredibly important that people continue to take good care of themselves and look after their mental and physical wellbeing.

“Isolation presents challenges to all of us and I would encourage people to take a look at our website to see if there any pieces of advice that would be helpful to them during this uncertain time. We must look after ourselves and each other.”

The website can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/2VaJ5P0.